“We will be taking eight men and five women to the meet this weekend,” John McNichols, Indiana State men's track and field coach, said. “Some of them need to better their marks to have a chance to advance to the NCAA's and some are just outside of provisional marks and could surpass them with good performances this weekend.”

Most of the Sycamores concluded their indoor seasons at the 2009 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships last weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Sycamore men's team placed second overall while the women's team finished in fourth. Both were picked second in the pre-championship poll of league coaches.

“Scoring in the MVC is an accomplishment,” McNichols said. “We had 25 of our 32 man roster score, which is very good. We always seem to be the team that can upset the favorite but we just haven't been able to get it done. I am hopeful that this will change because we have people on this team that can get it done.”

John Gartland, Indiana State women's coach, said that his team could have folded after their poor performance on the first day of the MVC Championships.

“Instead, we came back as a team and pulled ourselves into the top half of the conference where we belong,” Gartland said. “We had great leadership by our captains who took it upon themselves to meet with the team and emotionally talk to them about the importance of coming back.”

Indiana State junior Kylie Hutson is the only automatic qualifier for the Sycamores and will be competing in her third straight NCAA Indoor Championships in women's pole vault.

Several other members of the team have surpassed provisional qualifying marks but only the top 14 are guaranteed a spot at the NCAA's.

On the women's team, junior Erica Moore is ranked 12th nationally in the indoor pentathlon with 4,030 points. She also provisionally qualified for the 800 meters with a time of 2:07.14, which ranks 17th in the nation.

Sophomore Kelsey Hanley has the 11th best distance in the women's weight throw at 64-feet-8.5-inches (19.72 meters) and junior Lauren Martin has the 13th best distance in the women's triple jump at 43-feet-1-inch (13.13 meters).

On the men's side, freshman Brandon Pounds has the 32nd best throw in the shot put with a heave of 58-feet-7.25-inches (17.76 meters) and sophomore Major Clay has the 27th best in the high jump with a leap of 7-feet-0.5-inches (2.15 meters).

Several other members of both teams will be in competition this weekend as they seek to post their best times and distances of the season in an attempt to qualify for the NCAA's.

Sycamore Track & Field Nationally Ranked -

Both Indiana State track and field teams are ranked among the top collegiate track & field teams in the nation, according to the United States Track & Field, Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Sycamore women's track & field team is ranked 32nd nationally in the USTFCCCA rankings, topping in-state rivals Indiana (41), Notre Dame (56) and Purdue (81), and Missouri Valley ranked opponents Southern Illinois (40), Wichita State (85) and Missouri State (92).

Junior Kylie Hutson (Terre Haute, Ind.) is ranked third in the nation in the pole vault with her school record vault of 14-feet-0-inches (4.27 meters) which she set at the MVC Indoor Championships on March 1.

Freshman Kelsey Hanley (Arcadia, Ind.) is ranked 11th in the weight throw with her toss of 64-feet-8.5-inches (19.72 meters) at the Iowa State Classic, a mark that ranks third on the ISU all-time list.

Junior Lauren Martin (Schaumburg, Ill.) is ranked 13th in the triple jump with her school record leap of 43-feet-1-inches (12.70 meters) set at the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships on March 1.

Junior Erica Moore (Sullivan, Ind.) is ranked 12th in the nation in the pentathlon after recording a school record 4,030 points in winning the event at the Iowa State Classic on Feb. 12. Moore is also ranked 17th in the nation in the 800 meters with her provisional qualifying mark of 2:07.14 set at the Meyo Invitational on Feb. 7.

The Indiana State men's track & field team is ranked 105th nationally. Eastern Illinois, which Indiana State defeated in December at EIU, is ranked 50th while Louisville, who the Sycamores defeated at Purdue on Jan. 24, is now ranked 49th in the nation. Northern Iowa is the top MVC team as the Panthers are ranked 52nd nationally while Wichita State is 112th and Illinois State is 115th.

Individually for the Sycamores, sophomore Major Clay (Springfield, Ill.) is 27th in the nation in the high jump with his provisional qualifying mark of 7-feet-0.5-inches (2.15 meters) that he has reached several times in his first season of competition for Indiana State.

