April 14, 2009
ST. LOUIS -
Illinois State track and field freshman Leigh Petranoff was named the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Field Athlete of the Week after hitting a NCAA Regional qualifying mark in the javelin at the Mesa Classic over the weekend, as announced by the Valley office Tuesday.
Illinois State assistant track and field coach Jeff Chakouian knew that Petranoff had a big throw in her, he was just surprised at how early in the track and field season it came.
"It was a big throw for Leigh, but at the same time she has been really consistent," said Chakouian. "She has been training specifically for the javelin for the past six months and she is finally getting a chance to compete. For her to be throwing in the 144 foot range so early in the season shows the amount of work she has put in during the off season.
Petranoff hit her first regional mark and finished in second place at the Mesa Classic held in Mesa, Ariz., last weekend. The Cranston, R.I., native launched a personal-best distance of 144 feet, four inches, surpassing the regional mark by an inch-and-a-half. Petranoff holds the Valley's top performance by over ten feet.
The track and field athlete of the week honor is Petranoff's and the Redbirds first weekly honor this year.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, TRC gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
