SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – There’s some good news about the overall athletic program at the University of Illinois Springfield.

“We’ve welcome over 300 student athletes to campus this year, our largest group of student athletes we’ve ever had,” said Mike Hermann, UIS Athletic Director, on the WTAX Morning Newswatch.  “With the addition of (competitive women’s) flag football, expanding our track program, it helped the university to have the second-largest freshman class in school history.  We’re excited about some of the good things going on campus for sure.”

Hermann says since it was announced last year, the women’s flag football program has had some practices.

“They’re practicing now; they’re doing a fall practice,” said Hermann.  “We’ll have a couple of scrimmages in the fall.  I had some of my staff out there that haven’t been around football before.  ‘These practices are very exciting; it’s great to watch.’  The students, the 15 freshmen, are so excited to be at UIS, excited to be a part of this very first class, and to make an impact.”

The flag football program is, at least in part, supported by the Chicago Bears.

As for track, Hermann says the school has traditionally had a great field of long distance, but has never really focused on short distances or field events…until now.

“Pretty much, since we started cross country a number of years ago, we’ve had track and field as well, but it’s been primary the distance runners,” said Hermann.  “We hired Ashley Blevins Krivi — she’s a local coach who has coached the high school and junior high level here in Springfield, a former Division II heptathlete.  She knows a lot of different events, and she’s done a great job for us recruiting student athletes to do sprints and jumps.”

Homecoming Week at UIS for fall sports starts Wednesday, October 7, and will also include a kickoff dinner for the winter basketball season.