Freshman Brandon Pounds (Indianapolis, Ind.) is 32nd in the nation in the shot put after throwing 58-feet-7.25-inches (17.86 meters) at the EIU Friday Night Special Feb. 20 to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Looking Back At Last Week -

The Indiana State women's track & field team won five events and had six All-Conference selections while the Sycamore men's track & field team won three events and had six All-Conference selections at the 2009 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships held in the UNI Dome on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa last weekend.

Sycamore junior Kylie Hutson (Terre Haute, Ind.) was named the co-Women's Field Most Outstanding Athlete after winning the pole vault and setting and all-time Missouri Valley Conference record, the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Meet record and a new Indiana State record with a vault of 14-feet-0 (4.27 meters). The win is the third straight at the MVC Indoor Championships for Hutson.

Another junior, Lauren Martin (Schaumburg, Ill.), set a new Missouri Valley Conference Championship meet record in winning the women's triple jump with a leap of 43-feet-1-inch (13.13 meters), which is also a new Indiana State record. It was Martin's second straight win at the MVC Championships.

Senior Jeanne' Middleton (Indianapolis, Ind.) captured her first championship by winning the 60 meter dash with a time of 7.51, the fourth best time in Indiana State history.

Junior Erica Moore (Sullivan, Ind.) captured two titles at the MVC Indoor Championships, running away with the victory in the 800 meters with a time of 2:10.03. She also anchored the 4x400 meter relay team, running 53.7 in the final 400 as the team took first with a time of 346.50. Moore now has five MVC Indoor championships in her three seasons, winning the pentathlon in 2007, and winning the 400 meters and the anchor of the winning 4x400 relay team in 2008.

Joining Moore on the champion 4x400 relay team was Martin, senior Mary Kate Conway (Chicago, Ill.) and freshman Kaci Smith (Moro, Ill.). Martin, Conway and Moore were members of the 2008 champion 4x400 relay team along with ISU graduate Samantha McClendon.

All six received All-Conference recognition.

For the men, senior Jeramie Gray (Jeffersonville, Ind.) successfully defended his title in the 60 meter dash and won the event for the third straight year. Gray ran 6.77 in the finals to win by more than a second.

Freshman Brandon Pounds (Indianapolis, Ind.) participated in his first MVC Indoor Championships and brought home two championships. Pounds won the shot put with a heave of 58-feet-6.75 inches (17.85 meters) and also won the weight throw with a toss of 60-feet-10-inches (18.54 meters).

Sophomore Michael Roberts (Indianapolis, Ind.) finished second in the 60 meter hurdles to earn All-Conference recognition. Freshman Ernest Rollins (St. Michael, Barbados) finished third in the triple jump to earn All-Conference recognition as did sophomore Major Clay (Springfield, Ill.), who was third in the high jump.

Also receiving All-Conference recognition was senior Gary Ogburn (Newburgh, Ind.), freshman Colton Slack (Martinsville, Ind.), senior Antinoice Surry (Fort Wayne, Ind.), and senior Sean Wright (South Bend, Ind.), who combined to finish third in the 4x400 meter relay.

ISU MEN NCAA QUALIFIERS -

- Major Clay, a sophomore from Springfield, Ill., became a provisional qualifier for the 2009 NCAA Division I Indoor National Championship in his first meet as a Sycamore. Clay won the high jump competition at the Terre Haute Double Dual on Jan. 16 with a leap of 7-feet-0.5 (2.15 meters) to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships.

- Brandon Pounds, a freshman from Indianapolis, Ind., became a provisional qualifier for the 2009 NCAA Division 1 Indoor National Championships at the Eastern Illinois University Friday Night Special on Feb. 20, winning the shot put with a heave of 58-feet-7.25-inches (17.86 meters).

ISU WOMEN NCAA QUALIFIERS -

- Kylie Hutson, a junior from Terre Haute, Ind., became an automatic qualifier for the 2009 NCAA Division I Indoor National Championships, winning the pole vault at the Terre Haute Double Dual on Feb. 16 with a vault of 13-feet-9.25 (4.20 meters). This will be Hutson's third trip to the NCAA Indoor Championships. The Sycamore received All-American recognition with an 11th place finish at the 2008 Indoor National Championships. She placed 15th in her first appearance in the National Championship in 2007.

