KEVIN JENISON

GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Fifteen members of the Indiana State University track & field team are poised to compete in the 2011 NCAA East Preliminary Round while nine others await the selection announcement which will be released on Thursday.

Several Sycamores continue to be ranked among the best athletes on the national performance list as the 2012 outdoor regular season concluded this past weekend. Three women and three men are ranked in the top 50 nationally while at least nine others are ranked among the top 50 on the NCAA East Performance list.

The top 48 individuals in each event on the NCAA East performance list will receive an invitation to compete in the NCAA East Preliminary Round at Jacksonville, Fla., May 26-28, with the top 24 relay teams in the NCAA East also receiving an invitation to compete.

THROW EVENTS LEAD INDIANA STATE WOMEN

Indiana State junior Felisha Johnson is expected to qualify for three events at the NCAA Preliminary Round. The junior ranks 15th nationally in the shot put with her winning throw of 55-feet-1½-inches at the EIU Big Blue Classic. The mark is also the seventh best in the NCAA East, the top distance in the Great Lakes Region, and third best in the Valley.

Johnson also ranks 38th nationally in the hammer throw after throwing a season best distance of 195-feet-4-inches at the Pacesetter Quadrangular. The mark also ranks 16th in the NCAA East, fourth in the Great Lakes, and third in the Valley. The junior posted a personal best distance of 170-feet-3-inches in the discus at the MVC Outdoor Championships which ranks 43rd in the nation, 16th in the NCAA East, and fourth in the Valley.

Indiana State junior Mary Theisen has qualified in two events and has a chance in a third. The junior ranks 40th in the nation for the discus throw after posting a distance of 170-feet-7-inches at the Auburn Tiger Track Classic. That is the 15th best in the NCAA East, eighth in the Great Lakes, and third best in the Valley.

Theisen also ranks 35th nationally in the shot put with a distance of 52-feet-4½-inches she posted at the MVC Outdoor Championships. That ranks 17th in the NCAA East, seventh in the Great Lakes Region, and fourth in the Valley. She is outside looking in for the hammer throw with a distance of 174-feet-0-inches at the MVC Outdoor Championships.

Junior Leeann Michl came with a second of setting the school record in the 800 meters at the Auburn Tiger Classic with a winning time of 2:06.67. The effort is the 51st fastest in the nation this season, 31st in the NCAA East, third in the Great Lakes Region, and is the fastest time in the Valley.

Junior Stacia Weatherford ran a personal best and the second best time in school history of 57.92 seconds in finishing second in the 400 meter hurdles at the MVC Outdoors. That ranks her 29th in the nation, 11th in the NCAA East, third in the Great Lakes Region, and second in the Valley. Weatherford also set a school record in the 100 hurdles of 13.68 in finishing second at the MVC Outdoors. The time ranks 90th national, 49th in the NCAA East, and fourth in the Valley.

Junior Richelle Kimble cleared a personal best height of 13-feet-1½-inches at the EIU Tuesday Tweener and duplicated that effort at the Drake Relays which moved her to 59th nationally, 21st in the NCAA East, sixth in the Great Lakes Region, and second in the Valley.

Several other Sycamore women will be watching the NCAA announcement to see if they have a chance to compete in the NCAA East preliminary round depending on the number of athletes declared for the competition.

Kalli Dalton set the Indiana State school record in the 3000 meter steeplechase of 10:47.31 at the MVC Outdoor Championships. The sophomore currently ranks 78th in the NCAA East, 152nd nationally, and sixth in the Valley this season.

Shalesa Smith had a personal best leap of 40-feet-2¼-inches in the triple jump at the MVC Outdoor Championships which ranks 83rd in the NCAA East, 140th nationally, and fifth in the Valley.

Weatherford, junior Macey Black, senior Kaci Smith, and Michl currently have the fastest time in the Missouri Valley Conference this season in the women's 4x400 meter relay at 3:40.17 which they ran during the Polytan Invitational at Indiana University. That ranks eighth in the Great Lakes Region, 64th in the NCAA East and 124th in the nation.

LARGE FIELD OF MEN EXPECTED TO HEAD TO JACKSONVILLE

Ten men have performances this season which have earned them an invitation to the NCAA East Preliminary Round but seven others have an outside chance to advance depending on the number of scratches.

Junior Brandon Pounds threw a personal best distance of 214-feet-4-inches in the hammer throw at the Auburn Tiger Classic to establish a new school record. The distance ranks as the 12th best in the nation, seventh in the NCAA East and is the top distance in both the Valley and Great Lakes Region this season. Pounds also has an outside shot in the discus after a throw of 169-feet-3-inches at the MVC Outdoor Championships which ranks 56th in the NCAA East, 124th nationally, and third in the Valley.

