PEORIA, Ill -- The Bradley men's and women's track and field teams look to build on last year's success at the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, with both squads heading to Des Moines, Iowa, for the 2013 Valley Championship Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
 
The men's team scored eight points last year in Wichita, Kan., in the team's first conference championship since 1992 and tallied its highest point total since the 1986 MVC Championship.  The women's squad also had a great deal of success in 2012, finishing with the highest point total (19) since the 2000 MVC Championship (22 points).

“MVC Outdoor Championship week is very exciting for us,” stated Bradley head coach Marc Burns.  “The team is preparing for both the meet and finals so it is a delicate balance.  We have made some travel provisions to give them the best opportunity for success in their finals and on the track.  They are ready to compete and race at a high level this weekend.  The mission is to run the best 'race' of the year regardless of time.  Championship racing is special and we are learning how to make our way through the heats to get into finals.  Our last tune up workout was yesterday and the team looked great.  Now it is up to them to get to the line ready to roll.”
 
Bradley kicks off the competition Friday night with the men's and women's 10,000 meters at approximately 8 p.m.  Five-time all-conference runner Sarah McMahon (Colfax, Wis./Colfax) continues her quest to break the school mark in the event and will be joined by freshman Caitlin Pribble (Morton, Ill./Morton) in the 10,000 meter field.  McMahon clocked the second fastest 10,000 meter time in school history last month at the Mt. Sac Relays, finishing just three seconds off Mary Ellen Hill's school-record pace.
 
Junior Nathan Davis (Lewistown, Ill./Lewistown) is also looking to challenge the men's 10,000 meter record which has stood since 1984.  One of two BU entries in the men's 10,000 meters Friday, Davis turned in the second fastest 10,000 meter time in school history (30:20.35) earlier this year, finishing 15 seconds behind the school record time held by Charles Perkins.
 
Saturday's competition is slated to start at 5 p.m. with freshman Elizabeth Dutcher (Williamston, Mich./Williamston) opening the day's activities with the 100-meter hurdles.  Dutcher will also run in the 400-meter hurdles later in the evening (6:20 p.m.), while fellow freshmen Danyelle Griffin (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) will help highlight the sprints for the Braves in both the 100 meter (5:40 p.m.) and the 200 meter dashes (6:40 p.m.).
 
Sophomore Eric Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) is expected to pace six Bradley competitors in the men's 800 meters, which will be held Saturday at 6 p.m.  Delvo owns the fastest time on the squad this season at 1:54.77.  Fellow sophomore Kyela Specht (Muster, Ind./Munster) will likely lead a pack of eight Bradley runners in the women's 800 meters.  Specht's career-best time of 2:12.94 set last month is fourth among BU career marks.
 
The second day of competition will conclude with the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase at approximately 7 p.m.  Sophomore Chase Coffey (Hanna City, Ill./Farmington) owns one of the top times in the event in the MVC this spring after breaking his own school record in the steeplechase with a time of 9:08.49 at the Stan Lyons Invitational two weeks ago.
 
Delvo will help open Sunday's events at 1:10 p.m. in the men's 1,500 meters.  Delvo crossed the line at the Long Beach Invitational less than one and a half seconds off the school record time and owns the third-best 1,500 meter time (3:52.84) in school history.
 
Freshman Rachel Sudbury (Tomahawk, Wis./Tomahawk) will help highlight the women's 1,500 meters, which includes seven other Braves.  Sudbury clocked the fastest 1,500 meter time on the squad this year and is joined in Bradley's all-time top 10 by sophomore Taylor Johnson (Lincoln, Neb./Southeast).
 
The 800 meter finals are slated for 2:20 p.m. Sunday afternoon and the Braves will also have strong contingents in the men's and women's 5,000 meters at approximately 3 p.m.  McMahon took third in the women's 5,000 meters at last year's MVC Outdoor Championship and posted a career-best time in late March.  On the men's side, Davis turned in the fastest 5,000 meters since 1986 and was seven seconds off the school record time earlier this year.  Coffey will be joining Davis and three other BU runners, as he runs the 5,000 meters for the first time in his career.
 
The Braves wrap up the three-day competition with 4x400 meter relay at approximately 4 p.m.