CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Indiana State men's and women's track and field teams both picked up an individual MVC championship en route to second place finishes at the 2018 MVC Indoor Championships.
 
The Sycamore women fell to the Illinois State Redbirds, 174-139, but managed to hold off Northern Iowa (103.50), Southern Illinois (90), Missouri State (62), Loyola (47), Drake (29.50), Bradley (17), Evansville (1) and Valparaiso (0). The ISU men fell to Illinois State by a score of 182-112, but defeated SIU (105), UNI (86), Bradley (78), Drake (58), Loyola (31), Valparaiso (11) and Evansville (0).
 
"Illinois State is a tremendous team and they were prepared for this meet," head coach Angela Martin said. "All of their kids wanted it and worked hard for it. We came in prepared for the meet, but I don't think that we were totally focused on us. We let some people get in our heads, but we did have some great events and awesome champions. Jaime Murtagh had a great day, Taylor Austin won today and we had a ton of all-conference performers. We're bringing home a trophy, maybe not the one we want, but at least we are bringing home some hardware and now we get to start over for outdoor season."
 
Jaime Murtagh led the Sycamore men with his phenomenal performance in the high jump that energized his team and fellow jumpers, and gave him an MVC championship. Murtagh recorded a new career-best, outdoor or indoor, of 2.14m (7-00.25) which is tied for seventh in school history. Even more impressive than that, after jumping at 2.14m today, he is now eight all-time in Ireland's history in the indoor high jump.
 
The women's 3K also saw an Indiana State champion, as Taylor Austin took the crown with a time of 9:35.34. Just as it was in the women's 5K, Austin and Loyola's Lindsey Brewis pulled away from the pack and battled it out. Austin followed closely behind Brewis until the last 200-meters when she managed to pass her and she never looked back. She ended up claiming victory by two seconds.
 
Several other Sycamore men earned All-MVC honorees, with three coming on the track and three in the field.
 
Scott Schreiber had the task of going up against MVC leader Derrius Rodgers in the 60-meter dash, and he performed admirably, taking second-place for the All-MVC honor at 6.81, just short of the top-10 all-time by .01. That was Schreiber's second All-MVC honor, as he finished third in the long jump on Saturday.
 
After claiming the third-best time in school history in the 200-meter dash earlier this season, Tristan Parmley decided it was time to improve upon that as he finished third on Sunday with a new personal-best time of 21.49. Parmley went head-to-head with Valley leaders Anderson Devonish and Derrius Rodgers and only ended up falling to first by .15.
 
In the 60-meter hurdles, Daley Carter was a part of a finals heat that lit the track on fire. Carter finished third overall at 7.80, which is sixth in ISU history, but more importantly he accomplished that against Kentre Patterson and Jaylan McConico from Illinois State, the latter of which broke Greggmar Swift's MVC record by finishing at 7.64.
 
The triple jump was just as tough as the long jump was on Saturday, but that didn't stop Gino Brown and Dearis Herron from finishing in second and third for All-MVC awards. Brown jumped a season-best mark of 14.79m (48-06.25) and Herron jumped a career-best mark of 14.33m (47-00.25), with both falling only to Southern Illinois' Marcellus Fletcher who had an incredible jump of 15.31m (50-02.75). Myles Aldridge also picked up a point for the Sycamores, finishing eighth at 13.88m (45-06.50).
 
Murtagh wasn't the only high jumper to have a strong day, as Tyler Owen put on an All-MVC performance with a third-place finish and a career-best mark of 2.08m (6-09.75). Freshman Nick Schultz also managed to score for the ISU men by finishing in fifth in the high jump with a personal-best of 2.05m (6-08.75).
 
The Sycamore women also put forth a valiant effort on Sunday with eight other All-MVC honorees on the track and two in the field.
 
The lone Indiana State woman in the 60-meter dash was DeAndra Greer and she improved her spot in the Missouri Valley, entering the race seeded third, but finishing second with a new personal-best time of 7.46. Not only did she earn All-MVC honors, but she also now holds the fourth-best time in school history.
 
Leading the Sycamore hurdlers for the women was Patrycja Dziekonska who finished third overall at 8.55, but she was not alone in when it came to scoring. Ayanna Morgan finished right behind her in fourth with a time of 8.61 and right behind Morgan was Allana Ince at 8.67. Caitlyn Redmon got in on the scoring action with a seventh place finish at 8.80.
 
Imani Davis pushed to the front in the women's 800-meter run and managed to hold off a late surge by teammate Brittany Neeley to take third at 2:11.12, giving her the All-MVC honor. Neeley finished just .02 behind Davis in fourth at 2:11.14.
 
It was a close finish in the women's 400-meter dash for Oschtisha Jackson. Jackson was victorious in her heat, winning with a time of 56.31, but she claimed third while finishing just behind the two leaders with only one second separating first and third.
 
The women's 4X400-meter relay comprised of Oschtisha Jackson, Imani Davis, Ahmanah Woods and Rebecca Odusola fought hard and picked up a third place finish with a time of 3:46.90. Jackson started the Sycamores off on the right foot, keeping them into the top-three when Davis took over. Davis took the lead for ISU, but on the last two legs the Southern Illinois and Illinois State runners took off for first and second.
 
