KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
ST. LOUIS, MO. ? Indiana State junior Kylie Hutson was named the Missouri Valley Conference Female Field Athlete of the Week while sophomore Major Clay was named the co-MVC Male Field Athlete of the Week, it was announced today by the Missouri Valley Conference.
Hutson after automatically qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championship last Friday at the Terre Haute Double Dual meet. The junior won the pole vault competition with a vault of 4.20 meters (13-feet-9.25), which set a new school record, in Indiana State's win over Illinois State at the dual meet hosted by Rose Hulman Institute of Technology. That mark is the best in the Missouri Valley Conference so far this season.
The Sycamore junior, who will be making her third straight appearance at the NCAA Indoor Championships, led an Indiana State sweep of the top three spots in the pole vault competition. Teammates Nikki Royer and Alicia Fritschi both cleared 3.65 meters (11-feet-11.75) to finish second and third, respectively.
Hutson, a native of Terre Haute, Ind., was recognized as an All-American after placing 11th in the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships. She finished in a tie for 15th at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships in her freshman year.
Major Clay, a sophomore from Springfield, Ill., was named the co-MVC Field Athlete of the Week after winning the high jump competition at the Terre Haute Dual on Friday with a leap of 7-feet-0.5 (2.15), a mark that also provisionally qualified him for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Clay shared the honor with Northern Iowa freshman Travis Leuer, who also posted a provisional qualifying mark at the Panther Open with a winning leap of 6-feet-0.25 (2.14 meters).
The Sycamores are preparing for the annual Gene Edmunds Cup competition, which is part of the Purdue Triangular scheduled for Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind.
NOTES: Several members of the Indiana State men's track and field team are in the top five of the Missouri Valley Conference as of Jan. 17. Senior Gary Ogburn is fifth in the 60 meters (6.98) ... junior Daryl Truitt is tied for third in the 200 meters (22.33) ... senior Sean Wright currently holds the top time in the 400 meters (48.79) ... senior Drake Sterling third in the 800 meters (1:54.52) ... freshman Jeremiah Vaughan is second (4:17.32), junior Scott Keeney third (4:20.34) and senior Kyle Walsh fifth (4:20.55) in the mile ... freshman Craig Padgett third (8:40.06) and sophomore Michael Disher fifth (8:43.18) in the 3000 meters ... sophomore Michael Roberts is second (8.26), sophomore Tykeen Fulton third (8.37) and junior Patrick Mendenhall fourth (8.48) in the 60 meter hurdles
Indiana State has the top four spots in the high jump, led by sophomore Major Clay (7-feet-0.5) with junior Brandon Youngdale second (6-feet-10.75), sophomore David Bell third (6-feet-10.25) and junior Curt Sunderland fourth (6-feet-8.25) ... senior Anthony Bertoli is tied for first in the pole vault (16-feet-0.75), freshman Brandon Pounds is first (57-02.75) and freshman George Weed second (52-feet-9.5) in the shot put ... junior Joshua Williams is first (62-feet-5.75) and Pounds second (60-feet-11.5) in the eight throw. In addition, the 4000 meter distance medley relay team is first (10:21.32) and the 4x400 meter relay team is second (3:18.20).
Several members of the Indiana State women's track and field team are in the top five of the Missouri Valley Conference as of Jan. 17. Senior Jeanne' Middleton has the top time in the 60 meters (7.59) and 200 meters (25.58) ... junior Erica Moore has the top time in the 400 meters (55.83) and fifth best in the 60 meter hurdles (8.81) ... senior Heather Stembridge the fifth best in the mile (5:12.62)
Junior Annie Beasley the fifth best in the high jump (5-feet-3.25) ... junior Kylie Hutson is tops in the pole vault (13-feet-9.25) ... sophomore Alicia Fritschi and senior Nikki Royer are tied for fourth in the pole vault (11-feet-11-.75) ... junior Lauren Martin is tops in the triple jump (41-feet-8) and fourth in the long jump (19-feet-1.5) ... sophomore Kelsey Hanley is tops in the weight throw (63-feet-1.25). In addition, the 4000 meter distance medley relay team has the top time (12:45.47) and the 4x400 meter relay team has the second best time (3:51.73).
NCAA QUALIFIERS ? Several Sycamores have posted either automatic or provisional qualifying marks for the 2009 NCAA Indoor National Championships. On that list for the women's team are: Kylie Hutson, automatic, pole vault, 4.20 meters (13-feet-9.25); Kelsey Hanley, provisional, weight throw, 19.23 meters (63-feet-1.25); Lauren Martin, provisional, triple jump, 12.70 meters (41-feet-8). On the list for the men's team is Major Clay, provisional, high jump, 2.15 meters (7-feet-0.5).
