McLean County Times

The Illinois State track and field team is preparing to compete in the 2025 Missouri Valley Indoor Track & Field Championships in Chicago, Illinois. The event will take place over two days, starting on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and continuing on Monday at 9:30 a.m. Fans can watch the championships live through an ESPN+ subscription, with coverage beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday and 11:15 a.m. on Monday.

Seniors Ariel Atias and Windsor Roberts aim to defend their titles from last year's conference championships. Atias set a school record in the men's heptathlon with 5414 points, which remains the highest score in Illinois State history. Roberts also set a school record with her pole vault clearance of 4.09 meters (13-5), marking the best jump in Redbird history.

Throughout this season, Illinois State has seen strong performances, with 45 athletes entering or moving up the top-10 list for their events. Three school records were broken during the campaign. Sophomore Immaculate Daniel set a new record in the women's 60m dash with a time of 7.26 seconds, while the men's 4x400m relay team broke their own school record twice, achieving their fastest time of 3:10.44 at the Music City Challenge.

Heading into championship weekend, Illinois State holds high rankings according to the MVC's Pre-Championship Coaches' poll. The men's team is ranked third with one first-place vote and a total of 83 points, while the women's team is ranked second with one first-place vote and a total of 127 points.