March 4, 2011
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State track and field teams will send four student-athletes to Ames, Iowa, in an attempt to increase their marks Saturday at the NCAA Qualifier Meet hosted by Iowa State at the Lied Recreational Facility. The four student-athletes will all compete in field events.
Action starts at 10 a.m., with the women's weight throw. This will be the last meet for athletes to qualify before the NCAA indoor meet or improve on their current marks and times.
Amanda Albrecht won two conference championships at the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships to highlight a stellar senior performance during the indoor season. Before the championships, the Festus, Mo., native set a personal-best mark in the high jump with a provisional-qualifying leap of 5-10.50 and is in a tie for the 23rd best jump in the nation. The senior jumper will hope to improve her mark and reach the national championships.
In the women's field events, Brittany Smith set provisional-qualifying marks in the weight throw (65-01.50) and shot put (53-11.75) earlier this season. Her weight throw (20th) and shot put (15th) marks put her on the top-20 performance list in the nation. Smith's qualifying marks also set school records.
On the men's side, Curt Jensen earned All-Valley honors with his personal-best throw of 57-00.25 in the shot put before he finished seventh (57-07.50) in the weight throw with a personal-best mark, while Akil Mills hopes to improve on his provisional-qualifying mark of 64-01.75 in the weight throw at the meet.
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