The Illinois State womens track and field team won its fifth Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championship and accumulated 170 points, the most in the history of the meet, as head coach John Coughlan ended his legacy at ISU by claiming his 25th league title, Saturday, at Cessna Stadium.
The Redbird victory gave Illinois State its 100th conference title since joining the Missouri Valley Conference in 1982. Coughlan and the Redbirds won the first title in 1982 with the womens cross country championship and he ends his career with number 100.
The women scored 170 points, followed by Southwest Missouri State (105), Wichita State (88), Indiana State (86), Southern Illinois (71), Drake (56), Northern Iowa (53) and Bradley (22). On the mens side the Redbirds finished third with 102 points. Northern Iowa won with 172, followed by Indiana State (133), Illinois State, Drake (86), Wichita State (71), Southern Illinois (63) and Southwest Missouri State (24).
I dont think it could have been any better, Coughlan said. We had a really good meet on both sides. We had so many good things happen. It is a nice way to go out, because it couldnt be any better.
Sophomore Egle Kregzdyte shocked the league and ignited the team by winning the 1,500-meter run and coming back an hour and 10 minutes later to win the 800-meter run. Kregzdyte is only the second female to accomplish that feat in the history of the conference, with Gina DeWitt of Drake winning both in 1996.
Kregzdyte won the 1,500 with a time of four minutes, 30.55 seconds, after moving from seventh to first in the final 200 meters. In the 800, Kregzdyte again made her move with 200 meters left to win with a time of 2:09.92.
(In the 1,500), I was running behind on the last straight-away, Kregzdyte said. I was surprised that I was feeling pretty good. I had so much strength and I felt fresh. I was ready to run.
Senior Tom Barrett won his second and third titles of the meet by claiming the discus title in the morning and the shot put championship in the afternoon. On his first attempt in the discus, Barrett posted an NCAA provisonal mark of 189 feet, 10 inches. In the shot put, Barrett had a mark of 58 feet, one and a quarter inch to dominate the field by three feet. The OFallon, Ill. native finishes his storied Illinois State career with 12 conference titles.
I planned on winning all three, Barrett said after winning the shot. I was concerned with the shot the most because it hasnt been consistent for me all year. I just tried to take it easy in the other two events and focus my attention on the shot. It feels good and its great to have a lot of records and championships, but I just enjoyed competing with the great competition in this conference.
Last season, Barrett was the first athlete in the history of the league to win five throwing titles in a single season, coupled with his 2000 indoor shot put and 35-lb. weight titles, Barrett repeated the feat this season.
LaShawna Mapp became the only second woman to win three outdoor triple jump crowns after bettering her school-record mark with a leap of 41 feet, 6.5 inches. Mapp won the event by one and a half inches over teammate Nicole Blow, who claimed second place. Senior Kelly Miller placed sixth.
I like being outdoors and I knew this was going to be my last meet, Mapp said. Indoors it just didnt happen for me, but Ill take three outdoor titles. I just wanted to win. I didnt care if it took 39 feet or 41 feet, I just wanted to win.
Sophomore Stacia Beste, who placed second in the 10,000 Thursday night, returned to the track to win the womens 5,000-meter-run. Stacia clocked a time of 17 minutes, .47 seconds, to top Tracey Bearden of Drake and Mary Ellen Hill of Bradley.
Ive been waiting a long time for this, Beste said after winning her first conference title. Ive been so frustrated, because I havent felt like Ive acheived my goals this season. I think that the slower pace in the 10,000 (Thursday night) really helped me a lot today, because I was able to save some energy. I had a lot left.
Sophomore Christian Goy claimed the unofficial triple crown by adding the 1,500 league title to his Mt. SAC and Drake Relays 1,500 crowns. Goy won the event with a time of three minutes, 51.42 seconds and returned to finish fifth in the mens 800-meter run.
