Jan. 11, 2008
Redbird All-Access members, watch senior sprinter Devon Williams talk about ISU's indoor track and field season.
Redbird All-Access members, watch senior sprinter Jeremy Johnson talk about the Redbirds' indoor track and field season.
NORMAL, Ill. -
After taking a month off for the holiday season and with only a week of training since the break, the Illinois State men's and women's track and field teams are ready to resume action as they host Indiana State in a dual meet Saturday in Horton Field House. The meet will begin at noon with the field events, followed by the running events at 12:20 p.m.
Saturday's meet will mark the fourth year that Illinois State and Indiana State have dueled. The Illinois State women's track and field team has not been able to pull out a win against Indiana State since the meet has started (2005), and the Redbird men captured their only win in 2006.
Head Coach Elvis Forde believes that the success of the meet will come down to how well the student-athletes were able to maintain their fitness level over the winter break.
"I think this will be a good meet for us," said Forde. "I feel that we will be evenly matched with Indiana State. I am looking for a much better contest than what we have had in the past three years. Our only disadvantage will be that we have only had five days of training before the meet, whereas Indiana State has been back training for 10 days."
In the first meet of the season (Redbird Open - Dec. 8,2007), the Illinois State men's and women's track and field teams combined to win 10 first-place finishes.
"We had a strong open to the season, and I believe that it is because we had three solid months of training behind us," said Forde. "This weekend, we are just asking our kids to go and compete. I think that if we go out and do that (compete), the two teams match up very evenly. Our kids are more excited about this meet than they have been in the past, and I think it is because of the strength of the squad that we have."
The Redbird women's performances at the Redbird Open were highlighted by senior Devon Williams, who earned two first-place finishes in the 60-meter dash (7.52) and the 200-meter dash (25.10). Senior Anna Lovell also claimed her first wins of the season in the 400-meter and anchored the 4x400-meter relay team of freshmen Meaka Brents, Tia Harvey and sophomore-transfer Megan Thompson. In the field events, Caitlin Roberts placed third in the high jump with a personal-best of 5-06 feet.
The Redbird men were in full force, as they collected six first-place finishes. Senior Jeremy Johnson collected victories in the 60-meter dash and the 200-meters, while DeAndre Tillman added a win in the 400-meters and then joined with Carl Azab, Anthony Jacks and Dan Murphy in the 4x400-meter relay to tally another first-place finish for the `Birds.
