Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Assistant Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
GRINNELL, Iowa —
Monmouth College was picked by the league’s head coaches to sweep the 2019-20 Midwest Conference (MWC) Track and Field Championships in this year’s preseason poll announced Friday.
The Scots received two first place votes and 64 points to take the top spot over the defending champion Green Knights of
St. Norbert College. Monmouth will be looking to break their five-year team title drought and recapture their first indoor and outdoor titles since the 2014 season.
The Green Knights garnered seven first place votes and 62 points in the runner-up position. St. Norbert has won five consecutive indoor and outdoor titles since the 2015 season.
Grinnell College received 47 points and was projected to finish in third place. While
Beloit College comes in fourth place with 40 points and
Ripon College slides in with 37 points for fifth place.
The indoor season begins Saturday, December 7 as four of the league’s teams take action. Lake Forest College, Ripon College and St. Norbert College will all start the season at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s Early Bird Invitational while Illinois College will open the season at Illinois Wesleyan’s Titan Opener.
The 2020 MWC Indoor Track & Field Championships will be hosted by Grinnell College from February 28-29, 2020 in Grinnell, Iowa. The MWC Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be hosted by Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin May 8-9, 2020.
Full preseason poll results can be found below followed by quick facts for all ten MWC teams.
Team (First-Place Votes), Points
2019 MWC Women’s Track & Field Preseason Poll
- Monmouth College (2), 64 points
- St. Norbert College (6), 62 points
- Grinnell College, 47 points
- Beloit College, 40 points
- Ripon College, 37 points
- Illinois College, 36 points
- Cornell College, 32 points
- Lake Forest College, 15 points
- Lawrence University, 14 points
- Knox College, 13 points
Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Brian Bliese (20
th Season)
2019 MWC Indoor Finish: 3
rd
2019 MWC Outdoor Finish: 3
rd
2020 Projected Finish: 4
th
Key Returnees: Aminah Crawford (JR), Lena Ramsey (JR)
Cornell College Rams
Head Coach: Tashina Steggall (1
st Season)
2019 MWC Indoor Finish: 7
th
2019 MWC Outdoor Finish: T6
th
2020 Projected Finish: 7
th
Key Returnees: Morgan Barnard (SR), Marissa Czapla (SR), Zariah Lambert (SR), Shelby Williams (JR)
Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Evelyn Freeman (40
th Season)
2019 MWC Indoor Finish: 5
th
2019 MWC Outdoor Finish: 4
th
2020 Projected Finish: 3
rd
Key Returnees: Francesca Dalla Betta (SO), Micaela Daney (SO), Cara Kelehe (JR)r, Sarina Kopf (SO), Agne Lukoseviciute (JR), Paige Oluwa (SO), Tallulah Pellisslier Lloyd (SO), Emma Schaefer (SO), Tali Tesar (SO), Rebecca Villa (JR)
Illinois College Lady Blues
Head Coach: Jason Haynes (6
th Season)
2019 MWC Indoor Finish: 4
th
2019 MWC Outdoor Finish: T6
th
2020 Projected Finish: 6
th
Key Returnees: Amanda Boeckman (SR), Andrea Hyde (SR), Jenna Kennedy (SR), Olivia Molette (JR), Jaidyn Porter (SO), Emily Woods (JR)
Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Evander Wells (1
st Season)
2019 MWC Indoor Finish: 10
th
2019 MWC Outdoor Finish: T8
th
2020 Projected Finish: 10
th
Key Returnees: Takira Koonce (SO)
Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Malachi Allgood (Interim)
2019 MWC Indoor Finish: 7
th
2019 MWC Outdoor Finish: 10
th
2020 Projected Finish: 8
th
Key Returnees: Jennifer Bolek (SR), Leah Burshtein (JR), Yaneli Guajardo (JR), Dana Midani (JR),
Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Jason Fast (11
th Season)
2019 MWC Indoor Finish: 9
th
2019 MWC Outdoor Finish: T8
th
2020 Projected Finish: 9
th
Key Returnees: Imani Duhe (JR), Mikaela Hintz (SR), Natalie LaMonto (SO), Nora Robinson (JR), Brynn Schroeder (JR)
Monmouth College Scots
Head Coach: Roger Haynes (37
th Season)
2019 MWC Indoor Finish: 2
nd
2019 MWC Outdoor Finish: 2
nd
2020 Projected Finish: 1
st
Key Returnees: Vanessa Caldwell (SR), Aleeka Gentzler (SR)), Megan Gilstrap (SO), Katie Hayes (JR), Arika Hofmann (SO), Kareema Lawal (SO), Hannah McVey (JR), Jordan Pechkham (SO), Caroline Young (SO)
Ripon College Redhawks
Head Coach: Bob Wood (3
rd Season)
2019 MWC Indoor Finish: 6
th
2019 MWC Outdoor Finish: 5
th
2020 Projected Finish: 5
th
Key Returnees: Briana Bartz (SR), Madison King (JR), Natalie King (SO), Maya Petersen (SR), Camrie Schmitz (JR)
St. Norbert College Green Knights
Head Coach: Don Augustine (13
th Season)
2019 MWC Indoor Finish: 1st
2019 MWC Outdoor Finish: 1
st
2020 Projected Finish: 2
nd
Key Returnees: Maddie LeBrun (SR), Audrey Makope (SO), Morgan McClone (JR), Cora Purdue (SO)