May 23, 2006
NORMAL, Ill. -
While most of the Illinois State track and field team members hung up their shoes after the 2006 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, 17 student-athletes stuck around to train these past two weeks to prepare for the NCAA Mideast Regional, May 26-27 in Knoxville, Tenn., and a chance to move onto the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships.
"The regional meet is going to be a difficult challenge for our athletes. But last year, seven of them advanced to the NCAA Championship meet so we are going to hope that we are that fortunate again this year," said ISU head coach Elvis Forde.
Returning from the 4x100-meter relay team, which appeared at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, are Anna Lovell, Cherise Devers and Lian Lucas. Lauren Maul also advanced to the national meet in the triple jump. In 2005, Maul placed seventh in the triple jump, just missing an automatic bid to nationals, but was chosen as an at-large contender. This year, at the regional, Maul will compete in the high jump.
Forde is anxious to see his athletes compete against some of the best competition in the nation.
"This is going to be a special meet for our athletes," said Forde. "The Mideast Regional is, in my opinion, the toughest in the nation. Our performances are going to have to be flawless, and I think we certainly have individuals who are capable of doing that. I look forward to seeing what we can do."
Devon Williams, Lovell, Devers and Lucas have teamed up all season in the 4x100-meter relay and qualified for the regional meet on April 1 at the Missouri Relays. The 4x400-meter relay team of Lovell, Devers, Andrea Mosher and Brianna Officer will compete as well.
In the individual events, Forde believes that Laura Kennedy has a good shot at advancing to the national championships, based on the times she has run this season.
"Laura has a very good chance to qualify for the NCAA's even if she doesn't place in the top five," said Forde. "Based on the times she's already run this season, she would be a good pick to finish out the field in the steeplechase with an at-large bid."
Besides the 4x100-meter relay, Lucas will compete in the 100 and 200-meters, while Williams will also be in the 100. Mosher, who will compete in the 400-meter hurdles, finished fifth in the 400-meter hurdles at the Mideast Regional in 2003, which qualified her for nationals. However, in 2004 she placed ninth and was unable to compete in the finals in 2005 because of an injury.
DeAndre Tillman, Geoff Houtman, Maxwell Mkwezalamba and Bronco Meeks will comprise the men's 4x400-meter relay. Meeks will also compete in the 800-meters.
According to Forde, Meeks will be one of the top contenders in the race.
"I believe that Bronco can be one of the top five individuals in the 800-meters in our region," said Forde. "He's going to have to go out and really have a good run. His performance at the outdoor championships was one of those weekend's that was unfortunate when you get sick and don't recover for your race. I hope by the weekend he'll be back to full speed and be one of those top five individuals."
A majority of the men's team members that qualified for the regional will be competing in the field events. Brian Krantz will compete in the hammer throw and discus, while Mark Jackson will also compete in the hammer and the shot put. Derek Sargent will be among of the field of javelin competitors, and Alex Straughn will compete in the high jump and triple jump.
Both days of competition, Friday and Saturday, will begin at 11 a.m.
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