Women’s track conference preview

SIUC junior Felicia Hill feels no pressure in maintaining her No. 1 Missouri Valley Conference ranking in the high jump and triple jump this weekend at the MVC Championships in Normal.

Hill broke the school record in the high jump at the Saluki/USA Open Friday with a jump of 5 feet 7.25 inches. Hill also recorded the second best triple jump in school history (40′ 6.25).

Advertisement

But Hill said the conference meet will not put any added pressure in her routine.

I’m just going to stay focused and have fun and hope for the best, Hill said. I’m just excited. I’m a little nervous but more excited than nervous.

Hill said she feels confident about her chances in both events.

I’m looking forward to this meet, and looking forward to winning both events and coming out as conference champion, Hill said.

Women’s coach Don DeNoon said the conference race is closer than it has ever been in recent years.

Well, right now the way the conference stats show up, there’s only a 15-point gap between five schools, DeNoon said. So, we could finish as high as first or low as fifth.

The race is so tight coaches and pollsters cannot pick who will finish first.

Advertisement*

DeNoon ranks Southwest Missouri University No. 1. Women’s assistant coach Tina Debro ranks Illinois State University No. 1, and the conference poll ranks Indiana State University No. 1. Northern Iowa University and SIUC are also right behind in the pack.

DeNoon feels confident about the teams chances because of its peak performance the past two meets the McDonald’s/Saluki Invite Feb. 13 and 14 and the Saluki/USA Open Friday.

The team finished second at the McDonald’s Invite and had 22 season-best times at the unscored Saluki/USA Open.

Along with Hill’s two No. 1 rankings, the team also will bring junior Michelle Nitzche, who owns the school record in the pole vault (10′ 04), senior Raina Larsen, the No. 2 miler in the conference (4:59.14), and senior Kelly French, the No. 2 3,000-meter (10:01.85) and 5,000-meter runner (17:22.82) in the conference.

Also performing well this year is the reigning 800-meter MVC outdoor champion junior Mindy Bruck, who will compete in the 800-meter run, and sophomore Jenny Monaco, who runs in the 3,000-meter and the 5,000-meter.

DeNoon said the team’s hard work has improved many individuals’ times lately, and he hopes it will continue this weekend.

We had 42 personal-bests combined in the last two weeks, DeNoon said. We really haven’t rested our athletes at all, so hopefully, with everyone tapered down, we can step up to a higher level.

The women’s track and field team will compete at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships this Friday and Saturday in Normal.