By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Indiana State men's and women's track and field returns to scored competition this weekend in a five-team contest hosted by the University of Northern Iowa in the UNI-Dome. Competing alongside the Sycamores and Panthers will be Drake, Marquette and South Dakota State.
The meet will use a slightly modified NCAA team scoring method, with the top-six finishers in each event scoring in a descending order of 10-8-6-4-2-1 (as opposed to the standard eight places receiving 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1). This will be Indiana State's second scored meet of the season, as the Sycamores defeated Illinois State for the 12th-annual Coughlan-Malloy Cup at Rose-Hulman on Jan. 15.
ISU is coming off a solid showing at the Gladstein Invite at IU this past weekend, where the Sycamore distance runners and sprinters impressed. Junior All-American David Timlin ran the second-fastest 3K in school history at 8:08.66, sophomore IU transfer Brittany Neeley clocked in the fifth-best mile time in ISU history in her first race as a Sycamore (not to mention leading the way on the 4x800 meter relay that broke the school record), and ISU sprinters Chidera Obasih and Adarius Washington remained consistently strong in their events.
One week after getting a good look at Southern Illinois at IU, the Sycamores will have a chance to see fellow Missouri Valley foes UNI and Drake this weekend. The Panthers are led once again by super sprinter Brandon Carnes, who leads the MVC in both the 60 (6.70 seconds, 17th NCAA) and 200 (21.53 seconds, 59th NCAA) meter dashes. UNI also benefits from the return of stellar multi-athlete Paige Knodle, who missed the 2015 season due to injury.
Drake, meanwhile, will be able to give ISU triple jumper Jamie Newsome a push. Taryn Rolle ranks second in the Valley behind Newsome in the event at 12.40m (40-08.25) – two inches shy of Newsome's mark of 12.45m (40-10.25). Both rank in the top-40 nationally; Newsome 34th, Rolle 38th.
The women's triple jump will also feature the nation's 23rd-ranked athlete in South Dakota State's Jazzelena Black, who owns a leap of 12.65m (41-06.00). Other Jackrabbits to keep an eye on include 800 meter runner Alejandro Sanchez, who owns the nation's 47th-best time at 1:51.68.
The Sycamores, meanwhile, own eight national top-50 marks (three women, five men) and 13 MVC top-three marks (six women, seven men) entering competition this weekend. The highest of those remains All-American hurdler Adarius Washington, who ranks 14th nationally in the 60 meter hurdles at 7.86. Washington finished fifth at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2015 at a career-best 7.77.
Team competition will begin Saturday morning at 10 a.m., but a handful of Sycamore women will compete in the non-scored pentathlon on Friday evening.
Women's National Top-50
25. Chidera Obasih – 60 Meter Dash – 7.40
34. Jamie Newsome – Triple Jump – 12.45m (40-10.25)
43. Katelyn Rutz – Shot Put – 15.16m (49-09.00)
Men's National Top-50
14. Adarius Washington – 60 Meter Hurdles – 7.86
23. David Timlin – 3,000 Meters – 8:08.66
39. Jamar Brown – Shot Put – 17.87m (58-07.50)
47. Marcus Neely – 60 Meter Hurdles – 8.01
50. Scott Schreiber – Long Jump – 7.31m (23-11.75)
Women's MVC Top-Three:
1. Jamie Newsome – Triple Jump – 12.45m (40-10.25)
1. Chidera Obasih – 60 Meter Dash – 7.40
2. Jamie Newsome – Long Jump – 5.70m (18-08.50)
2. Katelyn Rutz – Shot Put – 15.16m (49-09.00)
3. LeVisa Evans – High Jump – 1.70m (5-07.00)
3. Katie Wise – 60 Meter Dash – 7.52
Men's MVC Top-Three:
1. David Timlin – 3,000 Meters – 8:08.66
1. Adarius Washington – 60 Meter Hurdles – 7.86
2. Jamar Brown – Shot Put – 17.87m (58-07.50)
2. Connor Curley – Pole Vault – 5.01m (16-05.25)
3. Marcus Neely – 60 Meter Hurdles – 8.01
3. Scott Schreiber – Long Jump – 7.31m (23-11.75)
3. David Timlin – Mile – 4:09.22 (converted)
For the latest information on the Sycamore Track and Field team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.
