Illinois State Women Picked to Win MVC Indoor Title, Men Picked Second

Normal, Ill. – The Missouri Valley Conference released its pre-championship poll ahead of this weekend's MVC Indoor Track & Field Championship meet where the Redbird were selected to win their fifth indoor conference title in six years and the men's team was projected to finish second, as announced by the league on Thursday.  

Securing a high 142 points, the Illinois State women received 10 out of 12 votes first place votes. Indiana State (127) and Murray State (112) rounded out the top-3 on the women's side.  

Women have one four MVC indoor titles, should the 'Birds win the title, they will have won five titles in the last six years.  

In the men's poll, Indiana State was selected to finish first among the league's ten programs with 93 points and six first place predictions. Illinois State men were close behind with 89 points in second.  

LEADING THE MVC 

• Seven Hicks, 60m Dash 

• Destiny White, Tori Harris, Nnenna Okpara and Arianna Walker, Women's 4x400  

• Rachel Hickey, Tori Harris, Mattison Plummer and Caroline Meyers, Women's DMR 

• Riley Wells, 800m Run 

• Brandon Ratliff, 60m Hurdles 

• Raydoffa Braziel, Jaylin Holmes, Junias Holmes and Enyinnaya Nwagwu, Men's 4x400 

• Amiri Buchanan, Shot Put 

RETURNING CHAMPS 

Senior, Riley Wells captured an MVC title last season, return for the Redbirds. Wells captured the individual title in the 800m, which he recently just broke the school record for.  

Ariel Atias, also captured an MVC indoor title last year in the Heptathlon and is returning for the Redbirds.  

All of the Redbird's relays won an MVC indoor title last season as well. Michael Marrs, Tori Harris and Destiny White, return for the Redbirds, were a part of the winning men's and women's 4x400 relay.  

The women's distance-medley relay has three of the four student-athletes returning, Rachel Hickey, Claire Fuhlhage and Maddi Exline. For the men's distance-medley relay three also return, Joe Morrison, Nick Swartzendruber and Riley Wells. Their fourth member, Jake Gillum, also returned as a Volunteer Assistant Coach.  

PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP POLL 

Women's Poll 

1. Illinois State – 142 (10) 

2. Indiana State – 127 

3. Murray State – 112 

4. Bradley – 108 

5. Southern Illinois – 89 

6. Northern Iowa – 86 

7. Belmont – 72 

8. Missouri State – 63 

9. Drake – 63 

10. UIC – 31 

11. Valparaiso – 27 

12. Evansville – 14 

Men's Poll 

1. Indiana State – 93 

2. Illinois State – 89 

3. Northern Iowa – 75 

4. Bradley - 62 

5. Drake – 61 

6. Southern Illinois – 59 

7. Belmont – 45 

8. UIC – 32 

9. Valparaiso – 24 

10. Evansville – 10 

The MVC Championships will be held Feb. 26-27 at Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center at Gately Park in Chicago Illinois.  

To keep up with the latest news on Redbird track & field and cross country, follow us on Facebook at @Illinois State Track & Field/Cross Country, Twitter at @RedbirdTFXC, and Instagram at @redbirdtfxc.   

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