Illinois is looking for a new women''s cross-country coach and track assistant after deciding not to retain Michelle Byrne.

The school has not announced Byrne''s departure, but Illini head track coach Gary Winckler confirmed Wednesday that Byrne did not have her contract renewed.

It was basically lack of performance, he said.

Byrne could not be reached for comment.

Byrne joined Winckler''s staff in 1997 after earning Southern Conference Coach of the Year honors the year before at East Tennessee State. She was putin charge of the Illinois cross-country program as well as the track team''s middle-distance and distance runners.

Under Byrne, the UI cross-country team placed in the Big Ten''s second division four of five years.

Byrne''s program appeared to have made a breakthrough in 2000, when it rose to fourth place in the league after finishing 10th the year before. The 2000 squad also placed fifth in the NCAA regional meet – the school''s highest finish since 1994 – and barely missed an at-large bid to nationals.

However, the Illini last fall slipped to a tie for seventh in the Big Ten and 11th at regionals.

Illinois also struggled this year in the distance events in track. In the Big Ten indoor meet, two of Byrne''s runners finished in the scoring: Erin Frakes was sixth in the 3,000 meters, and Laura Gerke was seventh in the 600. In the Big Ten outdoor meet, none of her runners scored.

Winckler said Byrne was provided the resources to improve Illinois'' distance corps. During the past two years, he said, one-third of the program''s scholarship funds were allotted to that area.

So we had more aid in that area than most of the programs that we were competing against, Winckler said.

Winckler said a replacement could be in place by early next month.

We''re trying to get the position filled as soon as we can, he said. I have a pretty good short list (of candidates) at this time.

Nationals next

Three current and former Illini will compete in national championship meets in the next two weeks.

Former UI thrower Gia Lewis of Champaign is entered in the USA Senior Outdoor Championships this weekend in Palo Alto, Calif. Senior-to-be Perdita Felicien, a two-time NCAA champion in the hurdles this year, is in Edmonton, Alberta, this weekend for the Canadian Senior Championships. And thrower Ade Oshinowo, who completed her UI career this spring, will compete next weekend in the British national meet.

The Canada and British national meets are qualifiers for the Commonwealth Games. However, Winckler said Felicien has decided against entering that meet even if she qualifies.