Feb. 20, 2009
Stats
CHARLESTON, Ill. -
Freshman Mat Smoody highlighted the Illinois State track and field team's performances winning the mile in a time of four minutes, 20.58 seconds at the Friday Night Special Meet held inside the Lantz Fieldhouse in Charleston and hosted by Eastern Illinois Friday evening.
"I think that Mat ran the mile with sheer determination," said head coach Elvis Forde. "He gave a strong effort, but I think that since he joined us in the middle of the year he will have much more success in the outdoor season."
Sophomore Jon Roberts ran a personal-best in the 3,000-meter run crossing the finish line in 8:31 for a second-place finish. In the 800-meter run sophomore Yosef Tewolde turned in a personal-best time of 1:56.50 to take fifth place.
Junior Morgan Schaefer highlighted the Redbird women's performances earning a personal-best in the long jump and shot put. Schaefer who will be competing in the pentathlon next weekend at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships, launched a distance of 18 feet, three inches (fifth place) in the long jump and then threw the shot put 33-03 (25th place).
"It is great for Morgan as she gets ready to head into conference and compete in the pentathlon to get two good PRs (personal-records)," said Forde.
On the track, senior Brianna Officer finished eighth in the 600-meter run with a time of 1:41.20. Sophomore Lisa Devereux notched a personal-best finish in the mile crossing the finish line in 5:26.62 (sixth place).
Illinois State will head to the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Track and Field Championships next weekend, Feb. 28-March1. The championships will be hosted by Northern Iowa inside the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
