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Women's Track & Field

 SIUE Track & Field
SIUE Athletics
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David Astrauskas photo Head Coach David Astrauskas

         David Astrauskas begins his second season as the head coach of the men's and women's track and field and cross country teams. Astrauskas, who had been the men's track and field head coach and the women's assistant coach since 2004 on a part-time basis, first joined SIUE in 2002.
         Since he came to SIUE, the Cougars have won 14 Great Lakes Valley Conference men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field championships. Dave has earned Great Lakes Valley Coach of the Year honors seven times. Astrauskas has also been named Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2007.
         In 2007, Astrauskas and his staff led the women's track team to their highest national finish, a sixth-place finish at the 2007 Division II Indoor Championships. The women's team als7o placed 10th at the 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. The men's and women's track and field programs had a total of 30 athletes compete in the NCAA DII Championships in 2007.
         Astrauskas was named as a United States Emerging Elite Coach in 2007 and was selected to participate in the United States Track and Field (USATF) Elite Men's and Women's event camps to be held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. His selection was based on his proven ability to develop "national-level" athletes in the throwing events as well as his potential to develop future Olympic medalists.
         Astrauskas primary focus has been the field events with emphasis on the throws and pole vault. He has seen his throwers and vaulters break almost all of the SIUE school throwing and vaulting records. Astrauskas has coached 24 Conference Champions, 51 NCAA Division II Provisional Qualifying Performances, three NCAA Division II Automatic Qualifying performances, and 14 NCAA D II All-Americans. Astrauskas also coached Holly Noller (Pawnee) the 2006 NCAA Division II National Champion and 2006 U.S. Championships competitor in the javelin.
         Astrauskas is a USATF Level II certified coach and is also a USATF association level certified official. He holds a strength and conditioning certification with American Fitness Trainers Association and is also a USA Weightlifting certified Club Coach.
         A graduate of Eastern Illinois University in 2001 with a bachelor of science in Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Astrauskas was an outstanding student-athlete himself. As a member of the track and field team at Eastern Illinois, he competed on seven Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) championship teams.
Ben Beyers photo Assistant Coach Ben Beyers

         Ben Beyers is entering sixth season with the SIUE track and field team. Beyers will continue to oversee the sprints, hurdles, and jumps for the men’s team as the assistant for that team.
         In his first three seasons at SIUE, Beyers coached athletes that broke 30 separate school records. He also coached 61 All-Conference performers, 42 conference champions, 4 Conference Athletes of the Year, 4 Freshman Conference Athletes of the Year, and 20 All-Americans.
         After a 2004 season that saw SIUE track teams win the first conference titles for either program in school history, the 2005 season was even more exciting.
         During the 2005 season, SIUE women’s team won both the indoor and outdoor conference titles, and the men’s team claimed the outdoor conference crown as well. Ben was named as conference Coach of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons. In addition, he was also awarded the Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year honor for the outdoor season.
         Ben was a multiple time Big Ten Champion and All-American while competing in Track & Field at the University of Illinois. He is also a former high school state champion and multiple time age-group national champion. In addition to his track duties, Ben is also an attorney, concentrating in civil litigation.
        
Eileen McAllister

 Assistant Coach Eileen McAllister
       
        Eileen McAllister enters her second season as assistant coach of the SIUE mens' and women's cross Country teams. McAllister served as an assistant cross country and track and field coach at the University of Miami from 2001-02.
        McAllister also has coaching experience at Washington University from 2000 to 2001 and at Block Yeshiva High School in 2002. She was a former NCAA Division III All-American at Washington University.
        McAllister earned a bachelor's degree in psychology at Washington University and is completing a master's degree in exercise physiology from the University of Miami.