May 10, 2006

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The No. 18 Fighting Illini women's track and field team travels to East Lansing, Mich. this weekend, vying for its second-straight and sixth overall outdoor conference title at the 2006 Big Ten Championships. The conference championships begin on Friday, May 12 and run through Sunday, May 14.

Five-time Big Ten Outdoor Coach of the Year, Gary Winckler believes his athletes must focus on their individual events in order to have a chance to repeat as outdoor champs, a feat the Illini have their eyes set on since the beginning of the indoor season.

"We are just going to focus on what each of our athletes has to do individually," Winckler said. "I tell them that there is an `I' in team. If everyone does what they are supposed to do in their individual events then we will end up with good team results. We don't talk a whole lot about us as a team. We have been talking a lot about having a goal in terms of what you want to do in your performances, and if we can all do that then we can have a pretty good meet."

Winckler does not feel any pressure on his squad to repeat as conference champions but expects the meet to be a dogfight to the very end.

"Minnesota is the team to beat," Winckler said. "They had a big recruiting class this year and improved a lot since last season. We are basically the same team as a year ago; we didn't really lose anyone to graduation. It's going to be a battle against Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State and ourselves."

At the 2005 Big Ten Championships in Bloomington, Ind., Illinois racked up 135 team points, including two individual and one relay titles to run away with the conference crown.

Junior Cassie Hunt, the 2005 Outdoor Athlete of the Year and Championships looks to defend her 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000-meter crowns. The junior currently holds the conference's second-best 5,000-meter time this season with a personal-best 16:17.12 (Drake Relays.)

Hunt ranks third in the Big Ten in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:26.53, recorded at the Sea-Ray Relays in mid-April and ranks first in the event in Trackwire's latest Dandy Dozen poll (May 9, 2006). Hunt won the 3,000-meter steeplechase conference crown last year with a time of 10:14.02.

Hunt will lead the Orange and Blue at this weekend's championships alongside junior Yvonne Mensah who currently leads the Big Ten in the 100-meter dash (11.40) and long jump (20'05.25") and is also a member of Illinois' league-leading 4x400-meter relay (3:34.23). At the 2005 conference championships, Mensah won gold with the 4x400-meter relay team with sophomores Tiara Armstrong and LaNeisha Waller as well as Shanna Pickett, who has since graduated.

With the leadership of Hunt and Mensah, Winckler's squad has had 13 athletes post regional qualifying marks in 11 different events this season and currently holds the conference's best performances in five different events. The Illini are currently tied with Colorado at the 18th position on Trackwire's latest rankings (May 9).

Sophomore sisters, Camile and Carlene Robinson lead the Big Ten in the 400-meter hurdles with times of 57.98 and 59.21, respectively. Camile Robinson ranks eighth in the event on Trackwire's latest Dandy Dozen poll.

Camile and Carlene Robinson both play an important role in Illinois' success in the relays this weekend, as each is a member of Illinois' league-leading 4x400-meter relay team. The relay team of freshman Omoye Ugiagbe, Mensah and the Robinson sisters recorded their season best time of 3:34.23 at the Drake Relays just two week ago.

Camile Robinson is also a member of the Orange and Blue's 4x100-meter relay team (along with Armstrong, Mensah and Waller) that recorded a season-best time of 45.44 at the Sea Ray Relays. Their time ranks as the second-best relay performance this season in the Big Ten.

Meet Information
The 2006 Big Ten Conference Championships will take place at Michigan State's Ralph H. Young Track and Field Complex.

The meet kicks off on Friday, May 12 at 12 p.m. with the Decathlon 100-meter dash and will run through Sunday, May 14. Single day tickets for the championship meet are $5 for youth (under 18), seniors (55 and older) and students and $10 for adults. All-session tickets cost $10 for youth, seniors and students and $15 for adults.

Complete results from the meet will be posted at the completion of each day at www.msuspartans.com. The Big Ten will post results after each event at the following address: http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-track/spec-rel/050106aac.html.

CSTV will be televising highlights from the Big Ten Championships this Sunday, May 14 on tape delay. Times have not been announced when the conference championships will be aired.