Sangamon Sun

Illinois College's women's track and field team has been projected to finish sixth in the 2023-24 Midwest Conference, according to the coaches' poll announced by the league. The Lady Blues will rely on four returning athletes to guide a youthful squad throughout the season.

The team's captains, Paige Nowak, Maddie Benson, and Sydney Kuper, are expected to lead this young group. Nowak, from O'Fallon, Illinois, claimed the 2023 Midwest Conference outdoor title in pole vault with a height of 3.19 meters and secured third place at the indoor championship with a vault of 3.18 meters.

Benson, a junior from Macomb, Illinois, was part of the 4 x 200-meter relay team that earned All-Midwest Conference honors at last year's indoor championships with a time of 1:49.0. She will also compete in pole vault this season.

Kuper is an experienced thrower and senior from Aviston, Illinois. She placed sixth in shot put at the 2023 Midwest Conference Indoor Championships with a throw of 10.63 meters and finished eighth at the outdoor championships with a throw of 11.13 meters.

Sophomore Brooke Oakley from Warrensburg, Illinois will lead the sprinters after achieving fourth place in the 400-meters with a time of 1:00.11 at the 2023 Midwest Outdoor Conference Championships.

Illinois College will commence its season on December 2nd at Olivet Nazarene University during the ONU Holiday Open in Bourbonnais, Illinois.