KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
ST. LOUIS, MO. ? The Indiana State Sycamore men's track & field team garnered one first place vote and was a close second in a pre-championship poll of league coach's released today by the Missouri Valley Conference office. The Indiana State women's track & field team were picked to finish third in the event that will be held on the campus of Indiana State this weekend.
The Northern Iowa Panthers were the top pick in the men's pre-championship poll, receiving five first place votes and a total of 35 points. The Sycamores received the other first place vote and were second with 31 points. Southern Illinois was third with 23 points, Wichita State fourth with 19 points, Illinois State fifth with 11 points and Drake sixth with seven points.
In the women's poll, Wichita State received five first place votes and 61 points to edge out Southern Illinois to be the pre-championship favorite. The Salukis were second with three first place votes and 58 points. Indiana State was selected third with 47 points.
Missouri State was tabbed fourth in the poll, receiving 42 points, with Illinois State fifth with 30 points, Northern Iowa sixth with 25 points, Drake seventh with 17 points and Bradley eighth with eight points.
The Sycamore men have eight individual qualifiers and one relay that has qualified for the Mideast Regional, which will be held later this month in Louisville, Ky. Senior Sean Wright has qualified for the 400 meters with a time of 47.20, senior Anthony Bertoli in the 400 meter intermediate hurdles with a time of 52.51, and sophomore Michael Disher qualified for the 3000 meter steeplechase with a time of 9:05.91.
In the field events, sophomore Major Clay qualified for the high jump with a leap of 7'2.5”, sophomore David Bell is also in the high jump with a leap of 6'10.75”, freshman Brandon Pounds has qualified for the shot put with a heave of 58'10.75”, junior Joshua Williams for the hammer throw with a distance of 191'9”, and junior Lyle Nolcox also made it for the hammer throw with a toss of 186'5”.
The Indiana State 4x100 relay team of junior Daryl Truitt, senior Gary Ogburn, Wright and sophomore Andrew Stull won the 4x100 meter relay at the Billy Hayes Invitational Saturday at Indiana University with a regional qualifying time of 40.46.
The Sycamore women's team has five individuals who have qualified for the Mid-East Regional, two of them earning spots in two events. Junior Erica Moore qualified for the 400 meter intermediate hurdles with a time of 58.49 while also qualifying for the heptathlon by scoring 5,302 points at the Drake Relays. The heptathlon is not competed at the regional level but Moore has a chance to make the field for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June.
Sophomore Kelsey Hanley has also qualified in two events. Hanley had a toss of 184'10” to qualify for the hammer throw and also had a throw of 156'6” to qualify for the discus.
Junior Kylie Hutson, the 2009 Indoor National Champion in the pole vault, will compete for that that title outdoors, having qualified with a height of 14'2”. Senior Jeanne' Middleton has qualified for the 100 meters with a time of 11.53 while junior Lauren Martin has qualified for the triple jump with a leap of 42'1.25”.
The 2009 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held at Marks Field on the campus of Indiana State University starting on Friday and running through Sunday. Action begins at 12:00 p.m. (ET) Friday with competition in the women's heptathlon and the men's decathlon.
