By Michael Newman

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A smaller than normal contingent of Illinois athlete will be making the trip out east to Greensboro, North Carolina this Father’s Day weekend for the New Balance Outdoor Nationals. There are a number of athletes that could be among the best in the nation when this meet concludes Sunday afternoon.

Luke Winder (Plainfield, IL) has done all that he can in regards to Illinois prep records. The 2014 season has been a magical one for the future North Central College student / athlete. Winder has set the indoor best mark, outdoor best mark, and the IHSA State Meet Record in the Pole Vault. He goes this weekend to Greensboro as one of the favorites in this event. Winder has the third best performance in the nation (17-3 ¾). This field is loaded as four of the top five athletes in the country in this event will be ready to compete. Brandon Bray (China Spring, TX) currently has the highest clearance in the nation (17-8 ½) done at the Texas State Meet in May. Devin King (Sumner, LA) is close behind with a 17-8 clearance. He won the indoor national meet at the Armory last March. He will be looking for the 2014 indoor / outdoor sweep. Jack Denby (Carlinville IL) won the 1A Illinois state championship as well as finishing second at the indoor nationals. He should be in contention for the top five. Dylan Kuipers (Elburn IL) will also be competing in this meet. He cleared 15-3 ½ for Kaneland at the Kane County Championships in May. The championship seeded flight will begin Sunday at 1:30 PM CDT.

One of the Illinois spotlight Girls athletes in this weekend’s meet has to be Emma Spagnola (North Aurora IL). The three time state champion for West Aurora High School has her sights set on some big performances this weekend. She will start her weekend Saturday morning (9:55 AM CDT) in the 100 Meter Hurdles. Spagnola currently has the 26^th fastest wind legal time nationally (13.90) in the event. Her best time this year is 13.83. She will have a busy Sunday starting with the 400 Meter Hurdles (11:15 AM CDT). The 3A 300 Meter Hurdle Champion ran 59.69 in this event a year ago. Sydney McLaughlin (Scotch Plains, NJ) ran the nation’s fastest time (56.91) at last week’s New Jersey Meet of Champion and will be the favorite in this race.

Spagnola will also compete in the Long Jump (Sunday, 3:00 PM CDT). Her best of the year (19-1 ¾) occurred at the Metea Valley Sectional Meet. Five athletes in this event has gone past 20 feet this year including meet co-favorites Courtney Corrin (Westlake CA) and Keturah Orji (Mt. Olive, NJ).

Here are some of the other Illinois athletes that will be competing in the Championship portion of this weekend’s meet:

• Maya Neal (Aurora, IL) finished third last weekend at the Great Southwest Classic in the Heptathlon. She will begin her competition in the Heptahlon Friday morning.

• Lena Giger (Highland IL) and Kathleen Young (Warrensburg IL) will be competing in two weight events this weekend. Both will be competing Sunday (12:00 PM CDT) in the Shot Put. Giger currently has the 12^th best performance in the country (48-3). National record holder Raven Saunders (Charleston SC) is the favorite in this event. Giger will also compete in the Hammer Throw (Sunday, 10:00 AM CDT). A year ago at the Golden West Invitational, Giger won the Hammer Throw with a 147-6 throw. Young will compete in the Discus (Saturday, 11:00 AM CDT).

• Zach Dale (Elk Grove IL) is coming off of a strong 4:09.95 mile at the Festival of Miles last Thursday. He will compete in the 5000 Meter Run Friday evening (7:00 PM CDT). With the 8:56 that he ran in Arcadia in April along with the great state meet that he had with top five finishes in the 3200 and 1600, Dale should be up towards the front. The field is strong led by last year’s third place finisher Elijah Armstrong (Pocatello, ID) along with Nick Elswick (Chardon OH) and Aaron Templeton (Knoxville TN).

