women to battle ISU

Men’s and women’s track and field preview

SIUC sophomore long jumper Brad Bowers is prepared for one of the most difficult meets of the season Saturday.

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The SIUC men’s track and field team will compete in the highly competitive University of Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the first time in school history while the women will stay closer to home as they will compete at Washington University in St. Louis this weekend.

This will be one of the more challenging meets of the year, Bowers said. It is going to be really, really competitive. If you can place in the top three in your event, it will be a very good performance.

Bowers, whose best long jump of the season is 24 feet 4 inches, is anxious to compete against some of the best jumpers from the Southeastern Conference.

I think it’s going to take a 26-footer to win it, Bowers said. If I can get anywhere near that, I feel I’m in good shape to qualify for the NCAAs and for the conference.

The men’s team will be handicapped by the loss of three of its top competitors to injuries, seniors Elliot Young and Neophytos Kalogerou and sophomore Jeraldo Henry.

Men’s coach Bill Cornell said his other athletes will have to compete at a higher level to replace the losses.

With three important men gone, the rest of them are going to have to group together and come through, Cornell said.

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Cornell is looking forward to his team competing in its first- ever Alabama Relays.

I’ve never been down there before in 30 some years of coaching, Cornell said. I hear the facilities there are great.

The women’s track team will have the chance to size up its Missouri Valley Conference foe Illinois State University at Washington University in St. Louis.

The women’s team will be without its top high jumper and triple jumper junior Felicia Hill, who is sitting out for personal reasons.

Women’s coach Don DeNoon believes his team can beat a solid Illinois State team in many events even without Hill.

With Illinois State there, they will definitely challenge us in the sprints and hurdles, DeNoon said. They have some good throwers and distance runners as well that will challenge us in some events. We beat them indoors, and I think we’re a better outdoor team.

The team is competing at Washington to prepare for the tough meets ahead for the Salukis.

When I decided to put this meet on our schedule, it was a decision based on where I thought our team would be at this time, DeNoon said. The rest of our meets are very competitive, so I wanted to get this one in.

The SIUC men’s track and field team will compete in the Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa, Ala., while the women will compete at Washington University in St. Louis this weekend.