TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - One couldn't ask for better weather at an outdoor meet, and the Sycamore Track & Field teams didn't squander their opportunity to compete in the sun at the Gibson Invitational as both teams earned convincing team wins on Saturday.
 
On the men's side, ISU tallied 181 points and defeated Eastern Illinois (88.50), Northwood (79), DePaul (77), Southeast Missouri State (76), Butler (33.50), Valparaiso (24) and Bradley (12). The women recorded 283.83 points and overtook Southeast Missouri State (117), DePaul (97), Eastern Illinois (91.33), Northern Illinois (78), Northwood (38), Butler (26.33), Valparaiso (24.50) and Bradley (13).
 
The unquestioned leader of the Sycamores on Saturday was the All-American, Erin Reese. The Mt. Prospect, Ill. native started her day off with an overwhelming victory in the hammer throw, recording a phenomenal toss of 63.56m (208-06), which improves her second place position in the Missouri Valley Conference. She is now also 11th in the NCAA East Region and 16th in the NCAA. Cassaundra Roper ensured a one-two finish for the blue and white, placing second with a mark of 56.60m (185-08) which is fourth in the conference.
 
Reese concluded her day with the discus throw, an event in which she broke the school record last weekend at Ole Miss. She didn't skip a beat on Saturday, winning the event with a strong tailwind and a mark of 52.92m (173-03). Her toss of 55.91m (183-05) from last weekend is still second in the Valley, third in the East and 10th in the nation.
 
In the women's shot put, Cassaundra Roper owned the spotlight for the Sycamores. Roper unleashed a season-best throw of 15.74m (51-07.75) to win the event and reclaim the top spot in the conference. She is also now 18th in the East and 32nd in the country.
 
The field events continued to yield good results for the Trees and that included Caitlyn Redmon in the high and long jumps. Redmon earned the win for ISU in the women's high jump with a season-best performance of 1.66m (5-05.25) and she now owns the second-overall height in the MVC. She also managed to place second in the long jump with a mark 5.81m (19-00.75).
 
Another win came in the field for the women came from Kim Jackson in the pole vault. The senior won in dramatic fashion in a jump-off that featured eight additional jumps. She ended up with a vault of 3.51m (11-06.51) to push her to third in the Valley.
 
Distance standout Brooke Moore added another victory to her impressive Sycamore career in the women's 800-meter run. Moore recorded a time of 2:07.93 en route to her victory and her time is now the best time in the MVC, 27th in the East and 48th in the country.
 
After earning the Ole Miss Classic title in the 3000-meter steeplechase last weekend, Jocelyn Quiles turned around and won the women's 1500-meter run on Saturday. The sophomore posted a time of 4:39.46 en route to the win, the eighth-best mark in the Missouri Valley.
 
The first victory for the Sycamore women came during the women's 3000-meter steeplechase where Michaela Ward ran a strong race, ultimately crossing the finish line in first with a time of 11:14.85. She now enters the Valley rankings at seventh.
 
Faith Lindsey was the lone winner in the sprints for the Indiana State women as she took home the women's 100-meter dash title. Racing in third through sixty meters, Lindsey kicked it into another gear to win with a time of 12.02, which is fourth in the MVC.
 
Both of the women's relay teams walked away Gibson Invite champions on Saturday afternoon. The 4x100-meter relay team of Morgan, Lindsey, Shana Cooper and Bri Buggs sprinted their way to first place in the event with a time of 46.28 which is now second in the conference.
 
Later in the day the women's 4x400-meter relay team composed of Imani Hall, Imani Davis, Esther Chukwunwike and Ahmanah Woods earned the second relay title for the women, as the group ended with a time of 4:00.82.
 
In the women's 100-meter hurdles, Valley-leader Morgan hurdled her way to a second place finish behind a time of 13.88. She leads the conference with a time of 13.67 and is 28th in the East.
 
On the men's side it was a one-two-three finish for the Trees in the men's 1500-meter run. Quentin Pierce and Akis Medrano battled each other on the straightaway for the title, but Pierce ended up defeating Medrano by just a nose, recording a time of 3:52.35 compared to Medrano's 3:52.37. Medrano and Pierce own the seventh and eighth-best Valley times, respectively.
 
Continuing his strong outdoor season on the track, Ryan Cash claimed a win in the men's 3000-meter steeplechase. The senior ended up clocking a time of 9:15.57 to earn the sweep of the steeplechases for the men and women and now owns the third-best time in the MVC.
 
The Gibson Invite marked the true measurement of season-to-season improvement for sophomore hurdler Kaleb Budde. Last season at the Gibson Invite, Budde recorded a time of 57.78 in the 400-meter hurdles and this season he won the title with a time of 54.25, which is third in the conference.
 
Rhett Blake, Antonio Davis, Lewis-Banks and Budde claimed the final victory of the day for the men's team in the 4x400-meter relay. Budde overtook Mason Phillips of Northwood on the backstretch to secure the win, clocking a time of 3:17.82 which is second in the MVC.
 
Saturday afternoon featured a battle in the men's 110-meter hurdles between Matthew Lewis-Banks and Northwood's Rami Gharsalli. Lewis-Banks fell by just .02, taking second while clocking a time of 14.24. His Ole Miss Classic time of 14.12 still leads the Valley, is 21st in the NCAA East Region and 40th nationally.
 
Sophomore Dearis Herron was finally able to overtake the seven-meter mark in the long jump on Saturday when he jumped a season-best distance of 7.04m (23-01.25) to defeat Chris Cadet of DePaul. His mark is second-best in the MVC. He also placed second in the triple jump with the second-best jump in the MVC and season-best jump of 14.67m (48-01.75).
 
Nathan Kiger earned his first collegiate victory in the high jump on Saturday behind a lifetime-best performance of 2.03m (6-08.00) and now sits in third in the Missouri Valley Conference and sits just behind a pair of Southern Illinois high jumpers.
 
Freshman Callan Whitehouse vaulted his way to an outdoor-best mark of 4.90m (16-00.75) which also was good enough for the win at the Gibson Invitational. His mark is third in the MVC and 45th in the East.
 
Throwing to a lifetime-best mark, Sam Overton had his best performance in a Sycamore uniform in the hammer throw, recording a toss of 55.86m (185-08) which is third in the Valley. Overton's teammate, Kannon Sams, placed fourth in the event with a mark of 49.74m (163-02).
 
After competing in the hammer throw, Overton made his way over to the javelin field where he placed second with a mark of 51.84m (170-01). His throw of 53.77m (176-05) from the Black & Gold Invite still leads the conference.
 
Both teams will be back in action next Thursday and Friday when they travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala. for the Crimson Tide Invitational.
 
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.