WICHITA, Kan. – After being
picked third and fourth in women's and men's competition, respectively, the Indiana State track & field program is looking to shock the Valley out at Wichita State this weekend for the 2017 MVC Outdoor Championships. The championships will be held May 12-14 with coverage all three days on
The Valley on ESPN3.
The Sycamores (and the rest of the Valley) will be looking to stymie the Shockers, who were picked to sweep the men's and women's outdoor titles for the second straight season. Wichita State also swept the indoor titles this past season. In its history, Indiana State has won 17 total MVC Outdoor titles – 10 men's titles and seven women's titles – with the last men's win coming in 2014 and the last women's victory one year earlier in 2013.
The Sycamore women are led by several nationally and regionally ranked athletes – chief among them senior All-American
Alethia Marrero. After missing the entire 2016 season due to injury following her magical 2015 All-American season, Marrero has had a superb comeback in 2017. Indoors, she led a one-two rout in the 800-meter with freshman
Imani Davis, and she has kept some of that momentum going into the outdoor season.
She currently leads the Valley in the 800 (2:06.33) and 400-meter hurdles (59.50) outdoors, and also ranks third in the 400-meter dash (54.79). Her 800 time ranks 46th in the NCAA and 21st in the East Region, and her hurdles time 37th in the East. This week, she is entered in the 400-meter hurdles and as a member of the 4x400-meter relay.
Marrero will be specializing in the hurdles because the Sycamores will already be quite deep in the women's 800. Sophomore
Brooke Moore – who this season alone has broken school records in the indoor mile (4:43.04), indoor 3K (9:35.60) and outdoor 1500 (4:20.02), will double in the 800 and the 1500 for the Sycamores this weekend. Moore had the top time in the Valley in the 800 (2:06.74) before Marrero topped her.
Joining Moore in the 800 this weekend will be freshman and MVC Indoor runner-up
Imani Davis (2:11.26, 6th MVC),
Brittany Neeley (2:12.01, 9th MVC) and
Aleksey Green (2:16.22). The Sycamore women's 800-meter group currently ranks 19th nationally in the USTFCCCA
#EventSquad rankings.
Junior
Taylor Austin will look to add to the Sycamore success on the track in defense of her MVC title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Austin broke the Indiana State record in the steeple in her conference victory last season at 10:17.70, which earned her a berth to the NCAA East Regional. Austin impressively opened the season close to that time at 10:17.73, and has since eclipsed her own school record at 10:13.42 – 25th in the NCAA and 11th in the NCAA East Region.
Senior All-American
David Timlin will lead the Sycamore men, looking to repeat as MVC Most Valuable Athlete following an incredible performance in 2016. Timlin sat out the early part of the outdoor season following a successful outing at the indoor championships, but he enters this weekend off a great 1500 race at home last week. Timlin came near his own school record of 3:41.35 (run at last season's NCAA Outdoor Championships, which was good for 14th and Second-Team All-American honors), winning at a new facility record time of 3:42.93.
That time puts him in the Valley lead, as well as 42nd nationally and 17th regionally. Timlin is entered in both the 1500 and the 5K this weekend – the latter of which he scored in last season after winning the 1500 and finishing runner-up in the 800. In his illustrious Sycamore career, Timlin has won five MVC titles (three outdoors) and six outdoor All-MVC honors.
The Sycamore men's hurdlers will look to keep its success in the 110-meter hurdles going with two strong contenders in seniors
Marcus Neely and
Daley Carter. Indiana State has not lost the men's 110 hurdles since the 2011 season, last year becoming the first school to win five straight since Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) won nine 120-yard hurdles titles from 1937-48 (there were no contests from 1943-45 due to the Second World War).
In total, the Sycamore men have won 13 total outdoor titles and have placed two All-MVC (top-three) finishers in the last four seasons. Neely finished runner-up to All-American teammate
Adarius Washington last season, and the year before in 2015 he was also the third-place finisher behind Washington and UNI's Jon Rus.
Neely enters this weekend with the Valley lead at 13.77 seconds, which also ranks him 21st nationally and 11th in the East Region. Neely's career-best is 13.70, run at last year's MVC Championships.
Carter, meanwhile, enters third in the Valley at 14.09, which also ranks 29th in the East Region.
Competition begins at 11 a.m. ET on Friday morning with the beginning of the men's decathlon and women's heptathlon. Representing Indiana State in the decathlon will be
Joshua Perry and
Michael Boger, and leading the Sycamores in the heptathlon will be
Ayanna Morgan and
Caitlyn Redmon.
