2018 MVC Outdoor Championships
Date	Fri., May 11- Sun., May 13
Location	Terre Haute, Ind. | Gibson Track & Field Complex
Meet Info	Meet Notes | Schedule | Heat Sheets | Live Results | Championship Central
ESPN+	Fri., May 11: 7:05 p.m. Sat., May 12: 4:45 p.m. Sun., May 13: 12:50 p.m.
Outdoor Records	Records | Men's Performance List | Women's Performance List
National Rankings	Rankings Central | Men's Individual | Women's Individual | Men's East | Women's East
MVC Info	Track Home | Men's Records | Women's Records | Performance List
Track News	USTFCCCA | Track & Field News
Social Media	@IndStTrackField | @SycamoreTrack | @SycamoreTrack

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships will make their way to Terre Haute this weekend, May 11-13, and the Sycamores will be seeking a couple of wins on their home track.
 
Earlier in the week, both Indiana State teams were picked to finish second at the championships in the MVC Pre-Championship poll of conference coaches. After winning both indoor titles, Illinois State has been chosen as the favorite to win the title on the men's and women's sides. In its history, Indiana State has won 17 total MVC Outdoor titles – 10 men's titles and seven women's titles – with the last men's win coming in 2014 and the last women's victory one year earlier in 2013.
 
On the track, the Sycamore women will be led by senior Taylor Austin. Austin is having a stellar senior campaign, which started on March 30 at the Stanford Invite where she broke her own school record in the 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:54.01. The two-time defending MVC champion is currently fifth in the nation in the steeplechase. Later in the season, Austin broke the school record in the 5K at the Drake Relays by 16 seconds, clocking a time of 16:26.50, which is second in the MVC.
 
Fellow senior standout Brittany Neeley is also having a strong senior season. Neeley moved her way up to fifth all-time in school history in the 800-meter run after posting a time of 2:06.91 at the Pacesetter Sports Invite. Her time is currently 30th in the NCAA East Region. Before the Pacesetter Invite, Neeley recorded a time of 4:22.31 in the women's 1500-meter run at Auburn, which leads the conference.
 
Perhaps the most impressive group for the ISU women is the hurdler core, made up of Patrycja Dziekonska, Ayanna Morgan, Allana Ince, Caitlyn Redmon and Tajaa Fair. All five Sycamores sit in the top-10 of the MVC. Dziekonska is the highest at second with her personal-best time of 13.67 from the Billy Hayes Invite, which is also third in school history. To go along with that, Dziekonska, Morgan, Ince and Redmon claimed the women's shuttle hurdle relay title at the Drake Relays with an Indiana State record time of 55.74. They are 23rd in the NCAA Event Squad rankings for the 100-meter hurdles.
 
Leading the way in the field for the women is Erin Reese and Cassaundra Roper. Reese has performed exceptionally well in her first year with the Sycamore track and field program. She currently sits in the top-five in school history in two events, and is in the top-30 in the nation in those same events. At the Ole Miss Classic, Reese unleashed a throw of 62.34m (204-06) in the hammer throw and that sits at 27th in the country and second in Indiana State history. During that same day, Reese recorded a mark of 53.98m (177-01) which pushed her to fourth in school history and 29th in the NCAA.
 
Covering the third throwing event, Cassaundra Roper has looked tough in the shot put during the outdoor season. Continuing the trend of successful throws in the south, Roper tossed the fifth-best mark in ISU history at Auburn at 15.55m (51-00.25), and that mark is second in the MVC and 30th in the East Region.
 
For the men, junior distance runner, Akis Medrano, will look to be the leader. Medrano has the top times for Indiana State in the 800, 1500, 5K and 10K. During the Drake Relays he cracked the all-time top-three for ISU, clocking a time of 14:19.30, which is third in the MVC. He is also third in the conference in the 1500-meter run with a time of 3:45.24 which is fourth all-time at ISU. He also sits at fifth in the Valley in the men's 10K.
 
The Barbados-native, Daley Carter, is the top-ranked male on the track for the men. Carter's time of 14.04 from Ole Miss is second in the Missouri Valley, only to Jaylan McConico of Illinois State. He also sits at 39th in the NCAA East Region.
 
