Track and field is hoping to show the state of Illinois it’s ready for the big stage.

The Huskies will participate in the Illini Classic on Saturday in Urbana. Among the competitors will be the Illinois Fighting Illini, the Eastern Illinois Panthers, the Bradley Braves and the Loyola Ramblers.

“I feel like it’s one of our biggest indoor meets that we have,” said sophomore multi-events athlete Claudette Day. “We have another one at Notre Dame that’s big, but this Illini Classic is one of our track meets we really look forward to.”

Day is coming off a tied-for-first place performance in the Gene Edmonds Cup Saturday. Day and freshman jumper Chennel Palmer cleared 1.68m in the high jump to tie for the top spot.

The indoor meet will be the third event of the season for the track and field team and the second meet for the athletes who ran cross country during the fall.

“I’m excited to go in already having one race under my belt,” said junior distance runner Hannah Savage. “I think we’re all excited to get another chance to run a little faster because I think we were all a little nervous last week even though we did run fast.”