Jan. 26, 2008
Results
Champaign, Ill. -
Senior Alex Straughn reached a height of six feet, 10 inches to win the high jump, highlighting the Illinois State track and field teams performance Saturday at the Carle/Health Alliance Classic in Champaign, Ill., inside the University of Illinois Armory.
Head coach Elvis Forde was proud of Straughn's performance, but knows that he is capable of reaching a higher jump.
"Alex was trying to compete in the triple jump and high jump at the same time," said Forde. "We had hoped that he would reach a new personal record of seven feet in the high jump, but I think it was difficult for him to try and compete in both events and it threw him off. He still has the rest of the year and we know he can reach the seven-foot mark."
Illinois State men's and women's track and field teams both finished fourth with each team earning 78 and 72 points, respectively. Host Illinois swept the meet on both the men's and women's side with 197 and 208 points.
In their first distance medley relay of the season, Michelle Brunk, Anna Lovell, Kim Smudde and Suzy Turner took first place with a time of 12:10.62. Lovell also had a season-best performance in the 400-meter dash clocking in with a time of 57.78 seconds (4th).
"We won the event (distance medley relay) quite easily," said Forde. "I think that as the season progresses we will be able to drop time and should do well in conference."
Freshman Kirsten Lang ran a personal best in the mile with a time of 5:15.67 (4th) dropping three seconds from her previous best. Senior Frannie Epps had her first opportunity of the indoor track and field season to compete in the pentathlon. Epps placed third with 3,171 points and scored eight points for the Redbird women.
On the Redbird men's side, senior Jeremy Johnson placed third in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.94. Sophomore Rob Barkulis ran a personal-best (4:19.77) dropping eight minutes from his previous best and placed fifth in the mile, he also finished with a time of 2:43.01 in the 1000-meter run (9th).
Sophomore Nick Ragusa had a strong performance on the afternoon in the pole vault. Ragusa reached personal-best height of 15-09 and placed fifth ahead of his older brother Matt, who placed sixth (15-05), and is a pole vaulter for Illinois.
Forde saw a great deal of improvement from his teams and feels that his athletes handled the competition in stride.
"I thought our level of focus and energy was the best that I have seen all year," said Forde. "I think that it was carried over from a good week of practice."
The Redbirds will head to Bloomington, Ind., next weekend for the Hoosier Relays Feb. 1 and 2. The meet is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., Friday.
