Jan. 8, 2007

The 2007 Illinois track and field team goes into its season with hopes of improving upon last year's accomplishments, and capitalizing on new talent that will hopefully contribute to a successful season. The Illini will host the Big Ten Indoor Championships this year for the first time since 1997.

"Since we are hosting the indoor conference meet, our squad will be even more excited to perform in front of a home crowd," head coach Gary Winckler said, who is now in his 22nd season.

Sprints
Returning sprinters Yvonne Mensah, Tiara Armstrong, LaNeisha Waller and Omoye Ugiagbe will lead the Illini in the upcoming season. Last season, Mensah achieved All-America status in triple jump during the indoor and outdoor seasons, and was a Big Ten Champion in triple jump, long jump and the 60m. Mensah also was a member of the 4x400m relay team that qualified for Nationals in both the indoor and outdoor seasons, and also held the fastest time in the 200m for the Illini indoors and outdoors.

Waller looks to retain her 60m hurdles Big Ten Championship title and is eyeing the crown for the outdoor 100m hurdles. Ugiagbe, a member of the 4x400m relay team that qualified for both indoor and outdoor Nationals, will continue to be a productive sprinter for the Illini as a sophomore. Camile Robinson placed third at Indoor Big Tens in the 400m and will return to the Illini for her last season of eligibility.

The Fighting Illini add transfer Traciann Henry and freshman Alicia Beckford-Stewart, who look to bring strength and depth to the Illini. Henry joins the Illini after running two years with the University of Florida and will be a strong addition to the 4x100m relay team and the short sprints. Coach Winckler looks forward to the addition of his newcomers, including Beckford-Stewart, a freshman out of Canada who is versatile enough to hurdle, long jump and compete in the heptathlon.

"The sprint and hurdle group should be improved from where they were a year ago", Winckler said.

Hurdles
The hurdles should continue to be a strong event as they have been traditionally. Returners Camile and Carlene Robinson, Briana Cunningham, LaNeisha Waller, Tiffany Nesfield and Pam Wolf, along with newcomer Alecia Beckford-Stewart, should represent the Illini well at the Big Ten and national levels. Camile Robinson and Waller led this group in producing 45 points in the hurdle events alone at last year's Indoor and Outdoor Big Ten Championships.

Camile Robinson was an All-America performer and Big Ten champion in the 400m hurdles in 2006, while her sister Carlene, secured the sweep, placing second at the Big Ten Championships in the 400m hurdles. Beckford-Stewart comes to the Illini from Brampton, Ontario where she ran the 100m hurdles and competed in long jump. Beckford-Stewart placed second at the National Junior Championships. The Ontario native posted a personal-best 13.75 in the 100m hurdles and a 5.83m in long jump.

Field Events
The Fighting Illini lose Nina Henson from its trio of triple jumpers who swept the Indoor Big Tens last year. However, the team still has Yvonne Mensah and Kristina Jones to lead the triple and long jump events this season. Joining the jumping crew are Alecia Beckford-Stewart and former Big Ten runner-up LaNeisha Waller.

During the 2006 season, Mensah earned All-American honors in triple jump with an eighth-place finish at NCAA Indoor Nationals, and while also capturing the Big Ten title. Jones provided depth in the event a season ago, qualifying for Mideast Regionals and placing fourth at the Big Ten Championship meet.

Ashley Hanshaw, Sam Scheidegger and Amanda Pintaro all return to pole vault for the Illini and will continue to be a force at the conference meet. High jumper, Mariesa Greene "is looking forward to having her best year yet", Winckler said. During the 2006 outdoor season, Greene qualified for the NCAA Mideast Regional with a mark of 5'07.25" She will return this season as the top Illini high jumper.

Distance
Key athletes for the 2007 season in long distance running will be Cassie Hunt, Stephanie Simms, Maggie Carroll, Stephanie Baliga and Theresa Brokaw. "Cassie will be looking forward to improving at her specialty (3000m steeplechase), and will be joined by Stephanie Baliga in the event," assistant coach Harvey said.

Last year, Hunt qualified for Indoor Nationals in the 3000m and competed at the USATF Championships in the 3000m steeplechase. In addition, Hunt was the NCAA runner-up in the 3000m steeplechase for the 2006 outdoor season. Hunt, the 2006 Drake Relay champion in the 5000m, broke the school and Big Ten records for the 3000m steeplechase last season.

The middle distance team proves to be just as thick in talent. The Illini return Katie Engel, Liz Mengyan, Rachel Hernandez and add great quality and depth to their squad with freshman Angela Bizzarri, who comes off an impressive cross country season.

The focus for this year's indoor season is the distance medley relay. "We have all the ingredients to have a national-caliber indoor distance medley team," Harvey said.