KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. ? The Indiana State track & field teams are hoping for warmer weather as they return to Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill., for the Neil More Multi-Events and the Big Blue Classic this weekend. The Sycamores met the EIU Panthers in the “Ice Dual” last Saturday in a meet which was put together after the SIU Edwardsville Cougar Invitational was cancelled by weather.
“It looks like we will have better weather this weekend,” John McNichols, Indiana State men's track & Field coach, said. “We will have the whole team in competition this weekend after running a shortened meet last week. It should be a very good competition with the number of teams attending this unscored meet.”
Competing teams include Indiana State, Eastern Illinois, Millikin University, Western Michigan (women only), McKendree College, Chicago State, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Western Illinois, Illinois State, Marian College, SIU Edwardsville, and Bradley.
Action begins on Thursday with the Neil Moore Multi-Events. The Sycamores will have three athletes in the women's Heptathlon including Rachael Johnson, Kelly Steffen, and Patricia Merrion while Dexter Childress and Robert Webb will compete in the men's Decathlon. Both competitions begin at 12:00 p.m. (ET) Thursday with the final events being contested starting at 11:00 a.m. (ET) Friday.
The Big Blue Classic gets underway at 7:00 p.m. (ET) Friday with five events: 400 meter hurdles, 4x800 meter relay, 5,000 meters, 4x400 meter hurdle relay, and 10,000 meters. The main portion of the meet will be contested on Saturday with the field events leading off the competition at 11:00 a.m. (ET).
“We are continuing our preparation for the next two meets which are scored events,” McNichols said. “We will take certain weather precautions but we do expect to see some good performances this weekend. There are also some additional events that we do not normally run that will make this a fun and interesting weekend.”
Indiana State women's track & field coach Angie Martin is excited about the upcoming meet.
“This is going to be a good work weekend,” Martin said. “And it will be good to just go out there and have some fun. We are preparing for the next two scored meets and this will be the first chance that our sprinters will be able to compete in an outdoor setting.”
