Five Things to Know: Badgers prep for two openers to kick off indoor season

Friday, December 6

Chicago, IL

2 PM

Wisconsin Badgers

Chicago State Invite

Photo by: Tom Lynn

Five Things to Know: Badgers prep for two openers to kick off indoor season

December 04, 2024 | Women's Track & Field

Top performers highlight individuals set to compete in Boston and Chicago

By: Maddox Durst

MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin women's track and field program will be competing in two meets over the course of the weekend, as they will be attending both the Chicago State Invite and the BU Sharon Colyer-Danville Opener in Boston.

The Chicago State Invite is slated to start at 2:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Dec. 6, while the BU Sharon Colyer-Danville Opener will get underway at 10:15 a.m. CT in Boston on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Fans not in attendance can follow along with updates on the @BadgerTrackXC social pages throughout each of the meets.

1. 'TIS THE SEASON: The indoor track and field schedule is set, as the Badgers will travel mainly within the Midwest before earning their spot at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia in a couple of months. The schedule is highlighted by a pair of meets in Chicago, each hosted by Wisconsin and the Millrose Games at The Armory in New York City.

2. A NATIONAL RETURN: Kiley Robbins enters as one of the top sprinters in the Big Ten Conference this season, coming off of a Big Ten individual championship and second-team All-American honor in the 60-meter dash from last year. Robbins has had a storied career, especially throughout the indoor season. The graduate student currently holds the indoor school record holder for the quickest 60-meter dash time of 7.22 seconds—a feat she accomplished at the Big Ten Indoor Championships last February. The Milwaukee native is slated to compete this weekend in Chicago.

3. GOING THE DISTANCE: After a strong cross country season, members of the women's team will look to translate their success to the track in Boston this upcoming weekend. Leane Willemse and Shea Ruhly lead the charge as some of the top performers from the fall. Willemse is the reigning Big Ten champion in the 5000-meter race.

4. STRENGTH IN NUMBERS: Wisconsin will welcome in multiple standout athletes from the transfer portal to their track and field program in 2024, highlighted by a pair of distance competitors in Emma Kelley and Fiona McLoughlin, who will each run this weekend. Kelley comes from Washington University in St. Louis after being named the 2024 USTFCCCA National Women's Track Athlete of the Year. She has tallied six Division III individual national championships, too. McLoughlin enjoyed a quality career at Stony Brook, including a runner-up finish in the 5000-meter race at the IC4A/ECAC Indoor Track and Field Championships.

5. UP NEXT: The Badgers will enjoy a month-long break before hosting the Wisconsin Midwest Invite on Jan. 11. The event will take place at the Gately Stadium in Chicago, Illinois.