Complete Release in PDF Format 
Feb. 29, 2008
NORMAL, Ill. -
The pinnacle of the indoor track and field season has arrived as the Illinois State track and field teams travel to the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships, March 1-2, hosted by Northern Iowa inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The championships will get underway Saturday at 10:30 a.m. with the women's pentathlon; field events will begin at 1:45 p.m., while the track events will begin at 4:00 p.m.
The Illinois State men's and women's track and field teams enter the conference meet picked to finish fifth. Even though the polls do not project a strong finish to the indoor season for the Redbirds, head track and field coach Elvis Forde remains positive.
"With Jeremy Johnson and Tristan Francis out due to injury I am not surprised with the men's standing," said Forde. "As far as the women's ranking, I am going to take it with a grain of salt. It is conference time and I believe that true competitors shine when the stakes are high. The Valley is tough, but I believe that if the women perform to their potential we can leave with a higher finish than what has been projected for us."
The men's team garnered 12 points, while the women gathered 35, as voted on by league coaches. Northern Iowa was an overwhelming pick to capture both team titles. On the men's side, the eight-ranked Panthers gained 36 votes and were followed by Southern Illinois (29), Indiana State (24), Wichita State (17), ISU and Drake (8).
On the women's side UNI was picked to finish first with 61 points; Indiana State came is second with 52 points and No. 19, Southern Illinois was third (46 points). Two-time Valley indoor defending champion Wichita State was picked to finish fourth with 36 points. Illinois State was picked fifth, and fifth-place Missouri State tallied 32 points. Drake (18 points) and Bradley (8 points) rounded out the polls, coming in seventh and eighth, respectively.
On the women's side, Devon Williams will enter the championships as the top sprinter in the conference, as she holds the top times in the 60- and 200-meter dashes. She will be looking for her third 60 meter MVC title and her second-straight 200 meter indoor crown after capturing the league's Most Outstanding and Most Valuable Athlete honors last year.
Another factor for the Redbird women is senior Suzy Turner, who will be competing in the mile, 3,000-meter run and the distance medley relay. Turner, who already has all-conference accolades from the 2007 cross country season, holds the second fastest time in the mile and 3,000.
"There is something about Suzy and Devon," said Forde. "The two have a determination and you can tell that they are hungry for a title. I am not sure if it is because they are in their senior year and want to make the most of it, or if they just feel like they are ready to go all out. No matter the reason, I just hope they go out there and run like crazy."
The Redbird men boast strength in the distance events with sophomore Scott Krapf, the leader in the 5,000 meters and senior Alex Straughn, who holds the league's best mark in the triple jump.
"Our men are in some highly contested events," said Forde. "Alex will be competing in the high jump and triple jump and it is going to take a great effort on his part to contend for a title in each event. I am confident that even though we have some gaps in our men's team, we are going to have some great performances this weekend.
"Scott has continually improved all year and he will be competing in the 3,000 and 5,000. We are going to expect a lot from him as well as from the other distance guys such as Matt Mroczynski and John Navarro in both the 3,000 and 5,00,0 and Mike Richardson in the 3,000. This is the conference meet and we are going to have high expectations for all of our student-athletes."
