McLean County Times

The Missouri Valley Conference has released its Pre-Season Coaches Poll, highlighting the rankings for the upcoming track and field season. The Illinois State University women's team has secured a second-place position with a total of 132 points, including two first-place votes. This follows their recent performance at the 2025 MVC Indoor Track & Field Championships, where they finished in second place with 105 team points.

Meanwhile, the Illinois State men's team has been ranked third in the poll, accumulating 80 points. This comes after a third-place finish at the same Indoor Championships, with a total of 130.5 team points.

The Illinois State Track & Field program initiated its season with participation in the 97th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays at the University of Texas on March 26th. The Redbirds are set to host their home opening event, the Redbird Challenge, on March 28th, beginning at 2 p.m.

For the women's teams in the poll, Indiana State leads with 142 points and 10 first-place votes. The list continues with UNI, Murray State, and others. On the men's side, UNI tops the rankings with 94 points and six first-place votes, followed closely by Indiana State.