PEORIA, Ill. -- Several members of the Bradley men's and women's track & field teams will head out to California this weekend for the Stanford Invitational and San Francisco State Distance Carnival, while the rest of the squads will travel to the Eastern Illinois Big Blue Classic in Charleston, Ill.
A small group of Braves opened the 2016 outdoor season at last weekend's Bill Cornell Invitational in Carbondale, Ill., but the season kicks into high gear with this weekend's competitions.
The bulk of Bradley's competition this weekend will take place on Friday between the three meets. At Stanford, sophomore Michael Ward (Cardiff, South Wales/Llanishen) and senior Chase Coffey (Hanna City, Ill./Farmington) will be the only Bradley men competing as the pair run in the 5,000 meters (9:30 p.m. Friday). Ward set the school record in the 5,000 meters last year at Stanford.
On the women's side, senior Emily Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) will make her return in the 5,000 meters after missing the indoor season. Last year at Stanford, Delvo posted the second-best 5,000 meter time in school history (16:21.65). She will open the day's competition at Stanford at 1 p.m. (CDT).
The senior duo of Caitlin Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) and Kristen Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) will toe the line in the women's 10,000 meters late Friday night at Stanford. Kristen owns the top four 10,000 meter performances in school history including the school record of 33:48.36, while Caitlin's personal best of 34:30.78 set last year at Stanford is second among career-best times at Bradley.
Junior Rachel Sudbury (Tomahawk, Wis./Tomahawk) rounds out competition for the Braves at the Stanford Invitational in the women's 1,500 meters. She concentrated on the 800 meters last spring, but posted the sixth-best time 1,500 meter time in school history back in 2013.
At the San Francisco State Distance Carnival Friday, senior Sarah McMahon (Colfax, Wis./Colfax) is one of two Braves slated to run in the women's 5,000 meters. On the men's side, senior Eric Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) will run in the first outdoor 5,000 meters of his Bradley career. He is one of three Bradley entries in the men's 5,000 meters.
Competition at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival gets underway Friday at 10:30 a.m. (CDT) with the 10,000 meters for both genders. Junior Nicole Lopez-Villegas (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) is the lone entry in the women's 10,000 meters at San Francisco State and will be making her debut in the event. Juniors Patrick Campbell (Wauwatosa, Wis./Wauwatosa) and Caleb Beck (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) are scheduled to run in the men's 10,000 meters. Beck owned the top 10,000 meter time on the team last season, while Campbell is coming off an indoor season in which he posted 3,000 meters and 5,000 meter times that rank among the top three in school history.
In addition to the trip out west, the Braves will send a contingent to Charleston, Ill., Friday and Saturday for the EIU Big Blue Classic. Highlighting Friday's action at the EIU Big Blue Classic will be the 1,500 meters for both the men and women along with the women's 5,000 meters. Freshman Sara Piller (Normal, Ill./Normal West) won the 5,000 meters last weekend in Carbondale, Ill., and will move to the 1,500 meters. The Bradley women have five individuals entered in the 5,000 meters Friday, with seniors Kylie McKinney (Petersburg, Ill./PORTA) and Lauren Houmes (Hoopeston, Ill./Hoopeston) expected to help pace the group.
Senior Elizabeth Dutcher (Williamston, Mich./Williamston) will help highlight Saturday's competition in Charleston, Ill., competing in both the high jump and javelin. She had a career-best throw of 36.62 meters in the javelin last week, which was the best performance by a Brave since 2010 and fourth all-time.
The Bradley track & field teams will stay closer to home next week, traveling to Terre Haute, Ind., Saturday, April 9 for Indiana State's Gibson Invitational.
