KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
CHARLESTON, ILL. ? Indiana State athletes won three events with several athletes improving their personal bests as the Sycamores completed their final tune-up before the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships at the EIU Friday Night Special.
“This meet served the purpose for which we wanted it to,” John McNichols, Indiana State men's track & field coach said. “The meet was more defined by those who were unable to compete because of illness or injury than by what actually transpired during the competition but we hope that those who were not able to compete will be fully recovered by next weekend.”
Sophomore Felisha Johnson continued her outstanding efforts in the women's weight throw with another victory while junior Nicole Hope won the women's pole vault with a new personal best and freshman Shelby Higginbottom recorded her first career victory in the women's long jump.
Johnson had a winning throw of 70'-4.5” (21.45 meters) to take the women's weight throw, the fifth time in six indoor meets this season that the sophomore has surpassed the automatic qualifying mark. Johnson was also third in the shot put with a heave of 50'-2.75” (15.31 meters).
ISU senior Kelsey Hanley was third in the weight throw with a toss of 65'-11.5” (20.10 meters) to remain in the hunt for a berth at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Hope improved her career best by a quarter of an inch as she won the pole vault by clearing 12'-11.75” (3.96 meters). Sophomore Richelle Kimble was third after clearing 12'-2” (3.71 meters).
Higginbottom was the third winner for Indiana State as she won the long jump with a distance of 17'-6” (5.33 meters).
On the men's side, junior Drew LaMaster soared to a career best 16'-4” (4.98 meters) in placing eighth in the men's pole vault. The height moves LaMaster up to seventh on the ISU all-time list.
Freshman Shayne Cureton was third in the high jump by clearing 6'-6” (1.98 meters), freshman Nigel Jolly placed third in the long jump with a personal best 22'-3.5” (6.79 meters), freshman Chris Fields was sixth in the shot put with a heave of 49'-10.5” (15.20 meters), and sophomore Gregory McDaniel was fifth in the weight throw with a toss of 56'-0.5” (17.08 meters).
On the track, junior Kaci Smith was fourth (58.00) and sophomore Macey Black fifth (59.86) in the 400 meters with sophomore Andrea Prusz running a personal best 2:22.35 to place fifth in the 800 meters. Senior Allison Malone ran 5:02.77 to finish fourth in the mile, junior Sarah Snapp was fourth in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 9.05 seconds, and freshman Brittany Housel was sixth in the 60 meter hurdles in 9.19.
For the men, sophomore Corey Hahn ran to a second place finish in the 800 meters with a time of 1:56.40 with Ray Skamay fifth (51.45) and Brian Martin sixth (51.46) in the 400 meters. Freshman Keenan Johnson was sixth in the 200 meters (22.70) while senior Michael Roberts was fourth (8.10) and freshman Greggmar Swift fifth (8.27) in the 60 meter hurdles.
