March 2, 2008
Results
CEDAR FALLS, IOWA -
Illinois State senior Devon Williams fueled the Illinois State track and field team as she defended her titles in the 60-and 200-meter dashes, and for a second year in a row was named the Most Outstanding Female Track Athlete at the State Farm MVC Indoor Track and Field Championships inside the UNI-Dome Saturday.
The Oswego Ill. native broke her school and Missouri Valley Conference championship record in the 60-meter dash with a provisional NCAA qualifying time of 7.41 seconds. Williams then turned around and ran the fastest 200-meter dash of her career with a time of 24.31. Her mark in the 200 improves her time on the all-time best list at ISU at No. 2 and is her sixth career 200 title.
Illinois State head track and field coach Elvis Forde was thrilled for Devon as she finalized her indoor season.
"Devon's actions speak louder than her words," said Forde. "She is so humble in her achievements. She has a lot to be proud of and I think that she has a drive that all of our student-athletes could take from her."
Senior Alex Straughn, picked as the favorite to win the triple jump as he entered the championships with a distance of (49-11.25), claimed his first Valley title in the triple jump launching a distance of 49 feet, 11 inches. Straughn also placed third in the high jump clearing a height of 6-09.50 ft.
"We have had high expectations for Alex all season so it is nice to see him win an individual award," said Forde.
In a heated men's 3,000-meter run sophomore Scott Krapf earned his second all-conference accolade with a second-place finish crossing the finish line with a time of 8:26.26. Freshman teammate Matt Mroczynski (8:31.14) and junior Mike Richardson (8:31.47) placed sixth and seventh, respectively.
In the final event of the Valley Championships the ISU women capped off the day with a fourth-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay. The squad of Brianna Officer, Williams, Anna Lovell and Melissa Clarke clocked a season-best finish of 3:49.57 and elevated the ISU women's team to a fifth place overall finish in the Valley championships with 86 points.
The women's sprinters were highlighted by Williams two titles, while senior Lovell placed fifth in the 400 with a season-best time of 56.69 and sixth in the 200 (25.74), while teammate Officer finished sixth alongside Lovell in the 400 (56.69).
Sophomore Megan Thompson scored points for the Redbirds with her third-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles clocking a personal-best finish of 8.75.
In the women's distance events, senior Suzy Turner ran a personal-best 4:58.07 to take fifth-place in the mile and then took third in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 9:56.53.
In the women's field events, junior Samantha Springer threw 42-11.50 in the shot put for a seventh-place finish, while freshman Amanda Albrecht took third in the high jump, clearing a height of 5-06 and placed eighth in the triple jump with a personal-best distance of 37-02.25.
On the men's side, Illinois State finished fifth with 60.50 points. Northern Iowa, who is nationally ranked, won their ninth indoor championship with 167.50 points.
Senior DeAndre Tillman finished fifth in the 400-meter dash clocking in with a time of 49.08
In the men's field events, senior Nick Chumbley placed fifth in the shot put launching a personal-best distance of 52-08.25, while teammate freshman Colin Fane took eighth with a personal-best of 50-08.25.
The Redbirds will have one more opportunity to qualify for the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships as they will send individuals to compete at the Last Chance Qualifier in Ames, Iowa and the Alex Wilson Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind., on Saturday, March 8.
