CHARLESTON, ILL. ? The Indiana State track and field teams opened up the indoor season on Friday, competing late into the night before the action concluded in Lantz Arena on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. The Sycamores domianted both the men's and women's meet, taking the overall title and winning each of the five dual meets scores.
The Sycamore men scored 211 points in the overall results with Eastern Illinois second with 183, Western Illinois third with 69, DePaul fourth with 62, and Butler fifth with 56 points. The Indiana State women also dominated, scoring 204.5 points in the overall results. Eastern Illinois was second at 159.50 with Northern Illinois third with 81.50, Western Illinois fourth with 56.50, Butler fifth with 52, and DePaul sixth with 46 points.
The ISU men's team defeated Butler 120-30, DePaul 116-37, Eastern Illinois 99-80, and Western Illinois 118.50-40.50. Northern Illinois did not have a men's team in competition. The Sycamore women's team won over Butler 113-33, DePaul 118-20, Eastern Illinois 96.50-76.50, Northern Illinosi 119.50-40.50, and Western Illinois 115.50-37.50.
“We had some areas that were really good and others that were not,” John McNichols, Indiana State men's track & field coach said. “We lost a lot of experience especially in the long sprints and middle distance. We have reloaded with some young guys who are still making the adjustments to Division I competition. They now know what it is going to take to compete at this level.”
Indiana State women's track and field coach John Gartland credited the leadership of his senior class with the dominating performance by the Sycamores Friday.
“The seniors led by example and with their leadership,” Gartland said. “I think that the younger women gained a lot of confidence by watching the upperclassmen compete and it showed in their events.”
Indiana State senior Kylie Hutson, who won both the indoor and the outdoor NCAA National Championships in pole vault a year ago, picked up right where she left off, winning the pole vault with a provisional qualifying mark of 13'-7.25” (4.15m).
Junior Kelsey Hanley, who competed at the 2009 NCAA Indoor National Championships, provisionally qualified for the Indoor Championships after winning the weight throw with a toss of 63'-6.75” (19.37m).
Another Sycamore who competed on the national level last year and reached a provisional qualifying mark at EIU on Friday was junior Major Clay who won the high jump with a provisional qualifying mark of 7'-2.25” (2.19m) which is the third best mark in Indiana State history.
The women's team won five of the six field events along with five of the 10 track events Friday night.
Senior Erica Moore won the high jump at 5'-7” (1.70m) which is the 10th best jump in school history and just three inches (8 centimeters) short of a provisional qualifying mark. Moore also won the 800 meters with a time of 2:11.32 and anchored the 4x400 meter relay team winning effort. Freshman Stacia Weatherford, junior Rachel Posey, and freshman Leeann Michl were also part of the winning 4x400 meter relay team.
Moore also finished second in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.77 which is just a hundredth of a second short of her personal best time of 8.76 which is the second fastest time in school history.
“Erica scored 32 points by herself Friday and showed by example just what the younger women have to do to compete at this level,” Gartland said.
Senior Lauren Martin captured with long jump with a leap of 18'-4.25” (5.59m) and triple jump with a leap of 39'-7.75” (12.08m). Sophomore Felisha Johnson placed second in the shot put with a heave of 49'-6.50” (15.10m) which is the third best throw in Indiana State history. She also placed second in the weight throw with a heave of 60'-8.50” (18.50m) which is the fifth best toss in ISU history.
Sophomore Nikole Snearley was fourth in the high jump at 5'-1” (1.55m). Junior Alicia Fritschi took second in the pole vault at 11'-5.75” (3.50m) with freshman Richelle Kimble going 10'-6” (3.20m) to place fourth. Sophomore Tara Perigo was fourth in the shot put with a heave of 41'-4.25” (12.63m).
The best race of the night may have come in the 60 meter dash finals as just two-hundredths of a second separated the top three runners. EIU senior Chandra Golden edged out Indiana State junior Jaquelle Spencer and Sycamore freshman Jasmyn Hudgins in a photo finish. Both Golden and Spencer were timed at 7.68 with Hudgins recording a time of 7.70. Spencer's time ties her for fifth all-time with Tiffany Jelks, who ran a 7.68 in 2006. Hudgins' time is the seventh best on the all-time performance list.
Spencer came back to capture the 200 meters in 25.62 with freshman Stacia Weatherford winning the 400 meters in 59.04. Another freshman, Leeann Michl was fourth in the 400 meters in 59.90. Junior Rachel Posey took third in the 600 meters in 1:39.04.
Sophomore Kaci Smith finished third in the 800 meter with a time of 2:19.81, sophomore Sarah Snapp fourth in the 60 meter hurdles in 8.96 (the fifth best performance in ISU history), senior Adriane Wunderlich took second in the 1,000 meters with a time of 3:02.01, and freshman Kylee Thacker was the top Sycamore in the 3,000 meters, finishing in sixth with a time of 11:18.54.
In what may have been her final competition as a Sycamore, senior Julia Costello ran away with the win in the mile run, finishing in 4:58.97 which is the fifth fastest in school history. Costello will graduate later this month but still has eligibility left and can compete for the rest of the indoor season if she decides to register for classes in the spring semester.
The Sycamore men's team also dominated the field events as ISU won five of the six events. Besides Clay's win in the high jump, Jeremy Pratt took the pole vault at 15'-7” (4.75m), sophomore Tra Wilson won the long jump at 22'-7.25” (6.89m), sophomore Ernest Rollins won the triple jump with a leap of 47'-9.25” (14.56m), and sophomore Brandon Pounds won the shot put with a heave of 53'-3” (16.23m).
Senior Joshua Williams was second in the weight throw at 63'-3.50” (19.29m) which is the sixth best throw in school history and just short of a provisional qualifying mark of 64'-0” (19.50m).
Senior Lyle Nolcox was third in the weight throw at 60'-6.50” (18.45m) with Pounds fourth at 58'-1” (17.70m). Steven Swinford was second and Andrew LaMaster third in the pole vault, both going 15'-1” (4.60m) while David Bell was third in the triple jump with a leap of 45'-9” (13.98m) and third in the high jump at 6'-6.25” (1.99m). Rollins was fourth in the long jump at 20'-8” (6.30m).
Indiana State picked up five more wins in the track events. Senior Daryl Truitt won the 60 meter dash with a time of 6.86 with junior Konstantinos Tzirtziris taking the 600 meters in 1:22.0, junior Michael Disher ran 8:30.23 to win the 3,000 meters, and junior Michael Roberts won the 60 meter hurdles in 8.15.
Jeremiah Vaughan ran to a second place finish in the mile with a time of 4:10.59 which is the seventh fastest in school history. Andrew Lepkowski took third in the 1,000 meters in 2:33.27 and Jared Miller, a freshman, was third in the 200 meters in 23:21.
Sophomore Tra Wilson was fourth in the 60 meters (7.02), freshman Brandon Query was fourth in the 1000 meters (2:38.09), sophomore Craig Padgett was third in the 3,000 meters (8:40.28) and senior Patrick Mendenhall was fourth in the 60 meter hurdles (8.55).
The Indiana State distance medley relay team of Vaughan, junior Andrew Stull, freshman Derek Stinefield, and Lepkowski ran to a win in 10:27.83 while the 4x400 meter relay team featuring Miller, Tzirtziris, Roberts and freshman Cory Miller finished third in 3:29.23.
The Sycamores will be off through the holidays and resume action on Jan. 13 when they compete in the Illinois State Dual.
