(04-25-2012 12:34 PM)niu79 Wrote:  Just some background info on track in Illinois. My daughter runs high school track in Naperville, and there are several nationally elite track athletes (male and female) in the state. Several high schools have indoor tracks for competition in February and March, but the best are at North Central College and Illinois Wesleyan. The track at North Central will be hosting the Division III indoor track and field championships, and Illinois Wesleyan annualy hosts the IPTT invite, which is the de facto high school indoor track and field championships. The latter event attracts about 300-400 athletes from across the state. Track and field may not be a high profile sport at the college level, but on the prep side, the competition in Illinois is amongst the best in the nation.

You are right about HS Cross Country and Track. The CC state finals in Peoria are amazing. 10,000 plus fans line the 3 mile course cheering on the runners. One of the best high school events I have ever attended which includes state finals in basketball and football.

(04-23-2012 09:24 AM)RitzHuskie Wrote:  As long as they are building this Chessick center from ground up, did they consider putting in an indoor track that could host events to make up for the failed attempt when they did the Convo?

Not sure what happened when they did the convo with that, did they get the dimensions wrong or something?

They can't run track @ the Convo?

(04-25-2012 03:41 PM)NIU75 Wrote:  

(04-25-2012 12:34 PM)niu79 Wrote:  Just some background info on track in Illinois. My daughter runs high school track in Naperville, and there are several nationally elite track athletes (male and female) in the state. Several high schools have indoor tracks for competition in February and March, but the best are at North Central College and Illinois Wesleyan. The track at North Central will be hosting the Division III indoor track and field championships, and Illinois Wesleyan annualy hosts the IPTT invite, which is the de facto high school indoor track and field championships. The latter event attracts about 300-400 athletes from across the state. Track and field may not be a high profile sport at the college level, but on the prep side, the competition in Illinois is amongst the best in the nation.

You are right about HS Cross Country and Track. The CC state finals in Peoria are amazing. 10,000 plus fans line the 3 mile course cheering on the runners. One of the best high school events I have ever attended which includes state finals in basketball and football.

And if you've ever been to the state track meet in Charleston you know about the electricity surrounding those two days. I have gone a couple times within the recent past to watch some relation run and was amazed both times at the number of fans and the excitement level. Track in the "northern states" is definitely not a non-factor in the sports scene, in high school or college. It obviously isn't basketball or football, but while many may not know much about track or follow it, there are many of those who do know the quality of athletes from Illinois in track and field and who do follow it. I hope to go back to Charleston some day just to enjoy the event and watch the athletes perform.

(04-25-2012 07:50 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  

(04-23-2012 09:24 AM)RitzHuskie Wrote:  As long as they are building this Chessick center from ground up, did they consider putting in an indoor track that could host events to make up for the failed attempt when they did the Convo?

Not sure what happened when they did the convo with that, did they get the dimensions wrong or something?

They can't run track @ the Convo?

Practice, yes if they want but no meets. Track does not meet size regulations.

(04-23-2012 09:49 PM)High On NIU Hoops Wrote:  Track in the Northern states is not really irrelevant in my opinion.

I've posted this elsewhere but will again. In the 70s track may have been the MAC's most visible sport on a national scale. BG finished second in the nation in indoors one year (with no indoor facility at the time) and the number of Olympians was staggering. While I ran at UT the MAC had Tinker (gold in the 4x4), Schotterman, Aquambray (?), Dowswell, Wottle (gold in the 800), Crawford (gold in the 100, Fastest Man in the World title), Pauletto and maybe some others-Glen Smith of UT came out for track four years after competing in HS and had the second longest jump in the nation, making the Trails but deciding not to compete. All that from a northern conference with only three indoor facilities (the three Mich schools).

Not sure who the last Olympian from the MAC was but I suspect its been awhile. Emma Kertecz from UT just made the trials in the 10K this year but is unlikely to make the Games. Its a pity the MAC didn't maintain its relevancy in the sport because there isn't that much competition at the mid-major level. UT had a Top 25 ranked x-country team this year but track is weak across the board anymore and especially on the Men's side.

Oregon is not really a southern state, and they are arguably one of the best track overall programs in the country in any given year.

