Feb. 26, 2008
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State track and field senior Alex Straughn garnered his second Missouri Valley Conference Field Athlete of the Week honor after winning the triple jump at the Eastern Illinois Friday Night Special, as announced by the league office Tuesday. Straughn earned his first Valley honor Jan 30.
Straughn recorded a season-best distance of 49-11.50 feet at the event in Charleston, Ill., and currently holds the Valley's best mark in the event. The St. Philip, Barbados, native also holds the No. 3 spot on the leaderboards in the high jump with a height of 6-10.75.
Head track and field coach Elvis Forde was pleased with Straughn's performances and hopes that his efforts will carry over into the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championships this weekend.
"Alex's jump over the weekend is about two feet further than anyone else in the conference so far," said Forde. "We just have to hope that his approach is correct this weekend and he hits the board where he wants to give him the distance to be the conference champion in that event.
"He has worked hard all year long and he is in good health. He knows what he is capable of and we have high expectations for him in the triple jump and the high jump. He has become very confident and even though he has not competed very much in the triple jump this season, he was still able to produce."
The Illinois State men's and women's track and field teams head to the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championships next weekend, March 1-2 to compete for the conference title inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
