Illinois State's Track and Field program celebrated significant success at the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Outdoor Championships, with Director Jeff Bovee and assistant Austin West receiving coaching honors. Bovee was awarded MVC Men's Outdoor Coach of the Year after leading the team to its first conference championship since 1999. In his inaugural season, West earned MVC Men's Assistant Outdoor Coach of the Year for guiding his athletes to impressive performances. The Redbirds scored 151.5 points, outpacing Northern Iowa by 26.5 points to clinch the championship title.

By the Numbers
  • Illinois State scored 151.5 points at the MVC Outdoor Championships.
  • 56.5 total points were scored by West鈥檚 jumps and multis group.
  • Zach Paul set a school record with a 100m time of 10.15 seconds.
  • The men's 4x100 relay achieved the fastest time by a Redbird team in 30 years.
State of Play
  • Bovee's award marks his first MVC Men's Outdoor Coach of the Year honor and his 14th overall coaching accolade.
  • Illinois State achieved MVC Men's Program of the Year status for the 2025-26 season.
  • West coached two MVC individual champions in the jumping events.
What's Next

Looking forward, both coaches aim to build on this year's success by developing their athletes further, potentially yielding stronger performances in the upcoming seasons. West's first-year achievement sets a promising foundation for future competitions, encouraging recruitment and program growth.

Bottom Line

Illinois State's recent triumph at the MVC Outdoor Championships highlights the effectiveness of its coaching staff and the strength of its athletes. The honors awarded to Bovee and West reflect not just past successes but signal a bright future for the program as they aim for continued excellence in track and field.