Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Saluki Track Teams Travel To Different Directions This Weekend
04/08/2004 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
April 8, 2004
CARBONDALE, Ill. - They are two of the most overlooked athletes this season, yet they have very different couple of years ahead of them. One hopes this year - his last as a Saluki - will be the best season he's ever had on the track. The other - just beginning her journey through SIU country - looks for the next three-and-a-half years to be one of the brightest times in her life.
Yet, senior Willie (B.J.) Davis and freshman Brittani Christensen have one thing in common ... not many people really know how great these athletes are and can continue to be. Both hope this season, and this weekend's invitationals will change how seriously they are taken on the track.
The Salukis have different agendas this weekend as the women's team travels to Bloomington, Ind. for a the Indiana Invitational, while the men's squad visits Fayetteville, Ark. for the McDonnell Invitational. In Indiana, the women will face Central Micigan, conference rival Indiana State and host Indiana. The men will compete against such high-powered teams as Kansas, Missouri Southern, Oklahoma, Northern Iowa, Oklahoma State and host Arkansas at John McDonnell Field.
Davis is just .57 hundredths of a second away from the regional qualifying time in the 100-meter dash, as well as .50 hundredths away from qualifying in the 200-meters. His consistent style of running has imroved over the last couple of years with the help of assistant head coach Enrique German, who says Davis hasn't even run his best event this season - the 400.
?He should qualify in the 400-meters this season,? German said. ?If he keeps his head in the race and continues to work hard during the week before the meet, then he should do really well at Arkansas.?
To put Davis' ability in the 400-meters in perspective you must look back to last outdoor season when he qualified for the NCAA regional meet with a time of 46.47, which places him eighth on the all-time best list at SIU. This year, the qualifying standard is 47.26, giving Davis his second chance at qualifying for regionals in the same event. Some wonder if he can do it this weekend with the strong, elevated competition in Arkansas.
Christensen, who broke a school record in the 3000-meter steeplechase in her first meet of the season at McAndrew Stadium with a time of 11:23.26, was dubbed the ?Silent Killer' during the cross country season. The moniker came because of Christensen's way of besting her opponents without any flash or fanfair, yet she always seems to be absent from the media frenzy.
Christensen set the steeplechase record in just her first attempt at running the difficult event, yet she isn't a one-event athlete. She can also just flat out run. In the 1500-meter run, Christensen clocked a time of 4:48.84, which is nearly 18 seconds from the regional qualifying standard.
Assistant coach Matt Sparks believes it's just a matter of time before Christensen, who is only 26 seconds from qualifying in the steeplechase, qualifies for the regional meet, yet what event or events she qualifies is will be anyone's guess. She continues to surprise even Sparks at how versatile and competitive she can be, as well as becoming somewhat of a leader to those around her. But ... will she be leading the pack in Bloomington?
The Indiana Invite takes place Friday and Saturday, April 9-10, while the McDonnell Invite is scheduled for Saturday, April 10. Results of each meet can be found at each host school's website or at www.SIUSalukis.com.