Just did a quick look for this year's rankings and have included Big 10 or midwest type schools:
4 Big 10 teams are currently in the men's top 25: Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa.
Indoor Minnesota finished at #8. Indiana and Ohio St. were 14/15. Nebraska #19, Wisconsin #22 and Illinois #23, followed by Penn State at #24.
On the women's side Illinois State is currently #12, Southern Illinois is #21, Ohio State is #22, and Iowa State is #25. Indoor, SIU finished at #11 in the country. Iowa State finished 14, Ohio State 19, Wisconsin 24, UCONN 25.

(04-26-2012 10:20 AM)High On NIU Hoops Wrote:  Oregon is not really a southern state, and they are arguably one of the best track overall programs in the country in any given year.
Just did a quick look for this year's rankings and have included Big 10 or midwest type schools:
4 Big 10 teams are currently in the men's top 25: Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa.
Indoor Minnesota finished at #8. Indiana and Ohio St. were 14/15. Nebraska #19, Wisconsin #22 and Illinois #23, followed by Penn State at #24.
On the women's side Illinois State is currently #12, Southern Illinois is #21, Ohio State is #22, and Iowa State is #25. Indoor, SIU finished at #11 in the country. Iowa State finished 14, Ohio State 19, Wisconsin 24, UCONN 25.

I think the Nike cash cow has a bit to do with that.

(04-26-2012 10:50 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-26-2012 10:20 AM)High On NIU Hoops Wrote:  Oregon is not really a southern state, and they are arguably one of the best track overall programs in the country in any given year.
Just did a quick look for this year's rankings and have included Big 10 or midwest type schools:
4 Big 10 teams are currently in the men's top 25: Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa.
Indoor Minnesota finished at #8. Indiana and Ohio St. were 14/15. Nebraska #19, Wisconsin #22 and Illinois #23, followed by Penn State at #24.
On the women's side Illinois State is currently #12, Southern Illinois is #21, Ohio State is #22, and Iowa State is #25. Indoor, SIU finished at #11 in the country. Iowa State finished 14, Ohio State 19, Wisconsin 24, UCONN 25.

I think the Nike cash cow has a bit to do with that.

Long before Nike (we're talking the 70's), Oregon was the school where all the top distance runners went to run. Not sure if it was a particular coach or just the year round decent weather for running.

(04-26-2012 11:02 AM)niu79 Wrote:  

(04-26-2012 10:50 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-26-2012 10:20 AM)High On NIU Hoops Wrote:  Oregon is not really a southern state, and they are arguably one of the best track overall programs in the country in any given year.
Just did a quick look for this year's rankings and have included Big 10 or midwest type schools:
4 Big 10 teams are currently in the men's top 25: Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa.
Indoor Minnesota finished at #8. Indiana and Ohio St. were 14/15. Nebraska #19, Wisconsin #22 and Illinois #23, followed by Penn State at #24.
On the women's side Illinois State is currently #12, Southern Illinois is #21, Ohio State is #22, and Iowa State is #25. Indoor, SIU finished at #11 in the country. Iowa State finished 14, Ohio State 19, Wisconsin 24, UCONN 25.

I think the Nike cash cow has a bit to do with that.

Long before Nike (we're talking the 70's), Oregon was the school where all the top distance runners went to run. Not sure if it was a particular coach or just the year round decent weather for running.

Oh...Its probably just the weed then.

(04-26-2012 11:17 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-26-2012 11:02 AM)niu79 Wrote:  

(04-26-2012 10:50 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-26-2012 10:20 AM)High On NIU Hoops Wrote:  Oregon is not really a southern state, and they are arguably one of the best track overall programs in the country in any given year.
Just did a quick look for this year's rankings and have included Big 10 or midwest type schools:
4 Big 10 teams are currently in the men's top 25: Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa.
Indoor Minnesota finished at #8. Indiana and Ohio St. were 14/15. Nebraska #19, Wisconsin #22 and Illinois #23, followed by Penn State at #24.
On the women's side Illinois State is currently #12, Southern Illinois is #21, Ohio State is #22, and Iowa State is #25. Indoor, SIU finished at #11 in the country. Iowa State finished 14, Ohio State 19, Wisconsin 24, UCONN 25.

I think the Nike cash cow has a bit to do with that.

Long before Nike (we're talking the 70's), Oregon was the school where all the top distance runners went to run. Not sure if it was a particular coach or just the year round decent weather for running.

Oh...Its probably just the weed then.

lol...that too!