March 1, 2009
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NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State freshmen shot putters Tori Ziegler and Alex Adams took second place in the women's and men's shot put earning their first All-Missouri Valley Conference accolades, highlighting the Redbirds' performances in the final day of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships inside the UNI-Dome on Sunday. The Illinois State men's and women's teams both finished fifth. The men tallied 85 points, while women scored 70.
"All-in-all we can't be disappointed with the performance we had from our athletes," said head coach Elvis Forde. "It was a bitter sweet ending though, it is like losing a basketball game when the other team hits the buzzer beater shot. We lost key performers this weekend, on both sides we were close to finishing fourth. I do think that we are a better outdoor team, so hopefully this gives us something to shoot for during the outdoor season."
In the women's shot put, Ziegler tied her career-best launching a distance of 48-0.50. Samantha Springer added a personal-best in the shot put, placing seventh with a distance of 45-0.5. In the men's shot put, Adams' throw of 54-3.75 earned him the runner-up position, while sophomore Colin Fane added to the score with an eight-place finish and personal-best throw of 50-8.
"We expected Tori to win the shot put, but Gwen from Southern Illinois just had an outstanding day and we are happy with Tori's second-place finish. She has her work cut out for her and need to step up the intensity level heading into the outdoor season.
"Alex look great in the shot put. The competition was back and forth, we just hope that he can build on his performance. He is more of a outdoor thrower in the discus and hammer so we are expecting big things for him."
Junior Scott Krapf and sophomore Matt Mroczynski collected their second all-conference honor of the weekend taking second and third in the men's 3,000-meter run. Krapf edged out Mroczynski in the final stretch of the 15-lap event as the two finished with times of 8:32.31 and 8:32.41, respectively. Saturday, the duo took the second and third positions in the 5,000 with Mroczynski edging out Krapf for second in the event.
"The distance running today was outstanding," said Forde."The competition between Scott and Matt is only elevating the competition. Last night Matt got the best of Scott and today Scott got the best of Matt. It is a tribute to their competitive nature."
Junior John Neisler led the group of four Redbirds in the finals of the 800-meter run, capturing 12 points in the event. Neisler, a transfer from Saint Xavier, turned in a third-place finish with a time of 1:54.27. Sophomore Nick Geyer (1:54.79) and freshmen Mat Smoody (1:55.27) and Steve Regan (2:01.32) rounded out the performances placing sixth through eighth, respectively.
In the women's 800, senior Kim Smudde collected all-conference honors with a third-place finish, turning in a time of 2:14.94.
In the sprints, sophomore Meaka Brents and freshman Alia McAfee earned their first indoor all-conference accolades. Brents claimed the second-place finish in the 60-meter dash with a personal-best time of 7.58 and also turned in a personal-best time of 25.27 in the 200 to finish sixth. McAfee finished third in the 400-meter dash with a personal-best time of 46.04 and then place eighth in the 200 with a time of 2:14.94.
Freshman Josh Pope ran an astonishing personal-best time of 8.39 Saturday to qualify for the finals of the 60-meter hurdles. He then dropped time once again in the finals, clocking in with a time of 8.29 to finish in fourth place.
Rounding out Illinois State's all-conference performances, sophomore Amanda Albrecht took third in the high jump clearing a height of 5-6.5.
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