Karen Illian - Track & Field Coach

Karen Illian

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
kr178@msstate.edu

Former Florida State University standout Karen Rademeyer joined the MSU staff during the 2004-05 season. Her primary responsibilities at MSU are coaching throwers and combined event athletes.

In 2006, she guided freshmen Emily Sanders into the MState freshmen record books in the discus and hammer competitions. Sanders mark of 172 feet, two inches was also good for a spot in the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships. Under her guidance, a total of six athletes garnered all-Southeastern Conference status and three Lady Bulldogs set new all-time outdoor superlatives in the hammer competition since the 2005 slate. Junior Christina Hernandez earned a regional qualifying mark in the discus competition. Her mark of 156 not only earned her spot in the postseason event, but also claimed the top spot at the Jace Lacoste Invitational. In the shot put, Illian tutored junior Nicola Wilson to a school record 50 feet, one inch and three quarters attempt to earn her a regional qualifying mark. She coached Marrissa Haris to a new school record in the 100-hurdles (13:52). She tutored Lauren Johnson to all-SEC honors in the pentathalon and heptathalon. On the men's side, Joseph Queen and Darryl Brady each captured all-SEC awards in the decathalon.

During the 2003-04 season, Illian served as an assistant coach at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La. While there, Illian was responsible for throwers, combined events and the program's strength and conditioning training. Under Illian, several McNeese State athletes qualified for the NCAA Regionals in the shot put, discus and javelin.

At Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Fla. during the 2002-03 season, Illian was in charge of the throws and multi-events, including helping Andrea Pressley to the NCAA and USA Championships.

A 2002 graduate of FSU, Illian was an NCAA qualifier in the javelin her final season. She also finished her junior year ranked among the nation's top 35 javelin throwers. During her Atlantic Coast Conference career, Illian finished ranked in the top 10 in the javelin, hammer throw and heptathlon in three seasons of competition.

During her senior season, Illian completed conference competition ranked eighth in both the heptathlon and hammer throw and second in the javelin. In 2001, she finished second in the ACC in the heptathlon and third in the javelin. At the conclusion of the 2000 season, Illian finished ranked fifth in the heptathlon, fourth in the javelin throw, eighth in the hammer throw and helped lead the Seminoles to the ACC team title. Currently, she ranks fourth in the javelin throw on the FSU all-Time list and fifth in the hammer throw. She also ranks eighth on the list in the heptathlon.

Illian graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English education. She received her master's in exercise physiology from McNeese State in May 2004. She has received her Level I and Level II certifications in throws from USA Track.

This past summer, she married MSU assistant strength and conditioning coach Travis Illian. He works directly with MSU football, softball and women's tennis programs.