With the NCAA national meet on the line, Division I female track athletes from all over the Midwest will descend on John Jacobs Field at the University of Oklahoma in Norman on Friday and Saturday for the regional meet.

The ISU women’s track and field team is sending three runners to the meet, and women’s sprint coach Scott Roberts says all three have a strong chance of making nationals.

Ada Anderson

Senior Ada Anderson made this year’s Indoor National Championships, where she came away with sixth place and All-America honors.

Since being an indoor All-American was a huge goal, Anderson said she has more business to take care of.

“Obviously, I want to be an [outdoor] All-American, too,” she said. “It’s more competitive, but that’s what makes it fun.”

But, Anderson says, it’s harder to make outdoor nationals.

“Outdoors are more competitive,” Anderson said. “You have faster times and bigger tracks with less teams and tougher competition. I know some of the competitors, but I am working on my own race and not looking at any others.”

Anderson had a personal best time of 2.06.37 at the conference championships, and Roberts said times like that normally would have won the conference meet.

Since Anderson had her fastest time of the year at the championships, Roberts said she is poised to have a good race.

“She ran a 600 all by herself in practice last week,” Roberts said. “That time would have been the second-fastest time in school history for our indoor 600. I’d be surprised if she doesn’t run 2.05 at the regional meet, at least.”

“I am going to try and run under 2.06 or 2.06 again,” Anderson said. “I am sure 2.07 will make finals, but you never know if your heat will be going slow or fast.”

Roberts said compared to the other two, Anderson has the better chance to move on.

“I am not saying the other two don’t have a chance, because they certainly do,” Roberts said. “But right now, I think Ada is in a strong position to get there.”

Anderson’s 800-meter preliminary run is Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Sara Boisen

Junior Sara Boisen had her best time of the season — 60.52 — in the 400-meter hurdles at this year’s Drake Relays. Since the mark is later in the year, Roberts said Boisen just keeps getting better.

“I think she’s getting more mature,” Roberts said. “She understands the competition a little more and starting to run the race a little better. She had a good week of practice, and we are hoping to go into the regional meet and try to be under 60 seconds.”

Roberts believes she needs to run a low 59 or a high 58 to make nationals.

“That would be a significant [personal record] for her,” he said.

Boisen said she just goes out there and sprints.

“I don’t usually try to focus on time,” Boisen said. “So I am just going to go out there and see where I end up.”

Boisen made outdoor regionals last year, and Roberts said the experience will pay off.

“I think it will be a huge advantage going into the meet, just knowing what to expect,” Roberts said. “Nothing will be new to her, so I think she will be more relaxed going into the meet.”

Boisen’s preliminary 400-meter hurdles are Friday at 7 p.m.

Rebecca Williams

Junior Rebecca Williams has taken part in the last two NCAA national meets and said she would like to make it three in a row.

“It would be good to know that I am able to continue to do well,” Williams said. “I don’t want it to look like the past was just a fluke, just kind of like I just accidentally made it.”

Williams redshirted during the indoor season because she was recovering from a hamstring injury, and Roberts said this has been a rough year for her.

“She was starting to come around and then she fell on a hurdle and pulled an ankle a few weeks ago,” Roberts said. “So we are coming back from that.”

He said she’s been having some very strong practices lately so she appears to be getting back on track.

“With my injury I had to take off a lot of time and it just set me back,” Williams said. “I missed a lot of important races and in track, lack of races puts you behind.”

Roberts said he doesn’t know how she will do because it’s been three weeks since her last race.

“She is kind of our wild card for next weekend,” Roberts said. “But the thing about Rebecca is that she is a gamer. She tends to rise to the challenge, and that is what we are hoping for her. She has the ability and looks like she is coming around.”

This year Williams’ best time is 13:70, with a personal best of 13:31 last year.

Williams’ 100-meter hurdle preliminary gets under way at 5 p.m. Friday.