• Dale will also compete in the 4 x 800 Meter Relay (Saturday, 6:35 CDT) along with his Conant teammates. This quartet ran 7:51.51 to win the Mid Suburban League Championships a month ago. They could run in the mid 7:40’s Saturday night. Two other Illinois schools have chosen to compete in this meet. Lane Tech ran 7:47.52 two weeks ago to place 7^th in the 3A state finals. The Indians are currently ranked 42^nd nationally. This quartet led by Pavlo Hutsalyuk and David Schmieg has the potential to better the time they ran at state this weekend. They will come back and run in the Distance Medley Sunday afternoon (3:35 CDT). Their 10:25 that they ran at the DS IL Distance Medley is the best time that they have run this season. They could be under 10:20 in this meet. Plainfield South, who ran 7:51.92 at the Joliet West Sectional, will also compete in the 4 x 8 Saturday evening.

• Dan Lathrop (Plainfield IL) will look to bounce back from his state meet performance. He ran 9:06 at Arcadia in April. He could be towards the front in the 2 Mile Run (Saturday, 4:20 PM).

• Lane Tech will also compete in the Girls 4 x 800 Meter Relay (Saturday, 6:10 PM CDT). They will look to better the 9:21.06 that they ran in the State Meet prelims. Alex Martel will be part of that relay. Martel, who finished third in the 3A 800, will also compete in the 800 Meter Run (Sunday, 12:25 CDT).

• Brittany Thomas (Glenwood, IL) will compete in the 200 Meter Dash (Sunday, 11:30 AM). The Bloom graduate finished third in the 3A finals. She currently has the fourth fastest time in the state. 3A State Champion Brooke Catherine (Normal IL) will compete in the Pole Vault (Saturday, 3:00 PM CDT). Catherine has cleared 12-9 this outdoor season. National leader Desiree Freier (Justin TX) will be the favorite in this event. Ben Barnes (Elburn IL) shocked the state with his 23-5 2A Long Jump win over Ja’Mari Ward. The Kaneland junior will compete in Sunday’s Long Jump (11:00 AM).

Here are some of the athletes that will be competing in the Emerging Elites division of this meet that will start on Friday morning:

The one athlete that I would keep a close eye on is Mary Blankemeier (Oak Park, IL) who will be competing in both the 1 Mile Run (Friday, 10:50 AM) and the 2 Mile Run (Saturday, 3:30 PM). The OPRF freshman is coming off of a strong 4:55 mile at the Festival of Miles. Her 10:44 3A 4^th place in the finish in the 3200 should be watched as well. She could be in the top three in both of these events.

Others to watch include:

• Alexis Pierre-Antoine (Frankfort IL) will compete in the 100 Meter Hurdles (Friday, 10:35 AM) and the 200 Meter Dash (Saturday, 10:50 AM).

• Betsy Lovett (Clinton IL) and Nikki Ogorek (Normal IL) will compete in the Pole Vault (Friday, 12:00 PM).

• Brett Charlton (Eureka IL) will compete in the 100 Meter Dash (Friday, 11:55 AM) and the 200 Meter Dash (Saturday, 11:05 AM).

• Nathaniel Kucera (Elburn, IL) will compete in the 400 Meter Dash (Friday, 5:45 PM).

• Ben Rogin (Highland Park IL) will compete in the 110 Meter High Hurdles (Friday, 10:20 AM).

• Kevin Vroegh (Dyer IN) will compete in the 800 Meter Run (Sunday, 10:35 AM).

• There will be three Illinois athletes that will compete in the Freshman events that will be included in this meet. Blake Evertsen (Hinsdale IL) is scheduled to compete in the 2 Mile Run (Friday, 6:35 PM) and the 1 Mile Run (Saturday, 2:15 PM). Maggie Schoelle (Chicago IL) is scheduled to compete in the 2 Mile Run (Friday, 6:20 PM). Aliyah Mickens (Glenwood, IL) is scheduled to compete in the Long Jump (Friday, 10:30 AM) and the 400 Meter Dash (Friday, 3:00 PM).

Good luck to all of those competing this weekend in North Carolina!