KEVIN JENISON

GoSycamores.com

NORMAL, ILL. ? The Indiana State men's and women's track & field teams remained perfect in dual meet action this season as both earned victories Saturday as the Sycamores renewed their rivalry against Missouri Valley Conference foe Illinois State in the Redbirds Horton Field House.

The Sycamore men posted an 88-60 victory over the Redbirds while the women were able to hold off Illinois State in the final events to edge the Redbirds 77.50-71.50. Indiana State earned the Coughlan-Malloy Travelling Trophy which combines the points for both men and women as Indiana State put their name on the trophy with a 157.50-131.50 victory.

“It was a pretty good meet today,” John McNichols, Indiana State men's track & field coach said. “We had several high early season performances and, in the areas where we were hurting at a little bit at the Eastern Illinois meet in December, we were stronger today. We won every field event and every event on track up through the 800 meters.”

Senior Joshua Williams may have earned his way to the NCAA Indoor National Championship as he won the men's weight throw with a provisional qualifying toss of 65'-9.75” (20.06m). That is the second best throw in Indiana State history and could put him into the top 10 in the nation when the rankings come out next week. Jason Carruthers holds the school record in the weight throw with a toss of 69-feet-7.5” (21.22) accomplished in 2005.

“The meet went about the way I thought it would,” John Gartland, Indiana State women's track & field coach, said. “It was a very, very close meet. They were strong in the track events and took us in the sprints but we are strong in the field events which carried us to the win. I was really pleased with the results today. Everyone competed well for us.”

Senior Erica Moore was the athlete of the meet for the Indiana State women, taking the long jump, 60 meter hurdles, and 800 meters. Moore won the long jump with a leap of 18'-6” (5.64m), the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.93, broke a 27-year-old Horton Fieldhouse record in winning the 800 meters with a provision qualifying time of 2:09.85. The old record was 2:10.02 set by Jill Stamison of Western Michigan in 1993.

Senior Lauren Martin was second in the long jump with a leap of 17'-11.75” (5.48m) and won the triple jump with a leap of 40'-4.75” (12.31m). Indiana State freshman Shalesa Smith finished third in the long jump at 17'-4.75” (5.30m) and second in the triple jump with a leap of 38'-0.75” (11.60m).

Indiana State junior Chennelle Martin, a transfer from Chicago State in her first meet as a Sycamore, captured the women's high jump with a jump of 5'-6” (1.68m). With senior Kylie Hutson resting an injured hamstring but on hand to help coach the vaulters, ISU junior Alicia Fritschi led a 1-2-3 sweep of the pole vault for Indiana State. Fritschi vaulted 11'9.75” (3.60m) to earn the win with junior teammate Amanda Paden and freshman Richelle Kimble each going 10'-10” (3.30m) to tie for second. Paden earned second with fewer misses.

The Sycamores also finished 1-2 in the weight throw as junior Kelsey Hanley earned the win with a toss of 63'-4.25” (19.31m) and freshman Felisha Johnson second at 60'-3.25” (18.37m). Johnson was also third in the shot put with a heave of 45'-5.25” (13.86m).

Moore led a Sycamore sweep of the top three spots in the 60 meter hurdles with her winning time of 8.93. Freshman Stacia Weatherford was second at 9.07 with sophomore Sarah Snapp finishing third in 9.09. Indiana State also had the fourth place finisher and the fifth place finisher in the event as freshman Tori Stone was fourth in 9.66 and senior Annie Smith fifth in 10.03.Harvey (7.72).

Illinois State won the 60 meter dash in a very close race as Sycamore junior Jaquelle Spencer was third (7.76) and freshman Jasmyn Hudgins fourth (7.83) behind the Redbirds Yomeaqua Brents (7.63) and Tia Harvey (7.72). Spencer finished fifth in the 200 meters (26.27) with Hudgins sixth (26.40). Weatherford was third in the 400 meters (58.63) with freshman Leeann Michl fourth (58.61).

Sophomore Kacie Klem captured the mile run with a time of 5:02.09 with junior Kelsie Slater fourth in 5:12.76.

“This was a great breakthrough performance by Klem,” Gartland said. “She defeated two very good milers from Illinois State.”

Sophomore Kaci Smith finished second behind Moore in the 800 meters with Smith running 2:19.76. Freshman Kylee Thacker was fourth in the 3,000 meters with a time of 10:46.01 with senior Kayla Alexander fifth in 11:00.19.

The Indiana State 4x400 meter relay team of Erica Moore, Stacia Weatherford, Leann Michl, and Rachel Posey, finished second with a time of 3:51.17.

Sycamore junior Major Clay surpassed the seven-foot mark in the men's high jump, going 7'-1” (2.16m) to win the event. Indiana State took the top three spots in the pole vault with sophomore Jeremy Pratt winning with a vault of 15'-9” (4.80m), sophomore Drew LaMaster second at 15'-3” (4.65m), and junior Steven Swinford third at 14'-3.25” (4.35m).

Sophomore Tra Wilson won the long jump with a leap of 22'-2.25” (6.76m) with sophomore Ernest Rollins taking the triple jump with a leap of 47'-8.50” (14.54m). ISU junior David Bell was third in the triple jump at 45'-9” (13.94m).

ISU sophomore Brandon Pounds won the shot put competition with a heave of 53'-11” (16.43m) while also finishing third in the weight throw at 59'-7.50” (18.17m). Senior Lyle Nolcox was second in the weight at 62'-8.75” (19.12m).

Indiana State senior Michael Roberts won the 60 meter hurdles in 8.17 and the 200 meters with a time of 22.90. Sophomore Tra Wilson captured the 60 meter dash (6.92) with junior Steven Swinford second (7.12) and junior Konstantinos Tzirtziris won the 400 meters in 50.67 with ISU junior Andrew Stull  second (50.86) and junior Tykeen Fulton third (51.14).

Sycamore sophomore Jeremiah Vaughan won the 800 meters with a time of 1:54.11. In the mile run, sophomore Dustin Betz was second in 4:16.92 with junior Michael Disher third (4:20.64) and junior Andrew Lepkowski fourth (4:25.48). Freshman Albaro Escalera was second in the 3,000 meter run with a time of 8:41.04 with sophomore Craig Padgett third (8:47.92) and freshman Brandon Query fourth (9:03.48).

The men's 4x400 meter relay team of Andrew Stull, Konstantinos Tzirtziris, Tykeen Fulton and Dexter Childress, finished second with a time of 3:25.19.