Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's Track and Field team is preparing to divide their efforts this weekend, competing in both the Drake Relays and the Fighting Illini Twilight. Athletes and coaching staff are gearing up for two separate events in different states.

The Drake Relays, held in Des Moines, Iowa, will see participation from programs nationwide, including representatives from the Missouri Valley Conference with teams like Drake, Northern Iowa, and Bradley set to compete. Southern Illinois sprinters will aim to maintain their solid performances witnessed in recent meets. Specific runners to watch include Brianna Nieset in the 1500M race and Ansley Bailey in the 800M, with their events scheduled on Thursday. A larger group of sprinters will participate on Friday and Saturday.

Simultaneously, other members of the Saluki team will compete in the Fighting Illini Twilight, a one-day meet in Champaign, Illinois. This competition will feature schools such as Illinois, Purdue, and Wisconsin, among others. Both field and track events commence at 1 p.m.

The team's effort follows recent successes at the Gibson Invitational where several athletes achieved podium finishes. Fans and supporters can keep up with the team’s progress through live results available for both events and the Drake Relays app.

For ongoing updates, the Southern Illinois Track and Field's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook will provide further insights and coverage of the events.