The Illinois Springfield Athletics Department has announced the hiring of Ashley Blevins Krivi as Assistant Men's and Women's Track & Field Coach — a key move that officially solidifies the expansion of track & field at UIS.

The creation of the position marks a significant step forward for the Prairie Stars, as UIS formally builds out its track & field program with the vision of growing it into the same level of success as its cross country program, also led by head coach Emmons King.

"We are so excited to bring on Ashley as the new Assistant Track & Field coach here at UIS," said King. "Her background as a heptathlete at SIUE is going to bring great knowledge of the sport and will help us grow over the next few years to be a real contender in the GLVC. Her character and values align perfectly with what we have already built on the distance side, so I am excited to see it expand into more events. I couldn't be more excited for the future of our teams."

Blevins Krivi brings more than 15 years of coaching and athlete development experience, along with firsthand knowledge of NCAA Division II competition as a former heptathlete at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during its time in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

She specializes in sprints, relays, and jumps and has a proven track record of developing high-performing athletes and competitive programs. Most recently, she served as Assistant Track & Field Coach at North Mac High School, where she coached sprints and pole vault while helping guide athletes to eight state-qualifying performances, including a state championship and state-record performance in the girls' 4x100 relay.

Previously, she spent nearly a decade as head coach at Auburn Junior High, leading the program to more than 40 state qualifiers and multiple state champions. She also coached at Springfield High School, coordinating sprints, hurdles, and jumps and contributing to one of the program's top state finishes.

As a student-athlete at SIUE, she competed in sprints, jumps, and the heptathlon, giving her comprehensive knowledge across event groups. Her Division II background and technical expertise will immediately expand UIS' competitive scope beyond distance events, strengthening the Prairie Stars' presence across the track.

Blevins Krivi holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction from Western Governors University.

With the official addition of track & field staffing and expanded competitive opportunities, UIS takes an important step toward building a complete track & field program — one designed to pair with and continue growing alongside the Prairie Stars' young cross country program as both rise together on the conference and national stage.