CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Indiana State women's distance medley relay team and Antoine Howard both earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors to lead the Sycamore track & field teams on day one of the MVC Championships.
 
The Sycamore men sit in third as a team after one day of competition with 31.5 points, trailing Northern Iowa (40.5) and Illinois State (40). The Trees are in front of Bradley (23), Drake (21.5), Loyola (21), Southern Illinois (16), Valparaiso (1) and Evansville (0.5). On the women's side, ISU find themselves in fourth with 20.33 points, falling behind Northern Iowa (30.5), Southern Illinois (48) and Illinois State (81.16). ISU is leading Loyola (17), Drake (12), Missouri State (10), Evansville (8), Bradley (6) and Valparaiso (1) after day one.
 
Indiana State earned their highest finish of the day in the last event on the track for the women, the DMR. The team, composed of Alli Workman, Ayana Parchman, Imani Davis and Jocelyn Quiles captured a second-place finish for All-MVC honors behind a time of 11:52.13, the eighth-fastest time in Sycamore history. Missouri State and Illinois State pulled out to an early lead, but Davis managed to close the gap with the Bears in the 800-meter leg before Quiles solidified the runner-up finish for ISU in the 1600-meter leg.
 
In the field for the women, the long jumpers had a strong day, led by Kaitlyn Davis. Davis, a junior for the Blue & White, recorded a personal-best jump of 5.81m (19-00.75) on her final attempt of the competition to place fourth. Also scoring for the women were freshman Faith Frye and Claire Pittman. Frye took seventh overall at 5.59m (18-04.25) and Pittman ended in eighth with a mark of 5.54m (18-02.25).
 
The women's pole vaulters also managed to put points on the board for the ISU women. Sophomore Taylor Pierce was the top finisher in a Sycamore uniform, taking fifth-place while clearing 3.48m (11-05.00). Tying for eighth was Hanna Atwood who ended with a vault of 3.33m (10-11.00).
 
Alexis Grider managed to snag a point for the Sycamores in the pentathlon, ending in eighth with the 10th-best point total in Sycamore history of 3291. Her day included a third-place finish in the pentathlon long jump with a mark of 5.61m (18-05.00).
 
On the men's side, pole vaulter Antoine Howard recorded the best finish of the day. The senior had a career-day in the competition, clearing a career-best bar of 4.91m (16-01.25) to tie for third and earn All-MVC honors. His teammate, Callan Whitehouse, also earned points in fifth-place with a vault of 4.81m (15-09.25).
 
It was a big day for the men's long jumpers on day one, as the group tallied 12 points for the team. Sophomore transfer Bryan Keubeng led the way, placing fourth with a strong career-best jump of 7.35m (24-01.50). Freshman Jamal Safo took the fifth position, ending with a mark of 7.18m (23-08.00) while Dearis Herron placed sixth at 7.16m (23-06.00).
 
Two more personal-bests for the Blue & White came from Brett Norton and Nick Young in the men's weight throw. In a loaded field of competition, the freshmen held their own, with Norton securing fifth behind an impressive toss of 18.66m (61-02.75) and Young ending his day in seventh with a mark of 17.81m (58-05.25).
 
The men's DMR squad composed of Justin Niederhaus, Ben Shepard, Leroy Russell and Jackson Krieg scored for the men in the last event on the track on Saturday. The team battled with some of the Valley's best, but ultimately placed fifth while crossing the line at 10:15.42.
 
Freshman heptathlete Mitch Conard had a strong first day in the heptathlon, ending with four personal-bests in the four events. His best event of the day came in the heptathlon long jump where he ended with career-best mark of 7.25m (23-09.50).
 
In the 60-meter dash semi-finals, JaVaughn Moore and Jhivon Wilson qualified for finals on Sunday with the top-two times. Moore clocked the fourth-fastest time in Sycamores history of 6.75 while Wilson ended with the seventh-fastest time in school history of 6.79. On the women's side, Reynei Wallace ran a new personal-best of 7.67 to qualify for finals.
 