The leader in the field for the men will be the Irish high jumper Jaime Murtagh. Murtagh has had an outstanding senior outdoor season, highlighted by his 2.18m (7-01.75) performance from the Gibson Invite. That jump is the fourth-best jump in school history, first in the Valley, 13th in the East and 19th in the country. The Sycamore high jumpers in general have had an exceptional outdoor season, ranking ninth in the nation in the NCAA's event squad rankings.
 
Admission to the meet on Friday will be $5 for adults and $3 for children/students. Tickets on Saturday and Sunday will be $10 for adults and $5 for children/students.
 
The championships will begin on Friday at 10:00 a.m. ET with the beginning of the men's decathlon featuring Indiana State's Michael Boger and Josh Perry. The women's heptathlon will begin shortly after at 11:00 a.m. with Ayanna Morgan representing ISU.
 
ESPN+ Broadcast Schedule:
Day One (Fri., May 11): 7:05 p.m. ET
Day Two (Sat., May 12): 4:45 p.m. ET
Day Three (Sun., May 13): 12:50 p.m. ET
 
Men's Pre-Championship Poll:
1. Illinois State - 81 (9)
2. Indiana State - 66
3. Northern Iowa - 65
4. Southern Illinois - 58
5. Bradley - 41
6. Drake - 35
7. Loyola - 32
8. Valparaiso - 18
9. Evansville - 9
 
Women's Pre-Championship Poll:
1. Illinois State - 100 (10)
2. Indiana State - 90
3. Southern Illinois - 79
4. Northern Iowa - 68
5. Missouri State - 63
6. Loyola - 48
7. Drake - 41
8. Bradley - 31
9. Valparaiso - 18
10. Evansville - 12
 
Last Five MVC Outdoor Champions (Men):
2017: Wichita State
2016: Wichita State
2015: Southern Illinois
2014: Indiana State
2013: Indiana State
 
Last Five MVC Outdoor Champions (Women):
2017: Wichita State
2016: Wichita State
2015: Wichita State
2014: Wichita State
2013: Indiana State
 
Returning Men's Outdoor All-MVC:
 
2017
Daley Carter - 110-Meter Hurles, 2nd Place
Trey Kennedy - Pole Vault, 3rd Place
Jaime Murtagh - High Jump, 2nd Place
Tristan Parmley - 100-Meter Dash, 3rd Place; 4X100-Meter Relay, 3rd Place
Scott Schreiber - 4X100-Meter Relay, 3rd Place
 
2016
Scott Schreiber – Long Jump, 2nd Place
CJ Anyaebunam – 4x400-Meter Relay, 3rd Place
Rhett Blake – 4x400-Meter Relay, 3rd Place
 
Returning Women's Outdoor All-MVC:
 
2017
Taylor Austin - 3000-Meter Steeplechase, 1st Place; 5K, 2nd Place
Brooke Moore - 1500-Meter Run, 1st Place; 800-Meter Run; 2nd Place
Caitlyn Redmon - Long Jump, 3rd Place
 
2016
Taylor Austin – 3000-Meter Steeplechase, 1st Place
Jasmine Noel – Discus, 1st Place
Jamie Newsome – Triple Jump, 2nd Place
 
2015
Oschtisha Jackson – 4x400-Meter Relay, 1st Place
Jamie Newsome – 4x400-Meter Relay, 1st Place
Taylor Austin – 3000-Meter Steeplechase, 3rd Place
 
Men's National Top-50:
19. Jaime Murtagh - 2.18m (7-01.75)
 
Women's National Top-50:
5. Taylor Austin - 3000-Meter Steeplechase - 9:54.01
27. Erin Reese- Hammer Throw - 62.34m (204-06)
29. Erin Reese - Discus Throw - 53.98m (177-01)
 
Men's Regional Rankings (Top-48):
13. Jaime Murtagh - High Jump - 2.18m (7-01.75)
39. Daley Carter - 110-Meter Hurdles - 14.04
44. Hunter Schuman - Shot Put - 17.30m (56-09.75)
 
Women's Regional Rankings (Top-48):
1. Taylor Austin - 3000-Meter Steeplechase - 9:54.01
10. Erin Reese - Hammer Throw - 62.34m (204-06)
13. Erin Reese - Discus Throw - 53.98m (177-01)
30. Brittany Neeley - 800-Meter Run - 2:06.91
30. Cass. Roper - Shot Put - 15.55m (51-00.25)
 
 
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.