Women’s track and field coach Tom Akers announced the addition of two All-State athletes that will be joining the team next season. Abby Nicholson and Sophia Keith each signed with the track and field team who won the conference in the indoor season and placed second in the outdoor season.

Nicholson, who attends Jamaica High School, competes in throws and has advanced to the IHSA Class 1A State Championships the past three years. She placed third in the state in discus last season with a throw of 131’3”. She won the sectional title in shot put while she was runner up in the Tolono Unity Sectional.

As a sophomore she went to state by winning both event titles at the St. Joseph-Ogden Sectional. She was fourth in discus that year and finished 10th in the state in shot put. As a freshman, she earned her first trip to state by winning both events at the Catlin Sectional and went on to eighth in the state in discus.

Keith, who attends Pinckneyville High School, competes in sprints and has also advanced to the IHSA Class 1A State Championships the past three seasons. She was fourth in the state as a junior in the 400-meter run with a final time of 58.40 seconds.

She won both the 400 and 200-meter events at the Nashville Sectional. Her time in the 400-meter was 58.38 seconds and her time in the 200-meter was 26.41 seconds. As a sophomore she won both the 400 and 200-meter runs again at the Chester Sectional. In her freshman season she went to state in both events, as she placed second in the 400-meter run and fourth in the 200-meter run at the Sparta Sectional.

Mark Shanahan can be reached at 581-2812 or mmshanahan@eiu.edu.