By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State came away with both the men's and women's team titles following decisive victories at the conclusion of the Pacesetter Invite at the Gibson Track & Field Complex on Saturday. The Sycamore men came away with a 220-172 win over Southern Illinois, while the women topped the Salukis 218.5-164.
“I feel like we had a fantastic day,” said ISU women's head coach Angela Martin. “We'd been struggling a little bit lately, but our women seemed very motivated. When we're on our home track we're like a different team, and everybody was just aggressive across the board. We just had a good day.”
“We're doing a lot better at home this year,” said ISU men's head coach John McNichols. “We've struggled on the road this season, but our kids have done a nice job at home. We had some great individual efforts today. Adarius Washington continues to run with the best in the country in the hurdles, David Timlin had an all-time best in the 800 and Connor improved in the vault and came close to our school record again. We had a pretty solid day all through the lineup.”
As Coach McNichols said, leading the way yet again was senior All-American Adarius Washington, who put forth two incredible performances on the track to assist the Sycamore men.
First, Washington was again the leadoff leg of the men's 4x100-meter relay, which had a historic day. Thanks to Washington's start and the combined efforts of Scott Schreiber, Tristan Parmley and Jaynard Keys, the Sycamore men won and ran a new meet and facility record in the process at a blazing 40.54 seconds – not far off ISU's all-time top-two of 40.35 (1997) and 40.43 (2011). Currently the Sycamore quartet leads the Valley at that new time.
Not long after Washington headed over to 110-meter hurdles to make some more history. With only a final being run on Saturday, Washington wasted no time, exploding to a winning time of 13.58 seconds – which ties his career-best set last year at the Drake Relays that ranks No. 4 all-time behind ISU legends Greggmar Swift (13.35), Aubrey Herring (13.36) and Chris Lancaster (13.45). Interestingly enough, if all four of these Sycamore men were active this season, their career bests would rank first, second, fifth and eighth in the NCAA.
In addition to that, Washington's time today was a new season-best, pushing him to No. 5 in the NCAA and No. 3 in the East Region this outdoor season. Washington now also ranks tied for ninth in the United States this season, inching ever-closer to that USA Olympic Trials qualifying time of 13.52.
Fellow senior and Terre Haute native Connor Curley also had a career day in the pole vault, the second-straight week he's improved in his signature event. Curley won the event for the Sycamores at an outdoor career-best height of 5.26m (17-03.00), which improves upon his place as the No. 2 pole vaulter in Indiana State history, as well as pushing him to No. 23 in the NCAA and No. 11 in the East Region this outdoor season.
Curley also took yet another close shot at a new school record at 5.35m (17-07.00), but was unable to convert after three good attempts.
Fellow senior Kimyanna Rudolph was able to seal victory in the pole vault as well, winning at a height of 3.82m (12-06.25).
Back on the track, junior All-American David Timlin took his first shot at the 800 in more than a year and came away with an impressive performance. The Chicago native ran a half-second PR in the event at 1:49.40, which broke his own facility and meet record of 1:49.99 set last season. Timlin also jumps up to No. 3 all-time at Indiana State and No. 39 in the East Region this year.
Freshman Brooke Moore also had a great performance in the 800, despite it being her first collegiate attempt in the event. Moore clocked in at a very strong 2:11.53 following weeks of dealing with leg injuries, which lands as the ninth-best time in school history and No. 5 in the MVC this season.
Of all the Sycamore women's distance runners on Saturday, it was sophomore Taylor Austin that stole the show. ISU's school-record holder in the steeplechase, Austin nearly took down another record in the 1500, winning the event at a PR and facility-record time of 4:29.27 – currently No. 4 in the MVC this year.
Just as Austin and a slew of other Sycamore women did during the indoor season with her all-time mile record, Austin is dangerously close to toppling ISU assistant athletic director Angie Lansing's all-time 1500 record of 4:27.92.
Another facility and meet record came down courtesy of Jaynard Keys in the men's 200-meter dash. Keys won the event at a season-best time of 21.62 to bring down the record, in addition to his efforts in the men's 4x100 and his runner-up finish in the 100 at 10.89 seconds.
It was also another solid week for the women's hurdlers. Sophomore Patrycja Dziekonska came away with the 100-meter hurdles title with another strong time of 14.08, and fellow sophomore Micaela McLean ran yet another PR at 14.27 – jumping up to 10th all-time at Indiana State.
The Sycamore women also went 1-2 in the 400-meter dash thanks to freshman Ahmanah Woods (55.86) and Oschtishia Jackson (55.87).
Senior Demetra Camble also ran a season-best in the 100-meter dash, winning the event at 11.92 seconds in her final regular season meet at home as a Sycamore.
