By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State improved to 11-1 all-time in its rivalry with Illinois State after defeating the Redbirds 159.5-130.5 to keep the Coughlan-Malloy Cup in Terre Haute for another year.
The Sycamore men prevailed 81.5-63.5 over Illinois State, despite Redbird domination in both the 400 meter dash and 3,000 meter run. The Sycamores received a huge dose of points from the field this week, where the men swept in each event. ISU also received its standard amount from its incredible group of hurdlers – led by All-American Adarius Washington.
“It's nice to keep the cup,” said men's head coach John McNichols. “We really had a good meet in a number of events. On the other hand, our weaknesses this year are glaring. We're going to be okay in the 400 and 4x400 relay, we had a couple kids out, so we're going to be able to shore that up. I think our 800 group is going to be alright. But we're really young in the distance. I'm pleased with all the good things that happened but concerned there. It could just be a long year as we develop these young kids.”
The women, meanwhile, were in a much closer race with the Redbirds, outlasting them 78-67 on the heels of some blistering times on the track and a complete sweep of the field events of their own.
“I think Illinois State is a much improved team, their coaches have done a really good job,” said women's head coach Angela Martin. “We didn't have a great meet. We had a couple people out with injury and a couple things not go perfectly well today. But, it's really nice coming away with a win knowing you didn't have a perfect day, and I think that speaks volumes for our team and how competitive they are.”
The most impressive performance of the day came from senior Chidera Obasih in the 60 meter dash. She won the prelim on a blistering then-PR of 7.45, and did not let up in the final, exploding for the NCAA's third-best time this season at a new career-best 7.40 seconds. Today's performance improves on her place in third all-time behind seven-time NCAA Champion Holli Hyche (7.21) and teammate Katie Wise (7.25).
“I'm very proud of her,” Martin said. “She's come a very long way in believing in herself, and she works hard every day. That was an amazing PR for her in her first race, then she comes back and does it again, and then she ran a decent leg for us in the 4x400. She had a really good meet.”
Sophomore Arielle Borders was ISU's next scorer in third place at 7.83 seconds, but the other big story out of the 60 was a potential injury to All-American Katie Wise.
The senior Morgantown, Ind., native went down with an apparent leg injury at the finish line in the finals (after running 7.52 in the prelims). Her prelim time currently ranks tied for 26th nationally, but Wise needed to be helped off the track following the race (in which she finished eighth at 7.92).
“Katie is doing okay, our trainers are going to work with her,” Martin said. “She's a very positive kid and she's a huge part of our team, so to have anything happen to her is very scary. We're going to work hard to get her back and healthy and happy and ready to go.”
Also putting together an impressive evening was former football tight end and shot putter Jamar Brown. The senior Indianapolis native had a very strong season opener at Indiana in December with a toss of 17.16m (56-03.75), but exploded for the eighth-best toss in Indiana State history tonight on a winning heave of 17.87m (58-07.50). Brown is currently tied for 16th in the NCAA – an impressive feat for someone who hasn't touched a shot put since high school.
“What a great add to the team Jamar has been, what a surprise,” McNichols said. “He threw over 58 feet in the shot today, and I think that's high on our all-time list – and we've had some great throwers. I'm just really excited to see where he takes his final season of competition at Indiana State.”
In the men's 60 meter hurdles, it was more of the same for the Sycamores. Senior All-American Adarius Washington claimed his first victory of the season at a season-best time of 7.86 seconds, followed by two very good performances out of Marcus Neely (second, 8.07) and Jacob Wright (third, 8.18).
Sophomore hurdler Micaela McLean completed the Sycamore sweep in the hurdles on a solid opening time of 8.87 – four hundredths off her career-best (8.83) that ranks eighth all-time at ISU.
The Sycamores also completed a dominate male/female sweep of all the field events with wins by: Kimyanna Rudolph (3.83m/12-06.75, 28th NCAA) and Connor Curley (4.88m/16-00.00) in the pole vault; LeVisa Evans (1.68m/5-06.00) and Jamie Murtaugh (2.05m/6-08.75, PR) in the high jump; Devyn Mikell (7.25m/23-09.50) and Jamie Newsome (5.70m/18-08.50) in the long jump; Gino Brown (14.08m/46-02.50) and Jamie Newsome (11.74m/38-06.25) in the triple jump); Jamar Brown (17.87m/58-07.50) and Whitney Walker (14.70m/48-02.75) in the shot put; and Ryan Chestnut (17.46m/57-03.50) and Katelyn Rutz (17.89m/58-08.50) in the weight throw.
