TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Four distinguished Indiana State Track & Field/Cross Country alumni are returning to Terre Haute as part of a 2022 TF/XC Homecoming Alumni Panel, as announced by Sycamore Program Director and Head Coach Angela Martin.
 
Returning to Indiana State as part of this year's panel are high jumper Major Clay, hurdler Kia Wells, cross country and distance runner Justin Kunz and thrower Mary Theisen. The four alumni represent different disciplines and played significant roles in some of Indiana State's most notable track and field and cross country moments over the last 25 years.
 
The alumni panel will speak Friday evening at 6 p.m. in Holmstedt Hall Room 102, on the campus of Indiana State University. Information on the four alumni, including past accomplishments in the sport and what they have accomplished since earning their degrees from Indiana State, can be found below.
 
DOMINIQUE "MAJOR" CLAY – High Jump (2009-13) – Springfield, Illinois (Lanphier High School)
 
Accomplishments as a Sycamore: One of the top high jumpers to ever don the Blue and White, Clay collected a host of accolades during his Sycamore career. A six-time participant at the NCAA Championships, Clay was a two-time All-American, earning the honors once each in both indoor and outdoor track and field. Indiana State's indoor school record holder in the high jump at 2.26m (7-05.00), Clay also ranks third in outdoor school history in the high jump (2.21m/7-03.00) and was a seven-time MVC champion, winning the high jump crown each of his last three indoor seasons (2010-12) and all four outdoor seasons (2009-12). He was a part of three MVC team championships (indoor 2011, outdoor 2011-12) and went on to compete at two USATF Outdoor Championships with a top finish of ninth in 2011. Clay was also a 2012 US Olympic Trials qualifier. Clay graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice in 2012.
 
Where he is now: Clay works with at risk youth for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. He is Vice President of Peace Runners 773 (Non-Profit) who advocates for health and wellness in Chicago's underserved communities. Peace Runners 773 is sponsored by Lululemon. He is also President of Major Community Outreach (Non-Profit) who serves to low-income families in Springfield, IL by providing resources. Clay is a RRCA (Road Runners Club Of America) Level 1 Run Coach and completed his first Half Marathon (Bank Of America Chicago 13.1) and first Marathon (Bank Of America Chicago Marathon 26.2). He is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.
 
 
KIA (WELLS) WRIGHT – Hurdles (1999-03) – Indianapolis, Ind. (Lawrence Central HS)
Accomplishments as a Sycamore: A standout hurdler for the Sycamores, Wells remains among the best in program history. Her time of 8.70 in the 60m hurdles still ranks among the top 10 in program history, as does her 400m hurdles time of 1:01.95. Wells was also a part of multiple relay teams for the Sycamores, as she was part of a top-10 4x200m relay team (1:43.14) and a pair of top-10 shuttle hurdle relay teams (58.31, 58.50). She earned all-conference honors during the 2001 indoor season and was an all-conference honoree during both the 2001 and 2002 outdoor season. Kia graduated with a degree Criminal Justice in 2003.
 
Where she is now: Kia is the Founder and Executive Director of VOICES corporation. After spending 10 years of her life dedicated to serving Court appointed youth and families as a Juvenile Probation Officer, she branched out on her own. While earning her Master's degree in Criminology in 2004, Kia worked with the Vigo County Juvenile Probation Department, where she developed a passion for community development. Moving back to Indianapolis in 2008, she worked for Marion County Juvenile Probation and gained a better understanding of systemic trauma, and root causes of delinquent and criminal behavior. Utilizing the power of the arts, in 2010, Kia founded VOICES with a vision of empowering communities of color to restore themselves through communal healing, artistic expression and economic mobility. In 2012, she walked away from Probation and began community work as a Home-Based Case Manager, Mentor, tutor, and parent education specialist. In 2017, VOICES Corporation was awarded contracts with the Indiana Department of Child Services and Marion County Juvenile Probation. VOICES was created to center the lived experience of Black and Brown communities, provide safe spaces for self-expression, and to begin the journey of healing. Today, VOICES services span 36 Indianapolis zip codes, seven Indiana Counties, and serves 750+ youth and families annually. Kia is also a founding Board Member for Invent Learning Hub Charter School, a member of the Indiana Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee, Juvenile Detention Alternatives to Detention Steering Committee, CareSource Indiana Health Equity Collaborative, Maternal Child and Health Workforce Development Initiative, Franciscan Health Resilience Coalition, National youth Employment Coalition, and an alum of the Indiana Youth Services Association Executive Journey Fellowship. Kia and her family live in Indianapolis.
 
JUSTIN KUNZ – Cross Country/Distance (2006-08) – Lebanon, Ill. (Lebanon HS/ Rend Lake CC)
Accomplishments as a Sycamore: An NCAA Cross Country National Championship participant, Kunz ranks among the best distance runners in program history. He placed 76th in the nation at the 2006 NCAA Cross Country National Championships, a year in which he also earned all-conference honors. Kunz also has a top-20 time in program history in the 10k of 31:28, which he accomplished at Bowling Green. In addition, he also holds top-10 marks among program history at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in both the 8k (24:44) and 10k (32:20). Kunz was no slouch on the track, either, as he still ranks in the top 10 in program history in the 5,000m with a time of 14:22.43. His career-best indoor 5,000m time of 14:49.46 ranks among the top 20 times in program history. Justin graduated with a degree in Construction Management in 2008.
 
Where he is now:  Kunz has been at Sycamore Engineering for just shy of 15 years. He started as an intern while finishing his construction management degree. Upon Graduation, he was hired as a Project Engineer, where he worked primarily as an MEP BIM Coordinator.  (mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing – Building Information modeling). Kunz eventually moved into a Project Management role over the next few years.  He has worked on numerous local commercial and industrial projects big and small. He currently oversees the Preconstruction Department as Chief Development officer at Sycamore Engineering. Kunz married a Nebraska girl, Kim, who earned her grad degree from ISU and they never left! Justin and his wife have two children.
 
 
MARY THEISEN – Throws (2012-14) – Fall Creek, Wis. (Regis HS / Winona State)
Accomplishments as a Sycamore: A four-time All-American thrower for the Sycamores, Theisen had one of the most dominant campaigns in program history in 2014. She was a three-time All-American that season, earning the honors in the shot put during both indoor and outdoor season along with the discus throw during the outdoor season. Theisen earned five all-conference honors, all coming during the 2014 season, as she was honored in both the shot put and weight throw during indoor season, along with the shot put, discus and hammer throw. She was a two-time MVC Champion, sweeping the indoor and outdoor shot put titles in that dominant 2014 season. Theisen still owns top-10 marks in program history in the outdoor shot put (third,17.20m/56-05.25), discus (fourth, 54.35m/178-03) and hammer throw (seventh, 57.24m/187-09), and the indoor shot put (second, 17.30m/56-09.25) and weight throw (fifth, 20.28m/66-06.50). Mary graduated with a degree in Sports Management in 2014 and earned her Masters in Education with an emphasis in Positive Coaching and Athletic Leadership in 2019.
 
Where she is now: Theisen-Lappen coached for one year as a Volunteer Assistant at the University of Wisconsin. She then coached for six years at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, including a stint as the Interim Head Women's Track & Field Coach.  While at UW-O, she coached several All American throwers. She stepped away from coaching in May of 2021, and has been training for the 2024 Olympics in weightlifting. She is the current American record holder in the clean and jerk, a two-time National Champion in weightlifting and the 2021 Pan American Champion. This summer Theisen-Lappen and her husband (and her dogs) moved to Bloomington, Indiana where her lifting coach lives. She plans to be in Indiana until the Olympics.
 
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