- Lauren Martin, a junior from Arlington Heights, Ill., became a provisional qualifier for the 2009 NCAA Division I Indoor National Championships, winning the triple jump at the Terre Haute Double Dual on Feb. 16 with a leap of 41-feet-8 (12.70 meters).

-Kelsey Hanley, a sophomore from Arcadia, Ind., became a provisional qualifier for the 2009 NCAA Division I Indoor National Championships, winning the 20 pound weight throw at the EIU Early Bird meet on Dec. 12 with a throw of 63-feet-1.25 (19.23 meters).

-Erica Moore, a junior from Sullivan, Ind., became a provisional qualifier for the 2009 NCAA Division I Indoor National Championships in the 800 meters, running 2:07.14 and finishing fifth in the 800 meters at the Meyo Invitational on Feb. 7. Moore became a provisional qualifier in her second event at the Iowa State Classic, winning the event with 4,030 points, just 20 points shy of an automatic qualifying mark.

Missouri Valley Conference Honors -

Feb. 24 - Indiana State freshman Jeremiah Vaughan (Brookville, Ind.) was named the Missouri Valley Conference Male Track Athlete of the Week after he won the 1000 meters at the EIU Friday Night Special on Feb. 20 with a time of 2:31.85, the best time in that event for a Sycamore this season.

Feb. 17 - Indiana State junior Erica Moore (Sullivan, Ind.) was named the Missouri Valley Conference Female Field Athlete of the Week.

Feb. 10 - Indiana State junior Kylie Hutson (Terre Haute, Ind.) was named the Missouri Valley Conference Female Field Athlete of the Week. Indiana State junior Erica Moore was named the Missouri Valley Conference Female Track Athlete of the Week.

Feb. 3 - Indiana State senior Sean Wright was named the Missouri Valley Conference Male Track Athlete of the Week.

Jan. 20 - Indiana State sophomore Major Clay was named the Missouri Valley Conference co-Male Field Athlete of the Week.

Sycamores Ranked In Valley -

Several members of the Indiana State men's track and field team are in the top five of the Missouri Valley Conference for the 2009 Indoor season.

Jeramie Gray is first (6.77) and Daryl Truitt third (6.82) in the 60 meters; Gary Ogburn third in the 200 meters (21.75); Jeremiah Vaughan third in the mile (4:13.75); Scott Keeney third in the 3000 meters (8:18.05); Eric Schulz fifth in the 5000 meters (14:50.51); and, Michael Roberts second (8.15) in the 60 meter hurdles.

In the relays, the Sycamores third in the 4x400 meter relay (3:15.22).

In the field events, Major Clay is third (7-feet-0.5) and Brandon Youngdale fifth (6-feet-11.5) in the high jump; Chauntez Tyus fifth in the triple jump (47-feet-8.5); Brandon Pounds is first (58-feet-7.25) and George Weed third (54-fet-8.75) in the shot put; Brandon Pounds is first (63-feet-0) and Joshua Williams is second (62-feet-5.75) in the weight throw; and Anthony Bertoli fifth in the heptathlon (5,025 points).

Several members of the Indiana State women's track and field team are in the top five of the Missouri Valley Conference for the 2009 Indoor season.

In the track events, Jeanne' Middleton has the top time in the 60 meters (7.56); Middleton is second in  the 200 meters (24.64);  Erica Moore is fourth in the 400 meters (55.83); and Moore is tied for first (2:07.14) in the 800 meters.

In the relays, Indiana State has the fifth best time in the 4000 meter distance medley relay (11:55.71) and the third best time in the 4x400 meter relay (3:47.10).

In the field events, Annie Beasley has the third best leap in the high jump (5-feet-8); Kylie Hutson is first (14-feet-0), with Alicia Fritschi and Nikki Royer tied for fourth (12-feet-1.5) in the pole vault; Lauren Martin third (19-feet-8.25) in the long jump and has the best distance in the triple jump (43-feet-1); Kelsey Hanley has the best effort in the weight throw (64-feet-8.5); and, Erica Moore has the top point total in the pentathlon (4030).