Moore would stay hot heading into the 200-meter dash semi-finals, as the sophomore once again posted the fastest prelim time of 21.85. He will be joined by standout freshman Safo who ended with a time of 22.19 to secure a spot in finals.
 
Both the men and women sent athletes to finals in the 60-meter hurdles, highlighted by all-three women's hurdlers qualifying. Allana Ince led the way for the women, clocking the fastest preliminary time of 8.47 while Tajaa Fair and Jayla Williams will join her with prelim times of 8.75 and 8.86. Matthew Lewis-Banks will represent the men after posting a time of 8.14 in prelims.
 
Imani Davis and Rebecca Odusola will both represent the Trees on Sunday in the 800-meter run finals after qualifying with times of 2:15.44 and 2:19.72, respectively. Freshman Will Smith battled for a spot in finals on the men's side, earning the bid with a personal-best time of 1:53.62.
 
Indiana State will also have representation in both mile finals tomorrow afternoon. Cale Kilian and Alli Workman both earned automatic qualifier spots by placing fourth in their respective heats with times of 4:30.52 and 5:04.22, respectively.
 
Day two of the MVC Championships gets underway at 10:30 a.m. ET with the remaining events in the men's heptathlon. The meet will be streamed live on ESPN3 beginning at 2:15 p.m.
 
Finals Qualifiers:
Men's 60m Dash:
1. JaVaughn Moore - 6.75
2. Jhivon Wilson - 6.79
 
Women's 60m Dash:
4. Reynei Wallace - 7.67
 
Men's 60m Hurdles:
2. Matthew Lewis-Banks - 8.14
 
Women's 60m Hurdles:
1. Allana Ince - 8.47
5. Tajaa Fair - 8.75
7. Jayla Williams - 8.86
 
Men's 200m Dash:
1. JaVaughn Moore - 21.85
6. Jamal Safo - 22.19
 
Men's 800m Run:
7. Will Smith - 1:53.62
 
Women's 800m Run:
2. Imani Davis - 2:15.44
7. Rebecca Odusola - 2:19.72
 
Men's Mile:
8. Cale Kilian - 4:30.52
 
Women's Mile:
7. Alli Workman - 5:04.22
 
Day One Men's Team Scores
1. Northern Iowa - 40.5
2. Illinois State - 40
3. Indiana State - 31.5
4. Bradley - 23
5. Drake - 21.5
6. Loyola - 21
7. Southern Illinois - 16
8. Valparaiso - 1
9. Evansville - 0.5
 
Day One Women's Team Scores
1. Illinois State - 81.16
2. Southern Illinois - 48
3. Northern Iowa - 30.5
4. Indiana State - 20.33
5. Loyola - 17
6. Drake - 12
7. Missouri State - 10
8. Evansville - 8
9. Bradley - 6
10. Valparaiso - 1
 
Day One All-MVC
Imani Davis, DMR, 2nd
Ayana Parchman - DMR, 2nd
Jocelyn Quiles - DMR, 2nd
Alli Workman - DMR, 2nd
Antoine Howard - Pole Vault, 3rd
 
Day One Scorers:
Kaitlyn Davis - Long Jump, 4th
Bryan Keubeng - Long Jump, 4th
Jackson Krieg - DMR, 5th
Justin Niederhaus - DMR, 5th
Brett Norton - Weight Throw - 5th
Taylor Pierce - Pole Vault, 5th
Leroy Russell - DMR, 5th
Jamal Safo - Long Jump, 5th
Ben Shepard - DMR, 5th
Callan Whitehouse - Pole Vault, 5th
Dearis Herron - Long Jump, 6th
Faith Frye - Long Jump, 7th
Nick Young - Weight Throw - 7th
Hanna Atwood - Pole Vault, 8th
Alexis Grider - Pentathlon - 8th
Claire Pittman - Long Jump, 8th
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Cross Country and Track & Field teams, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.