PEORIA, Ill. -- The Bradley men's and women's track and field teams travel to Carbondale, Ill., for the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships Friday through Sunday as they continue what has already been a strong spring season.
Both squads look to build off last year's success at the MVC Outdoor Championship and a 2014 outdoor season which has included six school records. At last year's MVC Outdoor Championship the Bradley men's squad turned in the team's highest point total since it was reinstated for the 2012 season and most points at the league championship dating back to the 1987 campaign.
The women's team is coming off a school record 46 points at the 2014 MVC Indoor Championship and last year's effort at the Valley's Outdoor Championship was the squad's best since 2010.
"This is the championship season and our crew is ready to battle,” said Bradley head coach Marc Burns. “The goal is to continue to improve upon our past point totals on both sides. We feel that we can make a big improvement over last year and come home with a few individual titles. The Valley Championship is a fantastic meet which will be fun to watch."
Friday's action begins at 10:30 a.m. with sophomore Elizabeth Dutcher (Williamston, Mich./Williamston) competing in the heptathlon. Dutcher owns the 13th-best heptathlon in the MVC this spring and her career-best point total of 4,347 from earlier this year is second in school history.
The Braves will also compete in the 1,500 meter prelims (6 p.m.) and 10,000 meters (8 p.m.) Friday. Sophomore Emily Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) and twin brother Eric Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Hearth Griffin) will help highlight the 1,500 meters for Bradley.
Emily owns the third-fastest 1,500 meter time in the MVC spring and second-best time in school history. She is expected to help pace the eight Bradley entries. Eric broke the school record in 1,500 meters in early April with a time of 3:47.55 and owns the fifth-fastest 1,500 meter time in the Valley this year.
The first day of competition concludes with the 10,000 meters as sophomore Kristen Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) looks to challenge her own school record. Busch, whose best time this season is 28th in the nation, owns the top 10,000 meter time in the MVC by over one minute and broke the school record in the event by over a minute last month with a time of 33:48.36.
Dutcher, who will also compete in the javelin and long jump, wraps up the heptathlon Saturday morning to kick off the second day for the Braves.
The 800 meter prelims (6 p.m.) will feature 2014 MVC Indoor 800 meter champion Emily Delvo, who owns the second-best 800 meter time in the MVC this spring after nearly breaking the Bradley school record in the event last month. She is one of eight Braves slated to run.
Junior Aaron Peck (Moline, Ill./Moline) is expected to pace five Bradley runners in the men's 800 meters. His team-best time of 1:54.46 is among the top 20 in the MVC this year and is seventh all-time on The Hilltop.
Saturday concludes with the 3,000 meter steeplechase at 6:40 p.m. Junior Chase Coffey (Hanna City, Ill./Farmington) broke his own school record in the steeplechase in mid-April and his time of 8:53.13, which is second in the MVC this year, is 30th in the country this spring. He will be joined by Eric Delvo, who clocked the fourth-best time in the MVC in his only career steeplechase.
Sophomore Caitlin Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) has also only competed in the steeplechase once in her career, but posted the eighth-best time in the MVC this season and will be Bradley's lone runner in the women's steeplechase.
The 1,500 meter finals are scheduled for 1:10 p.m. on Sunday and the 800 meter finals will be held at 2:20 p.m. The final day of competition will also include the 5,000 meters (3:05 p.m.) and wrap up with the 4x400 meter relay (3:55 p.m.).
Bradley has three of the top eight and four of the top 14 times in the MVC in the 5,000 meters on the women's side, with Kristen Busch pacing the Braves. Busch, who won the MVC 5,000 meter title at the Indoor Championship, broke school records in both the 3,000 & 10,000 meters this spring in addition to clocking the third-best 5,000 meter time in the MVC this season.
Her sister Caitlin and junior Sarah McMahon (Colfax, Wis./Colfax) are expected to join her near the front of the pack in the women's 5,000. McMahon has finished in the top four in the 5,000 meters at the Valley Outdoor Championship each of her first two seasons.
Like Kristen Busch on the women's side, Coffey has turned in school record performances in both the 3,000 and 10,000 meters this spring on the men's side. Coffey will be running the 5,000 meters for the first time this year and is expected to be among the top finishers for the Braves. Freshman Patrick Campbell (Wauwatosa, Wis./Wauwatosa) owns the top 5,000 meter time among the seven Bradley runners scheduled to compete Sunday with his time of 14:43.50 ranking fifth in school history and 11th in the MVC.
