Illinois Springfield Women's Track Competes at Big Blue Outdoor Opener

Prairie Stars post strong individual performances in middle distance events

Mar. 29, 2026 at 8:04am

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The Illinois Springfield women's track and field team competed at the Big Blue Outdoor Opener on Saturday, with several standout individual finishes in the 800 meters, 1500 meters, and 400 meters.

Why it matters

This early outdoor meet provides an important opportunity for the Illinois Springfield women's track team to assess their progress and identify areas for improvement as they prepare for the rest of the outdoor season and potential conference championships.

The details

Marissa Roggensack earned the top finish of the day for Illinois Springfield, placing 2nd in the 800 meters with a time of 2:26. Kali Gaden added another top showing, taking 3rd in the 800 with a time of 2:28. Freshman Mackenzie Billard turned in an impressive performance in the 1500 meters, finishing 3rd in 5:07, while Olivia Thomsen set a personal best with a 6th-place finish in the same heat in 5:17. Maddie Miller-Ross led a group of Prairie Stars in the 400 meters, finishing 7th with a time of 66 seconds.

  • The meet took place on Saturday, March 28, 2026.

The players

Marissa Roggensack

A member of the Illinois Springfield women's track and field team who placed 2nd in the 800 meters.

Kali Gaden

A member of the Illinois Springfield women's track and field team who placed 3rd in the 800 meters.

Mackenzie Billard

A freshman member of the Illinois Springfield women's track and field team who placed 3rd in the 1500 meters.

Olivia Thomsen

A member of the Illinois Springfield women's track and field team who set a personal best with a 6th-place finish in the 1500 meters.

Maddie Miller-Ross

A member of the Illinois Springfield women's track and field team who led a group of Prairie Stars in the 400 meters, finishing 7th.

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What’s next

Illinois Springfield heads to Jacksonville, Ill., for the IC Thursday Throwdown next week, where the team will continue its outdoor campaign against local competition.

The takeaway

This early outdoor meet provided the Illinois Springfield women's track team with valuable experience and an opportunity to assess their progress as they prepare for the rest of the outdoor season and potential conference championships.