JACKSONVILLE, IL --- The Prairie Stars women's indoor track and field team has passed the halfway mark of the season after competing at the Jim Green Invitational at Illinois College this past weekend. As a team, Illinois Springfield did not compete in their normal events as they prep for the Grand Valley State Big Meet next week.
Aeriel Storey finished 10
th overall in the 60 meter prelims with a time of 8.28 seconds, which improved on her personal best of 8.39. She was only 0.05 seconds away from making the finals in the 30-person race. She will need to run an 8.20 or better to qualify for the GLVC Indoor Championships.
Kelsey Cleary was the lone Prairie Star to compete in the mile, finishing 11
th of 29 with a time of 6:00.18.
UIS competed in three total relays, one in the 4x200 and two in the distance-medley. Storey,
Christine Noppenberger,
Maddi Logsdon, and
Lexi Yoggerst finished sixth in the 4x200 with a time of 1:55.54. This was the first time UIS competed in this race.
Haley Kerpan, Logsdon,
Olivia Rohr, and
Alexandria Quarton took third in the distance medley with a time of 13:41.58 while
Rachael Crowley,
LeeNaya Brewer,
Hannah Roberts, and
Krissy Finley took sixth in the same race.
In the field events, UIS had three athletes participate in the shot put: Brewer, Shane, and
Kaitlyn Zimmerman. Brewer notched a best throw of 26'10" while Shane came in close behind at 22'9". Zimmerman, competing in the third flight, took 16
th in the event with a throw of 32'5.75".
"This weekend marked the mid-season meet for the Indoor Season and we worked out best runners into the relays and did a little extra training to prepare for the next three weekends," said Mike DeWitt. "the team did a fine job of competing strong and placing well in the four events but the best performances were turned in by Storey, who improved on her school record in the 60m as well as her part in the 4x200."
The Prairie Stars will travel to Allendale, Michigan to compete in the Grand Valley State Big Meet next week in their final big test before the GLVC Conference Meet beginning on February 25
th.
PRAIRIE STAR NOTES: Finley has qualified for the GLVC meet in both the mile and 800 …
Lexi Yoggerst is qualified in the 400 … Each school can enter one relay for the distance medley and 4x400 … Rohr, Kerpan, Storey, and Zimmerman are all on the edge of qualifying individually.
