Great students, great athletes

Kellie Schuh ends her track career at UIC as one of the Flames’ top jumpers. Photo: Steve Woltmann

Men’s and women’s track and field standouts Matt Zaluckyj and Kellie Schuh were awarded All-Academic honors by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Zaluckyj and Schuh, both seniors, represented UIC in the NCAA West Regional meet in May.

“Matt and Kellie have put a tremendous amount of work into being great students and great athletes,” said head coach Jim Knoedel.

Zaluckyj finished second in the 800-meter at the Horizon League Outdoor Championship to advance to the postseason. His time of 1:49.51 represented the second-best mark in the Horizon League in the event last season and he was named Horizon League Male Runner of the Week April 17.

He ended the outdoor season with four top-five finishes, including his second place at the Horizon League Outdoors and second place in the 800-meter at the Benedictine Eagle Invitational.

He has one season of cross country eligibility left, beginning this fall.

Schuh captured the individual championship in the pole vault at the Horizon League Outdoors, leaping 3.97 meters, a new conference record.

She finished her career as one of the top jumpers in school history, taking Horizon League Field Athlete of the Week honors before the outdoor championship. At the Horizon event, she helped the Flames to third place after the second day of competition with her all-time league-best jump of 3.97 meters in the pole vault. The next best jump in the pole vault by a Horizon League leaper last season was 3.60 meters.

The cross country team begins the season Sept. 1 with its annual home opener at Horse Trail Lake in Palos Heights.