Indiana State to host final home meet of season Saturday at Marks Field
KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. ? The Indiana State Sycamores will close out the home portion of their 2010 outdoor track & field season on Saturday when they host the Pacesetter Invitational. The invitational marks the final competition at Marks Field for several ISU student-athletes who will be honored Saturday evening.
This will be the final opportunity for most area residents and fans of Indiana State track & field to watch several of the Sycamore elite athletes compete. Four men (Scott Keeney, Patrick Mendenhall, Lyle Nolcox, and Eric Schulz) and seven women (Kayla Alexander, Kylie Hutson, Lauren Martin, Erica Moore, Violet Nwordu, Annie Smith, and Adriane Wunderlich) will be making their final home appearance for the Sycamores during the Pacesetter Invitational. They will be honored at 5:50 p.m.
All 11 have had outstanding careers while wearing the blue and white. Three of the seniors are All-Americans in track & field including Kylie Hutson, a three-time national champion in the pole vault, Erica Moore who is perhaps the most versatile female athlete that has ever competed for Indiana State, and Lauren Martin, who has been making a name for herself in the triple jump.
Scott Keeney and Eric Schulz have been leading the distance runners for the Sycamores while Lyle Nolcox is having his best season ever in the throws as is Patrick Mendenhall in the hurdles and sprints. Annie Smith is the top female high jumper on the team this year while Kayla Alexander and Adriane Wunderlich have excelled in the distance events. Violet Nwordu, a graduate student who is completing her final year of eligibility by competing for the Sycamores, has been a steady influence in the women's sprints.
Competition will begin with the field events at 9 a.m. starting with the women's hammer throw and the men's shot put. Running events will begin at 1 p.m. with the women's 5,000 meters. The final event, the men's 4x400 meter relay, will start at 6:20 p.m.
ISU WOMEN RANKED 33RD, MEN 84TH
The Indiana State women's track & field team dropped one spot in the national rankings released Tuesday by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association with the now ranked 33rd in the nation. The Indiana State men's track & field team jumped 17 spots in this week's rankings, climbing up to 84th in this week's rankings.
Southern Illinois is now the top ranked Missouri Valley Conference team as the Salukis moved into the top 25 on the strength of their throwers, moving up 11 spots to 23rd nationally. Indiana State is next at 33rd with Wichita State 73rd, Northern Iowa 84th, Illinois State 133rd, Drake 147th, and Missouri State 184th. The Indiana Hoosiers edged out the Sycamores as the top ranked team in the state with the Hoosiers now 31st in the nation. Notre Dame is 59th with Purdue 88th, and Butler 192nd.
The Great Lakes Region rankings were also released with the Sycamore women remaining 10th in this week's rankings. There were very few changes Great Lakes Region rankings with Indiana remaining the top team followed by Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Akron, Michigan, Notre Dame, Kent State, Purdue, and Indiana State.
Wichita State is the top men's team from the Missouri Valley Conference in the USTFCCCA national rankings at 81st. The Sycamores are the second MVC team at 84th with Southern Illinois 98th, Illinois State 121st, Northern Iowa 149th, and Drake 159th. The Indiana Hoosiers are the top ranked state school at 28th followed by Butler at 45th, Purdue 61st, Indiana State 84th, and Notre Dame 100th.
In the Great Lakes Region, the Sycamore men dropped one spot to 14th in this week's rankings. The top 10 teams remained virtually the same with Indiana the top school followed by Wisconsin, Ohio State, Akron, Michigan, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Kent State, Purdue, and Cincinnati.
