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 Senior cross country All-American Trent Hoerr will compete on the track for the first time in 2008 on Saturday.
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Jan. 24, 2008
Carle/Health Alliance Schedule of Events (PDF)
Carle/Health Alliance Heat Sheet
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois men's track and field team will compete with its full squad for the first time this season and look to capture a number of first-place finishes in hosting the annual Carle/Health Alliance Classic on Saturday, Jan. 26 at the UI Armory. The meet kicks off at 9 a.m. with the women's pentathlon. Field events begin at 9:30 a.m., with the running events starting at 11:30 a.m.
Illinois has been dominant in the Carle/Health Alliance Classic under coach Wayne Angel, taking home seven first-place finishes in 2007 and winning the meet by 81 points. The men's field in this year's Carle/Health Alliance Classic includes DePaul, Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Lincoln (Mo.) and Southern Illinois, along with the host Illini. Former Illinois star and three-time All-American Abe Jones will also be competing as an unattached athlete.
"Everybody is healthy and the fans will get a chance to see everyone compete," Angel said. "This meet is very important for us to get a look at the whole team and decide what we need to do to get ready for the rest of the year. We've seen bits and pieces of our team, but we're ready for it all to come together."
In addition to the meet's competition, a short presentation will take place on the Armory floor prior to the distance medley relay to honor eight former Illini athletes (Mel Blanheim, Joe Corley, Dick Coleman, Paul Foreman, Trenton Jackson, Robert Phelps, Gilwyn Williams, Mike Yavorski) who were either national champions or Olympians with banners in the Armory.
Junior standout Gakologelwang Masheto will be running the 200 meters instead of his signature event, the 400m, in order to build up his speed for the championship portion of the season. Masheto won the 400m at last weekend's Big Ten-SEC Challenge in Bloomington, Ind.
"Masheto had such a long season that we're trying to bring him back slowly," Angel said. "His workouts are looking fantastic, and it won't take him long to get back to where he needs to be."
Running for the Illini on the track for the first time in 2008 is senior Trent Hoerr, who is coming off an All-American cross country season where he finished 16th at the NCAA Championships and won the NCAA Midwest Regional title. Hoerr competed in the 10,000m at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and will be looking to qualify for the national indoor meet in the 5,000m this season.
Other Illinois athletes to watch include junior middle distance runner Gary Miller, who has already won two event titles in 2008, sophomore sprinter Dominique Worsley and junior pole vaulter Andrew Zollner, who is coming off of a first-place finish at the SEC-Big Ten Challenge. Senior All-American Nick Brown is also expected to compete in the long and triple jumps for the first time this year after being held out of last weekend's meet in order to nurse a sore hamstring.
Transfers Yawusa Kinda (Kansas City Kansas Community College) and Brandon Gray (King College) will make their Illini debuts after joining the team in January. Both are highly touted 400m runners, Kinda finishing second in the event at the 2007 NJCAA Outdoor Championships and Gray taking fourth at the 2007 NAIA Outdoor Championships.
"We're very excited about Kinda and Gray being a part of this program," Angel said. "They're probably a few weeks behind right now after recently joining the team, but we expect big things from both of them. The 4x400m relay of Masheto, Kinda, Gray and Miller could be one of the best in the country."
Next up for Illinois is traveling to Lincoln, Neb. for the Husker Invitational running Friday, Feb. 1 through Saturday, Feb. 2.
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