ISU was strong in the 4x400-meter relay as well, coming away with both the men's and women's titles. The Sycamore men's crew of Tyrell Dowdell, Rhett Blake, CJ Anyaebunam and Terry McGee ran a season-best time of 3:15.50 for the victory.
The women's team of Jamie Newsome, Ahmanah Woods, Demetra Camble and Oschtishia Jackson also ran a season-best, nearly cracking the all-time top-10 at the No. 3 time in the MVC of 3:43.92.
ISU came away with four other event wins in the field. Senior Katelyn Rutz came away the victor in the discus, tossing a season-best 49.20m (161-05), which currently ranks tied for 34th in the NCAA East Region.
The Sycamores took quite a haul away from the men's and women's high jump, going 1-2 in both the men's and women's editions. Junior LeVisa Evans had another strong week, clearing 1.71m (5-07.25) for the win – followed by senior Ioanna Koltsidou's runner-up finish at a season-best height of 1.68m (5-06.00).
Sophomore Jaime Murtagh and senior DeSean Prentice both cleared 2.05m (6-08.75) to help out the Sycamore men.
Lastly, junior Devyn Mikell stayed consistent in his signature long jump with a winning leap of 7.32m (24-00.25).
The Sycamores have three weeks between now and the 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which will be held right here in Terre Haute at the Gibson Track & Field Complex. But before then, ISU will make a trip to the prestigious Drake Relays next week and then down the road to IU for the Billy Hayes Invite on May 6.
“I think we're definitely moving in a positive direction,” Martin said. “Our training is going well, and we're excited to see what we can do in the conference meet. We had a rough indoor season, and we can only go up from there.”
“We're still not where we need to be, but we're getting closer,” McNichols said. “We're making progress and we still have a couple more weeks to go. But, there's no way around this: we have to be ready for the conference meet. Thankfully it's at home.”
Final Men's Team Scores:
1. Indiana State – 220
2. Southern Illinois – 172
3. DePaul – 133
4. Saint Louis – 77
Final Women's Team Scores:
1. Indiana State – 218.50
2. Southern Illinois – 164
3. Saint Louis – 104.50
4. DePaul - 95
Other Scorers:
Men's 100-Meter Dash:
3. Scott Schreiber – 10.94
Women's 100-Meter Dash:
9. Taylor Gilles – 13.16
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles:
2. Marcus Neely – 14.07
Men's 200-Meter Dash:
7. Ishmael Price – 22.75
Women's 200-Meter Dash:
3. Chidera Obasih – 24.85
5. Jamie Newsome – 25.14
Men's 400-Meter Dash:
3. Tyrell Dowdell – 47.95 – PR, #5 MVC
5. Terry McGee – 48.66 – PR
Men's 400-Meter Hurdles:
2. Arqeil Shaw – 55.78
4. Imani Payton – 58.91
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles:
3. Micaela McLean – 1:04.66
Men's 800 Meter:
5. Blake Kramer – 1:53.26 – PR
Women's 800 Meter:
9. Brittany Neeley – 2:20.53
Men's 1500 Meter:
6. Jordan Wright – 3:56.20
11. Quentin Pierce – 3:58.47
Women's 1500 Meter:
8. Megan Doty – 4:49.79
Men's 3,000-Meter Steeplechase:
2. Logan Hambrock – 9:35.85
4. Daniel Swem – 9:41.43
Women's 3,000-Meter Steeplechase:
1. Abigail Grider – 11:25.74
2. Taylor Rogers – 11:29.56
Men's 5000 Meter:
2. Akis Medrano – 14:53.04 – PR
6. Austin Stewart – 15:35.82
Women's 4x100-Meter Relay:
2. Dziekonska, Woods, Camble, Jackson – 46.59
Men's Pole Vault:
4. Riley Smith – 4.81m (15-09.25) – PR
Women's Pole Vault:
5. Emily Brady – 3.52m (11-06.50)
Men's Long Jump:
3. Scott Schreiber – 7.15m (23-05.50)
Women's Long Jump:
2. Mandy Jones – 5.57m (18-03.25)
3. Darian Mehne – 5.46m (17-11.00)
Men's Triple Jump:
3. Gino Brown – 14.20m (46-07.25)
4. Devyn Mikell – 14.12m (46-04.00)
Women's Triple Jump:
2. Jamie Newsome – 11.12m (36-05.75)
4. Ethanity Dunn – 10.56m (34-07.75)
Men's Shot Put:
2. Jamar Brown – 15.97m (52-04.75)
3. Vince Laconi – 15.90m (52-02.00) - PR
Women's Shot Put:
3. Katelyn Rutz – 14.03m (46-00.50)
4. Whitney Walker – 13.85m (45-05.25)
Men's Discus:
4. Jamar Brown – 49.07m (161-00)
7. Ryan Chestnut – 43.81m (143-08)
Women's Discus:
4. Jasmine Noel – 45.55m (149-05)
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.
