Feb. 8, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
After strong individual performances from juniors Anna Lovell and Devon Williams at last weekend's Hoosier Relays, the Illinois State track and field team will look to build upon those successes when it travels to compete at the 16th Annual Iowa State Track and Field Classic Friday and Saturday in Ames, Iowa. The first day of competition begins at approximately 2 p.m. on Friday, with the finale starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday at Lied Recreation Facility.
Head coach Elvis Forde believes it is critical that the Redbirds are able to continue to improve at this weekend's meet, as the team is only two weekends away from competing at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships in Carbondale, Ill.
"At this time of the season, we are just trying to make sure that the athletes are getting sharper every time they compete," said Forde. "This is almost the final stretch before the conference championships, so this is a weekend where our kids have to give us a strong indication that they are ready for the conference meet. It is only two weeks away, so this weekend will give us critical evaluation."
"We will try to run everyone this weekend unless they are sick or injured," added Forde. "We have a few individuals that are doubtful for this weekend, but we are hopeful that with rest, they are ready to compete at the conference meet."
At last weekend's meet, Lovell and Williams each finished in second place and recorded personal-best times, leading the women's squad. Lovell placed second in the 400-meter dash with a season-best time of 55.93, while Williams also posted a season-best time in the 200-meter dash (24.67) at Gladstein Fieldhouse in Bloomington, Ind. The Redbirds will look to sophomore Brianna Officer to give a strong effort in the sprints, as well as getting a solid performance in the first appearance of the season from the women's distance medley relay team.
"I think we pretty much know where we are at on the women's side," said Forde. "The only concern we have is that we would like to see Brianna step up and have a good race this weekend because she can be an integral part of our sprint core. We are hoping that she can loosen up and run at a high level in preparation for the conference championships."
The men's team will look for big things from the sprinters, specifically junior Kelley Anderson and sophomore Samuel Watts in the 60-meter dash. Anderson and Watts will try to improve on their early season-best times, hoping to break the seven-second mark. In the middle distance events, sophomore Mike Richardson and freshmen Jordan Anderson and Scott Krapf are expected to improve, especially in the 3,000-meter run.
Juniors Bryan Chancellor (weight throw), Anton Walczak (weight throw) and Joe Painter (shot put) will be the Redbirds to watch in the throw events. Forde believes that the junior trio can add onto their season and personal best scores in Ames this weekend.
"I would really like to see Chancellor, Walczak and Painter add an extra foot or two to their throwing-bests this weekend," Forde said. "I think that if they really believe in what they have been taught by (assistant track and field coach) Chakouian that they can do it."
