March 10, 2012
Complete Results
NAMPA, Idaho -
Illinois State senior track & field student-athlete Aisha Praught ran to a national runner-up finish (4:39.85) in the women's mile making a name for herself and putting ISU on the map in the process at the 2012 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Idaho Center, Saturday evening. Brittany Smith and Akil Mills also competed for the Redbirds in the day's throwing events.
Head track & field coach Elvis Forde couldn't be more proud of the way Praught performed today.
"This was a great victory for her knowing that she is capable of running with the nations best at the highest level," said Forde. "Finishing second in the national championships gives her credibility as she continues to make a name for herself. It not only lets people know who she is, but it lets people know about Illinois State. When you get to run against the top prospects and runners in the nation like [Jordan] Hasay and do as well as she did, it says something for her hard work and dedication and lets others know that it doesn't matter what school you go to, you are capable of being the best at what you do."
Mills got the ball rolling for the Redbirds as he started the day's competition in the men's 35-lb weight throw. Entering the event ranked 15th in the nation, Mills started with his furthest opening throw of the season, a mark of 65-11.75. However, he couldn't quite find a steady rhythm and that mark ended up being his best on the day as he closed out flight one sitting in eighth place. He would fall to 12th place, as flight two housed some big-name throwers in the likes of J.C. Lambert of Southern Illinois.
Praught was next up in the women's mile finals. Taking second in her heat yesterday to advance to the finals, Praught came out destined to make a name for herself and that's just what she did. The race kept a tight pack through the first quarter until Praught, Jordan Hasay (All-American from Oregon) and Lucy Van Dalen (All-American from Stony Brook) decided to quicken the pace separating themselves from the rest of the runners in the field. Praught kept stride for stride with the two until the final kick where she turned it up down the home stretch, being edged out of first place by nine-hundredths of a second. This was the second time this season she ran a sub 4:40.00 mile, earning All-American honors in the process. Her national runner-up finish is the best finish on the track for an ISU runner since Christian Goy won the men's indoor mile in 2002.
Smith was the last to compete on the day, this coming in the women's shot put. Faced with stiff competition in her flight, Smith opened up with a mark of 51-11.00. However, she would foul her next two throws, leaving her in 15th place and out of the finals. She leaves the championships with a third-place finish and All-American honors in the weight throw in which she competed in yesterday.
As a team, the women finished 18th, in a field of 62 teams. The Redbirds will endure a week off for spring break before they resume practice. They will not compete until the end of March in the EIU Big Blue Classic.
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