First-year UIS women's track team opens indoor season Saturday
Marcia Martinez
marcia.martinez@sj-r.com
University of Illinois Springfield women's track coach Mike De Witt has high expectations for the upcoming indoor season.
"I think we'll have more success on the track than we did in cross country," said De Witt, who also coaches cross country.
The Prairie Stars' first women's track team will participate in six indoor meets beginning with Saturday's Titan First Chance Meet at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington.
UIS doesn't have a full track and field team; instead the Stars are focusing on middle-distance events such as the 800-meter run and mile. They'll also compete in the 400, 4x400 relay and 4,000-meter distance medley relay.
UIS kicked off its running program during its inaugural cross country season in the fall. The team had more short-sprint runners than long-distance ones.
"They're going to be training for the 400 and 800 rather than the 200 and 400," De Witt said.
Sophomore Krissy Finley, a Greenville College transfer, was the star of the cross country team and is a true middle distance runner. She primarily ran the 800 and 1,600 for Rochester High School. Finley was the Stars' highest placer in every cross country meet and had three top 20 finishes.
Finley is expected to run the 800 and mile during track season. Freshman and Riverton product Lexi Yoggerst will compete in the 800 and 400. They'll also run in relays.
Maddie Logsdon will take part in relay running and long jump. She's the only UIS athlete who will compete in a field event. Logsdon was a state qualifier in the long jump at New Berlin High School.
De Witt has confidence in the relays.
"They were seeing the back of every race during cross country season and we ran as good as we were going to run based on experience and ability in cross country," he said. "They'll fit in the mix and should be competitive in their relay heats.
"We want to take a 4x400 and distance medley relay team to the conference meet with an opportunity to place. On paper, it looks like we can do that."
The Great Lakes Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships are Feb. 27-28 in Kenosha, Wis.
— Contact Marcia Martinez: 788-1547, marcia.martinez@sj-r.com, twitter.com/MMartinezSJR.