Tavis Freidt is going to have a little more free time during track meets this spring.

The University of Mary track star won't be competing in nearly every event under the sun this season, as the focus for his senior campaign will shift to the 400 hurdles and running legs on the 1,600-meter relay.

"I'm going to have a lot more time than usual,"Freidt said with a laugh. "It's been nice to be able to focus on the just 400 hurdles, and it's going to be nice to be fresh for every race."

Freidt, who is U-Mary's senior captain this spring, and the Marauders are one meet into the outdoor season, and head to Missoula, Mont., this weekend for the University of Montana Invitational.

The senior from Mandan is a two-time All-American in the 400 hurdles. Over the past few seasons, Freidt has competed in a number of events, including multi-event competitions, the 110 hurdles and pole vault just to name a few.

"We haven't had many athletes out here that could do that many things,"U-Mary coach Mike Thorson said. "He could probably pop up to the 800, and he ran the 200 during indoor.

"He's capable of so many things, and there's not many athletes that are that versatile,"he added.

Freidt finished fourth in the 400 hurdles at last year's NAIAnationals in 52.52 seconds, and that was while juggling the training for a multitude of events.

With the bulk of his time on the 400 hurdles this spring - and no conference or national meet to shoot for - Freidt has taken aim at one thing: Tanner Miller's school record of 51.52 in the event, set in 2001.

"There's a record I'd like to see fall, and that's about the extent of my expectations,"Freidt said. "I'd like to get under 51 (seconds), but if I get to the mid-51s, that would be fine, too."

Freidt may not be as busy at track meets this season, but that doesn't mean he's sitting around doing nothing.

The academic All-American has a full slate at school with a split major in pastoral ministry and theology. Friedt is also minoring in religious education.

As if his studies and training for track weren't enough, Freidt is also busy planning his wedding that is scheduled for this fall.

"Oh, I've been busy," he said with a laugh. "I had an internship at the beginning of the year that I had to be at every day, and now there's a (30-page) research paper that I have to work on."

The senior's run at the school record isn't going to be a just race against the clock, but also a race against the calendar.

U-Mary's move to the NCAAwill make the Marauders' track season shorter than usual, as U-Mary's final outdoor meet will be the Occidental Invitational in Los Angeles on May 6.

And it's not like the 400 hurdles is an event that one can just hop into and crack off 52-second race - it takes time and consistency.

Still, Freidt isn't making any excuses. If he gets the record, he gets it. If not, he said he'll know he gave it his best.

"That might make it a little tougher because there's a month less of the season than I'm used to having,"he said. "But I've been running here for four years, if I'm not in shape by now, I won't be.

"It's one more month,"he added. "I'm just going to have to do my best to get it in time."

Thorson thinks Miller's mark is definitely within reach, and the coach said that Freidt should be considered one of the best hurdlers in school history whether he gets the U-Mary mark or not.

"Tavis is certainly capable, and he'd probably be disappointed if he didn't threaten (the record),"Thorson said. "But that's a really good school record, and it will be tough to beat.

"But he's a two-time All-American. He's had a great career."