Feb. 3, 2001

Bloomington-Normal, Ill. - UIC Track and Field coach Jim Knoedel continues to be impressed with both his squads early on in the indoor season.

UIC competed at the highly competitive Illinois State Redbird Open and came away with four personal-bests and five top-three finishes.

"It was some of the best competition that we've faced all season and we had some good responses from the athletes," Knoedel said. "It was a tremendous effort from both teams."

Junior Monieka Thompson was the top performer on the women's side as she cruised to a second-place finish in the 800-meter run (2:15.87). Sophomore Amy Fehrman's third-place high jump of 5-feet, 6-inches was a personal best. Freshman Danielle Simpson also set a personal-best in the shot-put with a heave of 34-feet, 8¼ inches.

The men's team received third-place finishes from senior Barry Somerville (60-meter high hurdles, 8.62) and junior Joe Kepinski (pole vault, 12-feet, 11 ¾ inches). Sophomore Rich Daubert also turned in a personal-best 3rd-place finish of 8:43.72 in the 3,000-meter run.