ROMEOVILLE, IL --- The Illinois Springfield women's indoor track and field season got underway this past weekend at the Illiana Invitational hosted by Lewis University. The Prairie Stars took third in the seven team meet which included teams from NCAA Division II, NAIA, as well as club teams. With that, UIS beat St. Xavier 37-29 head-to-head and fell to Lewis 84-30.  

In the 300 meter run, Aeriel Storey and LeeNaya Brewer each competed, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively. Storey crossed in 47.77 with Brewer following close behind in 51.36. With her time, Storey broke the school record, previously held by Maddie Logsdon.  

Lexi Yoggerst picked up the team's first victory of 2017 by winning the 400 meter run in 1:01.13, edging out the next best competitor by over one second. Yoggerst smashed her own school record of 104:57 which she set last year at Illinois College. Maddie Logsdon came in fourth in that same race in 1:10.06.

In the 800 meter run, Krissy Finley took second in the eight-person race, finishing just 0.48 seconds back of the winner. Finley crossed in 2:21.50 to score eight points for UIS while breaking her own record of 2:21.82 which she set last season. Rachael Crowley and Hannah Roberts took fifth and seventh, respectively, finishing in 2:39.79 and 2:51.65.

Four Prairie Stars competed in the mile run, led by Olivia Rohr who finished in 5:46.18 for an 11^th place finish. Alexandria Quarton finished right behind her teammate in 5:52.50. Haley Kerpan and Kelsey Cleary took 10^th and 11^th crossing in 6:03.96 and 6:07.32.

The 4x400 relay gave UIS their second victory of the day as they edged out St. Xavier for the top spot. The quartet of Finley, Kerpan, Logsdon, and Yoggerst beat the field by just under a second, winning with a time of 4:24.85.

Kaitlin Zimmerman competed in the shot put, placing third in the first field event with a throw of 33' 5.75". This bested her previous best by nearly a foot.  

"The ladies did a very good job of coming back from six weeks of training on their own to compete with exceptional intensity, as well as setting some impressive marks," said head coach Mike DeWitt. "We continue to remind the group that we are barely 365 days old as a program and this was only our ninth indoor meet. The team has a strong energized personality and is set for some strong racing and improving times over the next six weeks. Indoor season is quick but we are off to a good start."

UIS will compete again this Saturday at the Snowbird Open hosted by Illinois College.