“The field events were just spectacular and our sprinters and hurdlers looked really good as well,” McNichols said. “We've got a lot of things to be pretty happy about, but we've got a lot of work to do, too.”
Indiana State will begin a six-week road stretch leading up to the MVC Indoor Championships next week at Indiana for the Gladstein Invitational.
INDIANA STATE SCORERS (TOP-FOUR GO 5-3-2-1; TOP-TWO FROM EACH SCHOOL SCORE)
Men's 60 Meter Dash:
2. Jaynard Keys – 6.91 (6.88 in prelims was PR)
3. Tristan Parmley – 6.93 – PR
Women's 60 Meter Dash:
1. Chidera Obasih – 7.40 – 3rd in NCAA – PR – 3rd all-time at ISU
3. Arielle Borders – 7.83 – 7.88 prelim
Men's 60 Meter Hurdles:
1. Adarius Washington – 7.86 – Season-Best – 4th in NCAA
2. Marcus Neely – 8.07
Women's 60 Meter Hurdles:
1. Micaela McLean – 8.87
2. Patrycja Dziekonska – 8.91
Men's 200 Meter Dash:
1. Jaynard Keys – 22.56
2. Carl McQuay – 22.59
Women's 200 Meter Dash:
4. Demetra Camble – 26.05
5. Arielle Borders – 26.30
Men's 400 Meter:
6. Tyrell Dowdell – 51.03
7. Rhett Blake – 51.16
Women's 400 Meter:
3. Oschtishia Jackson – 58.15
7. Ammanah Woods – 1:01.66
Men's 800 Meter:
3. Blake Kramer – 1:56.52
6. Tony Rigoni – 1:58.37
Women's 800 Meter:
3. Taylor Austin – 2:20.18
4. Aleksey Green – 2:20.76
Men's Mile:
2. David Timlin – 4:12.40
6. Blake Kramer – 4:17.80 - PR
Women's Mile:
3. Taylor Austin – 5:01.50 - PR
4. Jessi Conley – 5:03.51
Men's 3,000 Meter:
5. Daniel Swem – 8:51.35
7. Ryan Cash – 9:15.03
Women's 3,000 Meter:
2. Brittany Neeley – 10:16.48
4. Taylor Rogers – 10:38.56
Men's 4x400 Meter Relay:
2. 3:23.86
Women's 4x400 Meter Relay:
2. 3:50.53
Men's High Jump:
1. Jamie Murtaugh – 2.05m (6-08.75) – ties PR – T-37th in NCAA
2. DeSean Prentice – 2.00m (6-06.75)
Women's High Jump:
1. LeVisa Evans – 1.68m (5-06.00)
2. Ioanna Koltsidou – 1.58m (5-02.25)
Men's Pole Vault:
1. Connor Curley – 4.88m (16-00.00) – 33rd in NCAA
2. Riley Smith – 4.73m (15-06.25) – PR
Women's Pole Vault:
1. Kimyanna Rudolph – 3.83m (12-06.75) – Season-Best – 28th in NCAA
2. Kim Jackson – 3.38m (11-01.00)
Men's Long Jump:
1. Devyn Mikell – 7.25m (23-09.50)
2. Scott Schreiber – 7.20m (23-07.50)
Women's Long Jump:
1. Jamie Newsome – 5.70m (18-08.50)
4. Kaisha Martin – 5.44m (17-10.25)
Men's Triple Jump:
1. Gino Brown – 14.08m (46-02.50)
2. Malik Jenkins – 13.77m (45-02.25)
Women's Triple Jump:
1. Jamie Newsome – 11.74m (38-06.25)
2. Ethanity Dunn – 11.42m (37-05.75)
Men's Shot Put:
1. Jamar Brown – 17.87m (58-07.50) – PR – T-16th in NCAA – 8th all-time at ISU
2. Vince Laconi – 15.34m (50-04.00)
Women's Shot Put:
1. Whitney Walker – 14.70m (48-02.75)
3. Katelyn Rutz – 14.20m (46-07.25)
Men's Weight Throw:
1. Ryan Chestnut - 17.46m (57-03.50)
2. Sam Overton - 16.27m (53-04.50)
Women's Weight Throw:
1. Katelyn Rutz – 17.89m (58-08.50)
2. Jasmine Noel – 17.48m (57-04.25)
For the latest information on the Sycamore Track and Field team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.