Senior Ernest Rollins had a leap of 51-feet-8½-inches for a second place finish in the triple jump at the MVC Outdoors which ranks as the second best distance in the Valley this season, tops in the Great Lakes Region, 10th in the NCAA East, and 27th nationally.

Senior Major Clay competed in his second competition of the outdoor season at the MVC Outdoor Championships and won the high jump for the fourth straight year with a leap of 7-feet-0½-inches which ranks first in the Valley, fourth in the Great Lakes, 27th in the NCAA East, and 52nd nationally.

Freshman Jonathon Christensen competed in his third competition of the outdoor season and placed second in the high jump at the MVC Outdoors by clearing a personal best height of 6-feet-11-inches which ranks second in the Valley, sixth in the Great Lakes, 38th in the NCAA East, and 71st nationally.

Sophomore Greggmar Swift won the 110 meter high hurdles at the MVC Outdoor Championships with a career best time of 13.49 in the finals which ranks ninth in the nation, fifth in the NCAA East, first in the Great Lakes Region, and first in the Valley.

Sophomore Maurice Lyke ranks 74th nationally, 41st in the NCAA East, seventh in the Great Lakes Region, and fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference for the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 14:10 that he posted at the Indiana University Billy Hayes Invitational.

Sophomore Max Tuttle ran 52.49 in the 400 meter hurdles in finishing second at the MVC Outdoors which is the second fastest in the Valley this season, 45th in the NCAA East and 107th nationally.

Senior Jeremiah Vaughan ran 3:45.23 in the 1,500 meters at the Polytan Invitational which ranks him 81st in the nation, 45th in the NCAA East, and second among Valley athletes this season. Vaughan also ranks fourth in the Valley, 94th in the NCAA East, and 181st nationally in the 800 meters with a time of 1:50.89 at the Auburn Tiger Track Classic.

Senior Craig Padgett established a school record in the 10,000 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays with a time of 29:38.70. Padgett ranks 80th nationally in the event, 33rd in the NCAA East, seventh in the Great Lakes Region, and the best time in the Valley this season.

Junior Dustin Betz ran a personal best 9:04.52 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Indiana University Polytan Invitational which is the second fastest in the Valley this season and ranks him 49th in the NCAA East and 107th in the nation.

Several others have an outside shot of qualifying for the NCAA East Preliminary.

Sophomore Chris Fields had a career best throw of 55-feet-7¾-inches at the Billy Hayes Invitational which ranks fifth in the Valley, 52nd in the NCAA East, and 107th nationally.

Junior Albaro Escalera currently ranks third in the Valley, 57th in the NCAA East, and 122nd nationally in the 10,000 meters after running the third fastest time in school history at the Mt. SAC Relays of 29:55.38.

Junior Justin Baxtron finished second in the 100 meters at the MVC Outdoors with a personal best 10.49 which ranks second in the Valley, fifth in the Great Lakes, 65th in the NCAA East, and 116th nationally.

Junior Tucker Field and freshman Wes Schenck each cleared 16-feet- 2¾-inches at the MVC Outdoor Championships which ranks seventh in the Valley, 71st in the NCAA East, and 161st nationally.

Sophomore Duane Brown ran 14.35 in the 110 meter hurdles at the MVC Outdoors which ranks eighth in the Valley, 75th in the NCAA East, and 136th nationally.

Sycamores in the Rankings

Backed by the efforts of the Sycamores at the MVC Outdoor Championships, the Sycamore men's team jumped up 17 spots to 64th in the final regular season rankings produced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Indiana State women remained 102nd.

Illinois State is the top school from the Missouri Valley Conference in the men's rankings at 43rd with Indiana State 64th, Northern Iowa 78th, Wichita State 83rd, and Southern Illinois 10st. Among Indiana schools, the Hoosiers moved up to third in the nation rankings followed by Indiana State 64th, Notre Dame 81st, and Purdue 115th.

The Sycamores, who won their second straight MVC Outdoor Championship, also moved up to eighth in the final Great Lake Region rankings. Big Ten champion Wisconsin remained the top ranked team in the top 10 followed by Ohio State, Indiana, Big East champion Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Mid-America Conference champion Akron, Indiana State, Kent State, and Central Michigan.

Illinois State is the top school from the Missouri Valley Conference in the women's rankings at 17th with Southern Illinois 19th, Wichita State 49th, Northern Iowa 87th, Indiana State 102nd, Missouri State 104th, and Drake 176th. Among Indiana schools, Indiana ranks 75th followed by Purdue 92nd, Indiana State 102nd, Notre Dame in 106th, and Ball Sate 182nd.

Indiana State remained 11th in the final Great Lake Region rankings. Big Ten champion Ohio State moved up to the top spot in the rankings followed in the top 10 by Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana, Cincinnati, Mid-America Conference champion Kent State, Western Michigan, and Eastern Michigan.