NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State track & field fans will have the chance to witness the Redbirds in action at home this weekend, as the ISU men's and women's track & field teams host the annual Redbird Invite on Saturday at the Redbird Track Complex in Normal, Illinois.
MEET INFORMATION
Saturday's meet is the second and final opportunity for fans to watch the 'Birds compete on their home track. Field events are scheduled for a 10 a.m. start, with track events following at 12 p.m. Admission to the meet is free of charge. For fans who cannot be in attendance, live results will be provided and can be accessed via Twitter (@Redbird_TrackXC) and GoRedbirds.com.
The Redbirds will also take time to recognize the program's 18 graduating seniors. Biographies of each senior will be read over the course of the meet, and a short senior recognition ceremony will take place at 4:15 p.m. prior to the 4x400-meter relays.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
The Redbirds will play host to two in-state rivals: UIC and Loyola Chicago. On the men's side, the Flames are led by redshirt seniors Sean Wollenweber and Alex Bashqawi, who won 2019 Indoor Horizon League titles in the triple jump and mile run, respectively. Senior thrower Genora Garcia leads the UIC women, placing third in the shot put at the Horizon League Championship.
MVC-foe Loyola Chicago is led by senior distance runner Lindsey Brewis and junior jumper Eric Burns. Brewis picked up a pair of 2019 indoor MVC crowns in the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter, while Burns claimed the Valley title in the long jump. Burns is also the reigning MVC Male Field Athlete of the Week after a standout performance at the Bobcat Invitational last weekend.
LAST TIME OUT Â Â Â Â
The 'Birds were all over the map last weekend, competing in the Mike Fanelli Track Classic, Stanford Invitational, and Ole Miss Classic. Kevin Koski and Kimathi Johnson picked up personal-bests at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic, with Koski posting a 10K time of 29:57.87 and Johnson recording a 1,500-meter time of 3:50.58 to finish fifth among 142 runners.
At the Stanford Invitational, Kyle Mattes captured the third-fastest 10K time in Illinois State track & field history, clocking in at 29:06.89. Jack Anstey and Grace Beattie both ran their way to the top of the MVC performance lists, as Anstey's 1,500-meter time of 3:44.07 and Beattie's 3,000-meter steeplechase time of 10:25.01 both lead the Valley. Anstey's mark also sits third in the NCAA West Region and fifth in all of Division I.
At the Ole Miss Classic, Sydney Laufenberg stole the show, shattering the Illinois State school record in the discus by nearly two meters. Laufenberg won the discus competition with a heave of 56.99m (187-00), engraving her name on ISU's record board. Not only does Laufenberg's distance lead the Valley by over a meter, but it ranks sixth in the NCAA West Region and seventh in the nation.
As if this wasn't enough, Laufenberg also recorded a lifetime personal-best in the hammer throw (53.16m/174-05), a mark which sits seventh in the MVC and ranks 10th all-time in ISU history. For her efforts, Laufenberg was named the MVC's Female Field Athlete of the Week on Tuesday for the first time of her career.
NEXT UP
The Illinois State men's and women's track & field teams will be back in action next week when they travel to Knoxville, Tennessee, to compete in the Tennessee Relays from April 11-13.
For all the latest on Redbird Track & Field and Cross Country, visit GoRedbirds.com and follow the 'Birds on Twitter (@Redbird_TrackXC), Instagram (@redbird_trackxc) and Facebook (@redbirdsTF).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App:Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
