Concordia University Cougars races toward Division III track and field championships
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Did you know cougars they can run up to 50 miles per hour?
So it's appropriate that the Concordia University Cougars are running circles around the competition.
The school currently has three women ranked in the top 10 in Division III for one or more track and field events as they push toward outdoor nationals at the end of this month.
CBS 2's Jackie Kostek takes you to River Forest to meet the team.
"At the line, I am super nervous. I'm thinking about everything."
As soon as the gun goes off, Simone Wilson finds the zone.
"All I'm thinking about is just running and finishing and doing the best that I can," she said.
Wilson's best in her main event, the 400 meter hurdles, was better than every Division III athlete in the country at the 2021 outdoor nationals.
"Success is a choice. As hard as you want to push, that's as good as you can be."
In his three years at Concordia, Steve Belanger has elevated the track and field program - prioritizing getting athletes the chance to compete at Division 1 meets and other elite events.
"It inspires everybody because they've come from smaller high schools like Minnesota was where Simone was from and she didn't even qualify for her high school state meet," Belanger said. "Now, she's going and beating girls who are on full rides places."
Wilson isn't the only one thriving under the new strategy. Thrower Madeline Bobinski recently broke two school records in javelin and shotput. And Wilson's longtime training partner Kayla Armstrong finished second in the 200 at indoor nationals in March and has the 15th fastest time in D3 history.
"Being able to compete with Olympians and D1 athletes are like okay we're on the level as you guys, like Division III doesn't mean anything. It just means a smaller school so I felt like I can be at that level as well," Armstrong said.
In competing at higher levels, against tougher competition, the athletes have come to appreciate something else, their own teammates.
"Every time I see her do well, it makes me want to do well. It's so cool to be able to train with these people and continue to push each other," Wilson said.
"It's just an experience to have all these strong female athletes come out and essentially just breaking all the school records," added Bobinski.
Together.
We'll find out which Cougars prove they are the best of the best in Division III Memorial Day Weekend. The Division III outdoor track and field championships take place May 26th through the 28th in Geneva, Ohio.