KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana State Sycamores posted several event victories and posted numerous personal bests on the final day of the Polytan Invitational hosted by Indiana University.
The Sycamore men won four events as Greggmar Swift captured the110 hurdles, Devin Price the 100 meter, Andrew Stull the 200 meters, and Dustin Betz the 3,000 meter steeplechase.
The Sycamore women won the 4x400 meter relay while Felisha Johnson was second overall but the top collegian in the women's shot put and Mary Theisen finished the same in the women's discus.
"We had some good performances that could help several individuals qualify for the NCAA East Preliminary and several event winners," John McNichols, Indiana State men's track & field coach, said. "Greggmar's win in the hurdles was particular interesting since it was run in 52 degree weather which is something that sprinters do not really like."
Swift ran a personal best 13.86 to capture the 110 meter hurdles with teammate Maurice Lyke second in 14.20. Price captured the 100 meters with a personal best time of 10.82 with Justin Baxtron taking fourth in 10.90. Stull had his best time of the season in the 200 meters with a winning time of 21.41 with Baxtron second in a personal best 21.45. Betz dominated the 3,000 meter steeplechase with a personal best time of 9:04.52.
Ryan Henrickson led ISU in the 400 meters by finishing eighth in 50.77 while Brad Adams was the top finisher in the 800 meters with a 10th place finish in 1:52.86. Lyke was fourth in the long jump with a leap of 22-feet-8-inches and Brandon Pounds fifth in the discus at 158-feet-4-inches.
Chris Fields threw a personal best distance of 55-feet-1½-inches (16.80 meters) to place third overall and the second collegian in the shot put.
The Sycamore 4x400 meter relay team of Kevin Piraino, Ray Skamay, Arqeil Shaw, and Max Tuttle finished second in 3:14.74.
The Indiana State women's 4x400 meter relay team of Stacia Weatherford, Macey Black, Kaci Smith, and Leeann Michl won the event with a time of 3:40.17.
Johnson led the Indiana State women's effort by throwing 54-feet-0 ½-inch (16.47 meters) in finishing second overall but the top collegian in the competition. Mary Theisen finished the same in the discus as she had a throw of 164-feet-8-inches (50.19 meters) which was second best overall but the best among the competing collegians.
Jaquelle Spencer led the Sycamore effort in the 100 meters by finishing fifth in 12.09 and then running a personal best 24.62 in the 200 meters to finish sixth overall. Black was fifth in the 400 meters I 56.46, Shelby Higginbottom 13th in the 800 meters in a personal best 2:15.02, Sarah Snapp sixth in the 100 meter hurdles in 14.75, and Hanna Mercer ran a personal best 10:57.24 to finish fourth overall and the third collegian in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.
Rachael Johnson, Nikki Snearley, and Kelly Steffen each cleared 5-feet-2 ¼-inches (1.58 meters) to tie for ninth in the high jump while Higginbottom had a leap of 17-feet-6-inches (5.33 meters) to finish sixth in the long jump.
On Saturday, Jeremiah Vaughan continued his attack on the Sycamore record book, coming within a half-second of breaking a seven-year-old record in the men's 1500 meters. Vaughan finished second overall in a personal best 3:45.23 which is second on the ISU All-Time list behind Jordan Fife who ran 3:44.98 in 2005. Indiana's Andrew Bayer won the event in 3:41.17.
Sycamore Brandon Pounds was second overall but the top collegian in the men's hammer throw with a distance of 207-feet-2-inches while Jordan Colanese won the men's javelin with a distance of 173-feet.
Indiana State's Richelle Kimble was the top collegian and second overall in the women's pole vault as she cleared 12-feet-3½-inches. Former Hoosier star Vera Neuenswander, now competing unattached, won by clearing 13-feet-3½-inches.
Also picking up a win for the Sycamore women was Tara Perigo who won the javelin with a distance of 124-feet-2-inches. Perigo was also seventh in the women's hammer with a personal best distance of 151-feet-11-inches.
Kevin Selby finished third in the javelin (146-feet-7-inches) with Robert Webb fourth (116-feet-3-inches). Webb also finished third in the high jump (6-feet-6¼-inches) with Jamal Hampton clearing a personal best 6-feet-6¼-inches) to place fourth. Justin Applegate (164-feet-10-inches) and Chris Fields (164-feet-10-inches) tied for 10th in the hammer.
Max Tuttle ran to a second place finish in the men's 400 meter hurdles with a time of 53.66. Indiana's Ryan Hindes won the event in 52.78. Sycamore Ray Skamay finished fourth (53.99) with Arqeil Shaw fifth (55.31). In the only other track event of the event, Tristan Selby was 11th (seventh collegian) in the 5,000 meters in 15:00.73.
Also on the track, Indiana State's Leeann Michl ran the 11th fastest 1500 meter time in Sycamore history and finished 13th overall in 3:34.36. Kristy Twitchell was 18th (4:38.47), Kacie Klem 19th (4:40.35), and Kalli Dalton 20th (4:42.29).
Jessica Zangmeister posted her best time in the women's 5,000 meters at 17:25.01 which placed her ninth overall while Nicole Lucas finished 17th (18:23.71). The Sycamores also had three runners in the top 10 of the 400 meter hurdles with Carmelia Stewart fifth (1:03.34), Brittany Housel sixth (1:03.93), and Amy Fanella ninth (1:09.99).
The Indiana State 4x100 meter relay of Kalli Dalton, Hanna Mercer, Andrea Prusz, and Kristy Twitchell finished fourth with a time of 48.79.
ISU's Mary Theisen placed fourth in the women's hammer (169-feet-8-inches) with Kasey Kahle sixth (154-feet-2-inches) while Rachael Johnson was sixth in the javelin (85-feet-10-inches).
Some members of the Sycamores will be in action Tuesday at the Eastern Illinois University Tuesday Tweener Meet while others will be resting up for the Drake Relays next weekend.