ESPN3 Broadcast Schedule
Day One (Fri., May 12): 8:50-10:30 p.m. ET
Day Two (Sat., May 13): 5:45-8:15 p.m. ET
Day Three (Sun., May 14): 1:55-5:30 p.m. ET
Women's Pre-Championship Poll:
1. Wichita State (9) – 81
2. Illinois State – 70
3. Indiana State – 65
4. Southern Illinois – 56
5. Northern Iowa – 44
6. Missouri State – 36
7. Drake – 27
8. Loyola – 17
9. Bradley – 11
Men's Pre-Championship Poll:
1. Wichita State (7) – 63
2. Northern Iowa (1) – 55
3. Southern Illinois – 50
4. Indiana State – 37
5. Bradley – 29
6. Illinois State – 28
7. Drake – 18
8. Loyola – 8
Women's Projected Finish (per TFRRS):
1. Wichita State – 261
2. Illinois State – 139
3. Indiana State – 102
4. Southern Illinois – 93
5. Northern Iowa – 82
6. Missouri State – 52
7. Drake – 33
7. Loyola – 33
9. Bradley – 23
Men's Projected Finish (per TFRRS):
1. Wichita State – 165
2. Northern Iowa – 152
3. Southern Illinois – 139
4. Indiana State – 85
5. Bradley – 76
6. Drake – 72
7. Illinois State – 71
8. Loyola - 50
Last Five Women's MVC Outdoor Champions:
2016: Wichita State
2015: Wichita State
2014: Wichita State
2013: Indiana State
2012: Wichita State
Last Five Men's MVC Outdoor Champions:
2016: Wichita State
2015: Southern Illinois
2014: Indiana State
2013: Indiana State
2012: Indiana State
Returning Women's All-MVC:
2016
Taylor Austin – 3000-Meter Steeplechase, 1st Place
Jasmine Noel – Discus, 1st Place
Jamie Newsome – Triple Jump, 2nd Place
2015
Oschtisha Jackson – 4x400-Meter Relay, 1st Place
Alethia Marrero – 400-Meter Dash, 1st Place
Alethia Marrero – 4x100-Meter Relay, 1st Place
Jamie Newsome – 4x400-Meter Relay, 1st Place
Taylor Austin – 3000-Meter Steeplechase, 3rd Place
2014
Alethia Marrero – 4x400-Meter Relay, 1st Place
Returning Men's All-MVC:
2016
David Timlin – 1500-Meter, 1st Place
David Timlin – 800-Meter, 2nd Place
Marcus Neely – 110-Meter Hurdles, 2nd Place
Scott Schreiber – Long Jump, 2nd Place
CJ Anyaebunam – 4x400-Meter Relay, 3rd Place
Tyrell Dowdell – 4x400-Meter Relay, 3rd Place
Rhett Blake – 4x400-Meter Relay, 3rd Place
Devyn Mikell – Long Jump, 3rd Place
2015
David Timlin – 800-Meter, 1st Place
David Timlin – 1500-Meter, 2nd Place
Marcus Neely – 110-Meter Hurdles, 3rd Place
2014
David Timlin – 1500-Meter, 1st Place
David Timlin – 800-Meter, 2nd Place
Women's Outdoor Team Championships (7):
1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2013
Men's Outdoor Team Championships (10):
1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Women's National Top-50:
25.
Taylor Austin – 3,000-Meter Steeplechase – 10:13.42
46.
Alethia Marrero – 800-Meter – 2:06.33
Men's National Top-50:
21.
Marcus Neely – 110-Meter Hurdles – 13.77
42.
David Timlin – 1500-Meter – 3:42.93
Women's NCAA East Top-48:
11.
Taylor Austin – 3,000-Meter Steeplechase – 10:13.42
21.
Alethia Marrero – 800-Meter – 2:06.33
26.
Brooke Moore – 1500-Meter – 4:20.02
28.
Brooke Moore – 800-Meter – 2:06.74
37.
Alethia Marrero – 400-Meter Hurdles – 59.50
Men's NCAA East Top-48:
11.
Marcus Neely – 110-Meter Hurdles – 13.77
17.
David Timlin – 1500-Meter – 3:42.93
24.
Jaime Murtagh – High Jump – 2.12m (6-11.50)
29.
Daley Carter – 110-Meter Hurdles – 14.09
Women's MVC Top-Eight (Top-3 Relays):
1.
Taylor Austin – 3,000-Meter Steeplechase – 10:13.42
1.
Alethia Marrero – 800-Meter – 2:06.33
1.
Alethia Marrero – 400-Meter Hurdles – 59.50
1.
Brooke Moore – 1500-Meter – 4:20.02
2.
Brooke Moore – 800-Meter – 2:06.74
3.
Alethia Marrero – 400-Meter Dash – 54.79
3.
Cassaundra Roper – Shot Put – 14.79m (48-06.25)
4.
Taylor Austin – 1500-Meter – 4:27.29
4.
Oschtisha Jackson – 400-Meter Dash – 55.18
4.
Kaitlyn Moricz – Pole Vault – 3.80m (12-05.50)
5.
Caitlyn Redmon – Long Jump – 5.82m (19-01.25)
5.
Cassaundra Roper – Hammer – 53.68m (176-01)
6.
Imani Davis – 800-Meter – 2:11.26
6.
Megan Doty – 10,000-Meter – 35:58.84
6.
Jamie Newsome – Triple Jump – 11.96m (39-03.00)
8.
Colleen Madden – 10,000-Meter – 36:24.69
Men's MVC Top-Eight (Top-3 Relays):
1.
Marcus Neely – 110-Meter Hurdles – 13.77
1.
David Timlin – 1500-Meter – 3:42.93
2.
Tyrell Dowdell – 400-Meter Dash – 47.24
3.
Daley Carter – 110-Meter Hurdles – 14.09
3.
Ryan Chestnut – Hammer – 57.71m (189-04)
3. 4x100-Meter Relay – 40.52
4.
Trey Kennedy – Pole Vault – 4.93m (16-02.00)
4.
Akis Medrano – 10,000-Meter – 29:50.99
4.
Jaime Murtagh – High Jump – 2.12m (6-11.50)
4.
Tristan Parmley – 100-Meter Dash – 10.46
5.
Gino Brown – Triple Jump – 14.75m (48-04.75)
6.
Ryan Chestnut – Discus – 49.75m (163-03)
6.
Devyn Mikell – Long Jump – 7.34m (24-01.00)
7.
Hunter Schuman – Shot Put – 16.91m (55-05.75)
7.
Riley Smith – Pole Vault – 4.79m (15-08.50)
8.
Scott Schreiber – Long Jump – 7.27m (23-10.25)
8.
Hunter Schuman – Hammer – 54.15m (177-08)
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.
