KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. - With the conclusion of the indoor track & field season, the Indiana State Sycamores are gearing up for what could be one of their best outdoor campaigns in quite some time.
The final event for the indoor season will be held Thursday night when senior Kylie Hutson is honored after capturing her third NCAA pole vault championship and her second straight indoor title. A celebration to recognize Hutson will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Beef O'Brady's in Terre Haute. A formal presentation to Hutson will be made at 6 p.m. with the Terre Haute native available for autographs during this time.
The outdoor season begins in just nine days as Indiana State competes in the Eastern Illinois University Invitational on March 26 and 27 in Charleston, Ill. The Sycamores will be going up against the host Panthers, SIU Edwardsville, Loyola, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the two-day event.
Some changes have been made to the outdoor schedule since it was originally released.
Indiana State will compete in the Tom Botts Invitational, hosted by the University of Missouri (Columbia, Mo.) on April 2 and April 3, and then travel to the prestigious Sea Ray Relays, hosted by the University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.) on April 7, 8, 9, and 10.
The Sycamores will then host the first of two meets this season at Marks Field on the campus of Indiana State University when they host Indiana, Michigan State, and Southern Illinois for the Indiana State Quadrangular on April 16 and 17. The quadrangular was originally scheduled for Indiana University but the Hoosiers are still renovating their track complex and the venue will not be ready in time to host the event.
Some of the Indiana State team members will then compete at the Drake Relays on April 22-24 while the rest of the team will compete at the Purdue Outdoor Open on April 23-24.
That will be followed by the second and final home meet of the 2010 outdoor season as Indiana State hosts the Pacesetter Invitational, a one day event set for May 1 this year at Marks Field.
The outdoor season concludes with the Billy Hayes Invitational in Bloomington, Ind. on May 7, and the 2010 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships which will be held May 14-16 at Illinois State University.
Post-season action has changed from previous years with the NCAA going away from regional championships and scheduling mega-events at two locations for athletes to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Indiana State will compete at Greensboro, N.C., May 27-29 with the NCAA Championship set for Eugene, Ore., June 9-12.
