BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University men's and women's track and field teams are set to host the first of six indoor home meets, Saturday, Dec. 9 as IWU welcomes 13 programs to the Titan First Chance meet. The competition will double as the Green and White's Alumni Night with competition slated for an 11 a.m. start.
The 2023-24 campaign will see head coach Todd Lowder enter his third season at the helm of the men's program and the first year in his new role as IWU's Director of Track and Field. Former IWU track and field standout, Amelia Marino (nee Glueck), returns to her Titan roots as the new head women's coach.
The Green and White boasts a 29-person first-year class with 19 student-athletes joining the men's squad and 10 to the women's program. Additionally, a total of 18 All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin student-athletes return for the upcoming season including the CCIW men's 400-meter champion sophomore Evan Lowder (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community), women's triple jump champion, senior Lauren Wong (Morton, Ill.-Morton), and the men's pole vault co-champion sophomore Isaac Whitaker (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic).
A season ago, the IWU women's squad took home the team title of the Titan First Chance meet while the men finished third. Now-sophomore Adriana Crabtree (Normal, Ill.-University High) won the mile in her collegiate debut while Wong won the triple jump and E. Lowder took home the title in the non-traditional 300-meter race. The 4-by-400-meter relay quartet of sophomore Bella Gonzalez (Itasca, Ill.-Lake Park), senior Jules Grunloh (Towanda, Ill.-Lexington), junior Davion Lemon (Marrero, La.-Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy), and sophomore Jordynn Griffin (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) also claimed the event win at the 2022 Titan First Chance meet.
Saturday's meet will feature seven institutions including Titan First Chance regulars, Greenville, Health Science and Pharmacy, Millikin, Fontbonne's men's squad, and Eureka's women's team. Fontbonne and Eureka will travel both their men's and women's programs this year while Missouri-St. Louis and North Park will also be in attendance.
There will be an admission fee to attend this weekend's meet. The price breakdown can be seen below:
| $20 |
Family Single-Game Pass (includes admission for all immediate family members; must enter contest together) |
| $7 |
Adults |
| $4 |
Visiting college students and high school students with ID |
| $4 |
Senior citizens over age 62 |
| $2 |
Children ages 6-13 |
| Free |
Illinois Wesleyan students, faculty, and staff (including retirees) with ID; also children under age 5 |
The meet schedule which includes the estimated starting times, can be accessed here.
Results from the meet will be posted to IWUsports.com upon the conclusion of the meet.
To stay up-to-date on all things IWU track and field, be sure to follow the team on social media @IWU_XCTF on Twitter and @IllinoisWesleyanXCTF on Instagram.
