Justin Spring: "Speechless. I think everyone thought that we were a shoe-in for at least the finals. I'm totally blown away that we were one of the first eliminated."

CHAMPAIGN — The Illinois women’s track and field team announced Friday it has added a recruiting class of 12 athletes, including four prep state champions.
The newcomers are led by Kayla Smith, a five-time Oregon state champion from Portland. Smith won consecutive state crowns in the 100 meters and 200 in 2008-09 as well as in the long jump this year.

CHAMPAIGN – The Illinois men's track and field team added a 15-member recruiting class that includes the silver medalist in the triple jump at the 2009 Maccabi Games and four state high school champions.

"We are very pleased with the quality and depth of this recruiting class," Illini coach Wayne Angel said. "It offers a nice mix of youth and experience. This is one of the best recruiting classes that we have had in quite some time at Illinois, and we are still looking at bringing in more talented athletes at the semester."

Bob Zuppke checks in as Loren Tate's greatest Illini coach of all time. Read on for the rest — and his explanation as to why he picked the way he did.

CHAMPAIGN — Former Illinois women’s track and field coach Gary Winckler will be among six people inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in December in Orlando, Fla.
Winckler coached for 34 years, including 23 at the helm of Illinois’ program.

LIEGE, Belgium — Illinois All-American Angela Bizzarri fell short in her bid to qualify for the IAAF World Championships in the 5,000 meters on Wednesday at the Belgian Liege track and field meet.

A look back at Harold Osborne and the 1924 Olympics

CHAMPAIGN — Illinois women’s track and field coach Tonja Buford-Bailey will serve as an assistant coach for Team USA at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships next month in Germany.
Buford-Bailey will assist head coach Chandra Cheeseborough as the sprints/hurdles coach at the championships, scheduled Aug. 15-23.