10 // The Alestle
www.alestlelive.com
Thursday, February 27, 2014
T&F | from pg.9
year’s team in the right direction. McAllister said senior sprinter Hilary Conrad, junior hurdler Jatavia Wright, sophomore runner Jessica Oranika and senior runner Claire Brown have guided the team with their performances. “With [Conrad] being a senior, she is one of the hardest workers you’ll ever meet,” McAllister said. “She’s always been like that. I think this year everything has just clicked. I think the idea that this is her last year has pushed her into that next realm. She just looks awesome every time she steps on the track. [Wright] has gotten stronger and stronger with each year, and this year has been her healthiest year. We’ve focused on some of her strengths and pinpointed those areas to lead to success for her. [Oranika] is building off her success from last year and growing. [Brown] is one of the senior distance runners who has also been a leader off the track.” McAllister and the SIUE
athletes have set the bar high for this year’s conference meet. The team came in fourth place at last year’s meet, but McAllister said she expects better from the team this time around. “In our conference, we are looking to be top three on both sides,” McAllister said. “We go in there with the attitude that we can win the championship, and top three is a realistic goal for us. Last year was our first year there, and it was a shocking experience for some of our athletes. The big test will be this weekend to see the attitude and level of competition our athletes show this weekend. I feel we are more prepared this year.” The OVC Indoor Championships start at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 28, for the men’s and women’s teams. Live scoring of the event can be found at ovcsports.com.
Ben Levin can be reached at blevin@alestlelive.com or 650-3524.