University of Illinois Springfield track and field runner Blake Jones was named the GLVC Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year on Saturday at the conference championships. He is the first Prairie Stars runner to earn that honor.
 
Jones won two events at the GLVC meet this weekend in Rolla, Mo. He took first place in the 1,500m and 5,000m events. That was the first time that a UIS runner won multiple events at the same conference meet. Jones has now won five career GLVC individual championships, including three this year as he also won the GLVC Cross Country Championships to go along with his two outdoor titles.
 
Two other Prairie Stars earned all-conference honors. Cort Ross was the individual championship in the men's 10,000m. It was his first all-conference award in outdoor track and second total. Taryn Christy was the GLVC Champion in the women's 10,000m. She has now won seven total all-GLVC awards, including two in outdoor track.
 
Thomas Wuchte was UIS's men's track and field nominee for the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship award. Libby Price was UIS's nominee for that award on the women's side.