CHAMPAIGN – The status of the Illinois men's track and field coaching staff for next season is status quo.

That includes the job title of Mike Turk, who will serve as interim head coach for a second consecutive year.

Although the UI has made no official announcement, UI sports information director Kent Brown confirmed Friday that Turk and assistant coach Wendel McRaven will return in their same roles for the 2010-11 school year. McRaven also will coach the UI men's cross-country team for a sixth straight season.

"Obviously I'm excited about the opportunity to come back and lead the program another year, and I'm really looking forward to that opportunity," Turk said.

Turk, who joined the UI men's staff in October 2005 as an assistant coach in charge of field events, was named interim head coach in November when Wayne Angel resigned.

At that time, UI women's head coach Tonja Buford-Bailey assumed duties for coaching the men's sprinters and hurdlers, which Angel had handled. She will continue to do so next season.

Under Turk, the Illini finished 10th in the 2010 Big Ten Indoor Championships but then placed sixth in the league's outdoor meet – an improvement of three spots from the previous year.

The Illini outdoor team also qualified 16 athletes in 13 events for the NCAA West Preliminary Round. That group produced five qualifiers in three events for the NCAA Championships, including sophomore Andrew Riley, who went on to win the 110-meter hurdles title. He was the UI's first men's NCAA champion since Marko Koers won the 1,500 in 1996.

"We're definitely on the upswing," Turk said. "We're in a position where we did move up several spots in the conference last year with a very young team."

Turk expects the climbing to continue next season. Returning athletes accounted for 66 of the 70 points the Illini scored in the Big Ten outdoor meet in May. In addition, the team welcomes back two highly regarded talents who redshirted during the outdoor season: sprinter Boyea Lockett and thrower Brett Einbecker.

"And we have an outstanding recruiting class that will be announced probably in the next few weeks," Turk said. "Five or six kids are ranked in the top 10 nationally in their events. So it's looking pretty bright for next year."

One of Turk's primary goals last season was to change what he called the "culture of the program" by working to build cohesiveness and common purpose within the team.

"Track is an individual sport, but you just can't have a whole bunch of individuals out there," Turk said. "You've got to come together as a team. You've got to feel the support for each other and you've got to feel that you can really count on each other, just like you would look for in football or basketball or baseball.

"I do think we had some pretty good enthusiasm build up this year. The cohesiveness was much improved, as reflected by the fact that we had very few disciplinary problems or issues.

"We want to create an environment where people can learn to do the right things to improve and be in an environment where you are rewarded for improving without fear of failure. I think we made a lot of strides forward in that regard as reflected by our improvement at the Big Ten outdoor meet."

The decision to keep the UI men's full-time staffing level the same means that Turk and McRaven will continue to handle all recruiting and administrative duties that previously were split among three coaches.

"We've obviously taken on the work in the office and recruiting of two guys doing the work of three," McRaven said. "That's definitely added to our load. But at the same time, that's what you do when you're a pro. You're doing something you really believe in. Both of us really believe in this program, this place."