KEVIN JENISON

GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State Sycamores garnered thee of the four Missouri Valley Conference Athlete of the Week honors in track & field for the second straight week and for the third time this indoor season it was announced today by the league office.

All three of this week's selections were repeat winners from a week ago and one of them was honored for the fourth straight week.  Junior Greggmar Swift was named the MVC Men's Track Athlete of the Week for the fourth straight time this season matching his streak of four straight to start the 2012 indoor season.

Indiana State senior Felisha Johnson and senior Brandon Pounds both picked up their second straight weekly honors of the season with Johnson named the Women's Field Athlete of the Week and Pounds the Men's Field Athlete of the Week.

Swift dominated the 60 meter hurdles at the University of Notre Dame Meyo Invitational this past weekend, running his winning streak to five straight meets and 12 straight races for the 2013 indoor season.

Swift posted the fastest time in the preliminary round Friday of 7.86 seconds and came back later in the day to run the fastest in the semifinals by matching his personal best of 7.72 seconds. He followed that up by winning the finals with a time of 7.79 seconds as he outran Purdue's Brandon Winter (7.95) to pick up the victory.

Swift continues to lead the Missouri Valley Conference for the event and is ranked fourth nationally. He also ranks 22nd in the world standings.

Pounds smashed the Indiana State record in the men's weight throw and set a new meet record at the Meyo Invitational Friday as he won the event with a distance of 73-feet-11.5-inches (22.55 meters). The distance moved Pounds to the top of the national list and to the top of the Missouri Valley best list while also putting him third in the United States among collegiate and professional athletes.

Pounds out threw Purdue's Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (66-feet-10-inches) and Sycamore teammate Chris Fields (64-feet-5-inches) who were second and third, respectively.

Johnson put her name in the record book twice at the Meyo Invitational this past weekend as she set meet records in winning the shot put and weight throw which marked the third time this season that the senior has won both events in the same meet.

Johnson opened the competition by winning the weight throw with a meet record distance of 68-feet-3.25-inches (20.81 meters). The senior leads the nation and the Valley in the event while also ranking third in the United States among collegiate and professional athletes. Two other athletes from the top 50, Purdue's Dani Bunch (eighth) and Mississippi's Jazmin Miller (33rd) finished second and third, respectively.

Johnson followed that effort up on Friday as she won the shot put with a distance of 55-feet-9.25 meters (17.00) to establish the new meet record. The Sycamore currently ranks second nationally and leads the Valley while also being ranked third in the United States among collegiate and professional athletes. Louisville's Khadija Abdullah (ranked eighth) and Purdue's Dani Bunch (ranked 12th) finished second and third, respectively. 

Illinois State junior Rachael Brewer was named the MVC Women's Track Athlete of the Week.

Named a notable performer was Sycamore senior Leeann Michl who ran a season best 2:08.87 in the 800 meter invitational at the Meyo Invitational Saturday to place fifth overall and the fourth collegian among a field that included eight collegiate athletes in the top 50 of the nation and U.S. Olympian Gena Gall. The Sycamore currently leads the Valley in the event and ranks 34th in the nation as she finished just a half second short of her personal best indoors.

Past Athletes Of The Week

Jan. 15: Greggmar Swift (co-Men's Track); Chris Fields (co-Men's Field); Leeann Michl (Women's Track)

Jan. 22: Greggmar Swift (Men's Track); Katie Wise (Women's Track)

Jan. 29: Greggmar Swift (Men's Track); Brandon Pounds (Men's Field); Felisha Johnson (Women's Field)

Feb. 6: Greggmar Swift (Men's Track); Brandon Pounds (Men's Field); Felisha Johnson (Women's Field)

SYCAMORE MEN RANKED 12TH IN TFN'S INDOOR DUAL MEET RANKINGS

The Indiana State dropped to 12th in the nation according to this week's Track and Field News magazine's men's indoor dual meet rankings which were released Wednesday. The Sycamores were ranked seventh in the last poll two weeks ago after opening being 10th in the preseason poll .

Texas A&M holds the top ranking followed by Arkansas, Nebraska, Louisiana State, and Texas in the top five. The second five is led by Michigan followed by Indiana, Connecticut, Purdue, and Kansas State. In the second 10 are Michigan State, Indiana State, Notre Dame, Washington State, Navy, Princeton, Akron, Grand Valley State, Eastern Michigan, and Kent State.

The Indiana State women are ranked ninth in the Track and Field News magazine's women's indoor dual meet rankings which were released Jan. 30. The Sycamores were ranked seventh in the last rankings announced Jan. 16.

The next women's rankings will be released on February 13 with the final indoor rankings for both men and women released on Feb. 18.

To be considered for the indoor rankings, a team must compete in at least one dual meet during the indoor season, using TFN's definition of a dual meet as a scored meet between four or fewer teams. Rankings will be kept during the outdoor season for an indoor/outdoor composite.

T&FN's dual meet rankings, compiled by Jesse Squire (www.tracksuperfan.com) are a revival of annual rankings compiled from 1970 to 1995. Last year's men's and women's champions for the combined indoor/outdoor season were the Oregon Ducks. A full compilation of past dual meet rankings can be found at www.tracksuperfan.com.