NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State track & field program is set to head to Carbondale, Ill., for the 2025 MVC Outdoor Track & Field Championship at the Lew Hartzog Track & Field Complex this weekend.
Festivities from southern Illinois will begin Saturday at 8:00 a.m. and will resume Sunday at 9:00 a.m. The two-day event will be available to watch via an ESPN+ subscription, with the broadcast starting on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. and on Sunday at 1:10 p.m.Â
Senior Madison Saunders and Junior Lindsey Miller will look to defend their titles they claimed in last year's event. Saunders secured the women's triple jump championship with a jump of 12.22m (40-1.25). Miller, the 2025 MVC Indoor Women's Most Valuable Athlete, claimed the women's 100m championship in 2024 after running a time of 11.57 to claim the top spot.
Illinois State hits the road to Carbondale after a strong outdoor season, which saw the record book rewritten several times. Across the campaign, the Redbirds recorded 29 new top-10 marks and two new school records.
On Wednesday, the Missouri Valley Conference released its pre-championship coaches' poll ahead of championship weekend. The men's squad received a No. 2 ranking and one first-place vote, with a point total of 87. The women's team earned a No. 2 ranking, with a total of 129 points.
The men's squad jumped one ranking and gained one first-place vote, while the women's team remained at the No. 2 ranking from the preseason coaches' poll gathered in March.
FULL WOMEN'SÂ RANKINGS
- Indiana State (12) - 144
- Illinois State - 129
- Northern Iowa - 112
- Murray State - 90
- Belmont - 81
- Bradley - 81
- Missouri State - 79
- Drake - 72
- SIU - 69
- UIC - 35
- Valparaiso - 23
- Evansville - 21
FULL MEN'S RANKINGS
- Indiana State (6) -Â 96
- Illinois State (1) - 87
- Northern Iowa (3) - 85
- Southern Illinois - 66
- Drake - 56
- Bradley - 55
- Belmont - 45
- Valparaiso - 22
- Evansville - 19
- UIC - 19