Cassaundra Roper pulled off a few upsets in the women's shot put by finishing second in the event when she entered the day with the fourth-best mark in the conference. Roper threw a season-best mark of 14.82m (48-07.50) during her move to the front of the pack, and fel lonely to Illinois State's Brandy Thomas. Erin Reese also scored by placing fourth with a throw of 14.71m (48-03.25).
 
The only other All-MVC performance in the field for the women came from Emily Brady in the pole vault who posted a height of 3.66m (12-00.00) for third overall. Her teammate, Kim Jackson, finished right behind her in fourth-place at 3.66m (12-00.00).
 
At the conclusion of the meet it was announced that Erin Reese was named the Most Outstanding Female Athlete for her ranking of 19th national in the weight throw after recording a mark of 21.06m (69-01.25) on Saturday.
 
Sunday ends the Sycamores' indoor track and field season. Outdoor season will begin for ISU on Fri., March 23 and Sat., March 24 at the Bill Cornell Classic at Southern Illinois.
 
Final Men's Team Scores:
1. Illinois State - 182
2. Indiana State - 112
3. Southern Illinois - 105
4. UNI - 86
5. Bradley - 78
6. Drake - 58
7. Loyola - 31
8. Valparaiso - 11
9. Evansville - 0
 
Final Women's Team Scores:
1. Illinois State - 174
2. Indiana State - 139
3. UNI - 103.50
4. Southern Illinois - 90
5. Missouri State - 62
6. Loyola - 47
7. Drake - 29.50
8. Bradley - 17
9. Evansville - 1
10. Valparaiso - 0
 
Most Valuable Athlete (most points scored):
Women: D'Jenne Egharevba, Illinois State
Men: Anderson Devonish, Illinois State
 
Most Outstanding Track Athlete (highest-ranking individual performance on NCAA list):
Women: D'Jenne Egharevba, Illinois State
Men: Jaylan McConico, Illinois State
 
Most Outstanding Field Athlete (highest-ranking individual performance on NCAA list):
Women: Erin Reese, Indiana State
Men: Isaac Ingram, Southern Illinois
 
Freshman of the Year (most points scored):
Women: Jamilah James, Missouri State
Men: Cloud Masibhera, Drake
 
Elite 17:
Women: Brette Correy, UNI
Men: J.D. LaFayette, Illinois State
 
Coach of the Year:
Women: Jeff Bovee, Illinois State
Men: Jeff Bovee, Illinois State
 
Day Two Champions:
Taylor Austin - 3K
Jaime Murtagh - High Jump
 
Day Two All-MVC:
DeAndra Greer - 60-Meter Dash, second
Scott Schreiber - 60-Meter Dash, second
Cassaundra Roper - Shot Put, second
Gino Brown - Triple Jump, second
Jackson, Davis, Woods, Odusola - 4X400-Meter Relay, third
Patrycja Dziekonska - 60-Meter Hurdles, third
Daley Carter - 60-Meter Hurdles, third
Tristan Parmley - 200-Meter Dash, third
Oschtisha Jackson - 400-Meter Dash, third
Imani Davis - 800-Meter Run, third
Tyler Owen - High Jump, third
Emily Brady - Pole Vault, third
Dearis Herron - Triple Jump, third
 
Day Two Scorers:
Ayanna Morgan - 60-Meter hurdles, fourth
Brittany Neeley - 800-Meter Run, fourth
Brooke Moore - Mile, fourth
Ryan Cash - Mile, fourth
Akis Medrano - 3K, fourth
Kim Jackson - Pole Vault, fourth
Erin Reese - Shot Put, fourth
Allana Ince - 60-Meter Hurdles, fifth
Michael Boger - Heptathlon, fifth
Jessi Conley - Mile, fifth
Nick Schultz - High Jump, fifth
Alli Workman - Mile, sixth
Tristan Parmley - 60-Meter Dash, seventh
Caitlyn Redmon - 60-Meter Hurdles, seventh
Stephen Griffith - 60-Meter Hurdles, seventh
McGrath, Anyaebunam, Keys, Blake - 4X400-Meter Relay, eighth
Quentin Pierce - Mile, eighth
Tasjia Thomas - Triple Jump, eighth
Myles Aldridge - Triple Jump, eight
 
Day One Champions:
Erin Reese - Weight Throw
 
Day One All-MVC:
Taylor Austin - 5K, second
Akis Medrano - 5K, second
Neeley, Odusola, Green, Conley - DMR, second
Ayanna Morgan - Pentathlon, third
Caitlyn Redmon - Long Jump, third
Scott Schreiber - Long Jump, third
Hunter Schuman - Weight Throw, third
 
Day One Scorers:
Bentz, Kilian, Blake, Anyaebunam - DMR, fifth
Trey Kennedy - Pole Vault, fifth
Riley Smith - Pole Vault, sixth
Myles Aldridge - Long Jump, sixth
Cassaundra Roper - Weight Throw, sixth
Tasjia Thomas - Long Jump, eighth
Corey DuPriest - Long Jump, eighth
Antoine Howard - Pole Vault, eighth
Sam Overton - Weight Throw - eighth
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Track & Field teams, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.