Less than a month away from the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships, the Illinois State track and field team sees their season winding closer and closer to the end.
On Saturday, a trip to Champaign to compete in the Health Alliance Invitational was another step towards competing for the ultimate prize of an MVC title.
I was happy with how we ran today, Illinois State head coach Elvis Forde said Saturday after the meet. We didnt have as many personal bests as weve had the last couple of weeks, but I realize thats not going to happen all the time. I feel were progressing in the right direction though.
On the womens side, freshman Abby Heinhold took fourth in the 400-meter dash, clocking in with a time of 58.68, her best time of the season. Heinhold also had a career best in the pole vault, placing fifth with a height of 10-6. The 4 x 400-meter relay team of Amy Dian, Heinhold, Cherise Devers and Andrea Mosher took second with a time of 3:52.56, while Mary Risius was third in the high jump at 5-3 1/4.
Senior Lauren Maul did not compete in Champaign this weekend, but traveled to Bloomington, Ind., on Thursday, where she provisionally qualified for the NCAA meet in the high jump with a height of 5-10 1/4. The mark placed her third on Illinois States all-time school record. However, Maul strained her knee in the long jump, causing some concern for Forde.
Well have the doctor evaluate Lauren and take it one step at a time, Forde said of Mauls injury.
The men competed well in Champaign, particularly the throws squad, where Brian Krantz set a personal best in the shot put with a throw of 54-1 1/4, taking fourth in the event. Krantz also placed fourth in the weight throw (58-5 3/4) behind teammate Mark Jackson, whos throw of 59-00 3/4 was good enough for third place. Rhett Hillard took second in the shot with a throw of 55-00.
The throwers threw quite well this weekend, Forde said. Coach (Brent) Chumbley has really done a nice job with them. Theyve been progressing all season.
In other events, Bronco Meeks took third in the 800 with a time of 1:54.78, while Gabe Cruz was fifth with a time of 1:55.14. Newcomer Taiwo Sodeyi, competing in his first meet as a Redbird, placed fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.28.
The Redbirds return to action next Friday when they travel to Ames, Iowa for the Iowa State Invitational.
