TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – With one meet in the books and the full season still ahead, Indiana State track and field is in full swing as the Sycamores prepare to defend their Missouri Valley Conference titles.
 
Over the coming weeks, the Sycamores' event groups will be profiled on GoSycamores.com leading into the Coughlan-Malloy Cup against Illinois State. This week's preview focuses on the Indiana State jumpers and pole vaulters.
 
2021-22 Breakdown
Indiana State's jumps and pole vault group had an unprecedented display at the MVC Indoor Championships, sweeping the men's and women's long jump, triple jump and pole vault titles while also capturing the top two spots in the men's high jump. 60 of Indiana State's 132 points on the women's side came from jumps and pole vault events, while 78 of the Sycamores' program record 171 points on the men's side came from the jumps and pole vault.
 
The Sycamores also had a strong showing at the MVC Outdoor Championships, with 57 of Indiana State's 143 points on the women's side and 56 of the Sycamores' 178 points on the men's side coming from the jumps and pole vault.
 
In addition to finding success at the MVC Championships last season, the jumps and pole vault group was responsible for five of Indiana State's 12 NCAA East Preliminary Round qualifiers and the Sycamores' lone NCAA National Championship qualifiers last season. Most of that talent is returning for the Sycamores, including all of the MVC champions in those events.
 
MEN'S JUMPS/POLE VAULT
Indiana State boasts a pair of returning athletes who swept events at the indoor and outdoor championships in Shomari Rogers-Walton and William Staggs. Both Rogers-Walton and Staggs were NCAA East Preliminary Round qualifiers for the Sycamores last season.
 
Rogers-Walton was the only athlete to clear 15 meters in the triple jump at the MVC Indoor Championships (15.03m/49-03.75) and had a career-best mark of 15.57m (51-01.00) to win the event the MVC Outdoor Championships. Rogers-Walton also placed second in the long jump at both the indoor (7.41m/24-03.75) and outdoor (7.51m/24-07.75) championships. He entered the top 10 in program history in the long jump for both indoor and outdoor season, and his mark in the triple jump at the MVC Outdoor Championships ranks second in program history.
 
Teammate Mitch Conard had a career-best mark of 7.42m (24-04.25) to win the long jump at the MVC Indoor Championships, while also scoring in the triple jump at the indoor championships and the long jump at the outdoor championships. Also returning among the Sycamores' long jump and triple jump contingent are Frankie Young III, who earned all-conference honors in the long jump during outdoor season (7.42m/24-04.25), and Emmanuel Odubanjo, who returned in the late stages of the outdoor season to score in the triple jump at the MVC Outdoor Championships (14.98m/46-02.50). Young III cracked the top 10 in indoor program history in the long jump last season.
 
Staggs had a debut season to remember for the Sycamores in the pole vault, sweeping both the indoor (5.15m/16-10.75) and outdoor (4.90m/16-00.75) conference titles in the event. Staggs cracked the top five in program history in the pole vault for both indoor and outdoor season.
 
Indiana State also produced the top two finishers in the high jump at the MVC Indoor Championships in Lawrence Mitchell (2.09m/6-10.25) and Kevin Krutsch (2.09m/6-10.25). Mitchell and Krutsch tied for fifth at the outdoor championships.
 
The Sycamores have to replace Dearis Herron, who earned all-conference honors in the triple jump in both indoor and outdoor season, and Nathan Kiger, who was an NCAA East Preliminary Round qualifier in the high jump last season. Fortunately for Indiana State, the Sycamores are already deep in those event groups and added Trevor Thompson, the high jump champion at last year's MVC Outdoor Championships, from Southern Illinois.
 
Staggs has some company in the pole vault this season as well after spending most of last season as the lone pole vaulter for Indiana State. Freshmen Conner Burries, Daniel O'Laughlin and Parker Speth complete what looks to be a strong group for the Sycamores.
 
WOMEN'S JUMPS/POLE VAULT
Ryann Porter highlights the returning talent for the Blue and White in the jumps and pole vault events, after earning Honorable Mention All-America honors for a second straight season in the triple jump. Porter won the indoor long jump (5.70m/18-08.50), indoor triple jump (12.58m/41-03.25) and outdoor triple jump (12.67m/41-07.00) titles at the MVC Championships. Porter ranks second in program history in the triple jump for both indoor and outdoor season.
 
Dominique Wood returns after earning all-conference honors for the Sycamores last season with a third-place finish in the long jump (5.80m/19-00.50) at the MVC Outdoor Championships and a third-place finish in the triple jump (11.65m/38-02.75) at the MVC Indoor Championships. Wood also scored in the long jump at the indoor championships (5.48m/17-11.75) and the triple jump at the outdoor championships (11.92m/39-01.25).
 
Also among the Sycamore returners, Brittney Walker scored in the long jump (5.72m/18-09.25) and triple jump (12.12m/39-09.25) at the MVC Outdoor Championships, and also scored at the MVC Indoor Championships in the triple jump (11.60m/38-00.75). Faith Frye added points for the Trees in the long jump at the MVC Outdoor Championships (5.71m/18-09.00).
 
Pole vault was one of the strongest events for the Sycamores last season, and that figures to be the case once again this year. Selene Weaver swept the indoor (3.91m/12-10.00) and outdoor (3.90m/12-09.50) titles at the MVC Championships, while Landis Brandon finished second in both the indoor and outdoor championships, losing out to Weaver only on tiebreakers. Brooklyn Giertz scored in the pole vault at both the indoor (3.71m/12-02.00) and outdoor (3.80m/12-05.50) championships, while Maddie Welsh also added points for the Sycamores in the event at the MVC Indoor Championships (3.71m/12-02.00). Indiana State also added a pair of pole vaulters in Black Hills State transfer Hannah Hendrick and freshman Abigail Ballengee.
 
Indiana State also returns a pair of scorers in the high jump events from last season, as Kelsey Bowlds placed sixth (1.66m/5-05.25) at the MVC Indoor Championships and Eva Grace Quinlan placed sixth (1.65m/5-05.00) at the MVC Outdoor Championships. Freshman Essence Johnson joins Bowlds and Quinlan among the Sycamore high jump contingent this season.
 
Porter and Weaver were both NCAA East Preliminary Round qualifiers last season, with Porter also advancing to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships in the triple jumps.
 
Come See The Trees
Indiana State returns to action January 14 with the Coughlan-Malloy Cup, an annual dual meet with longtime rival Illinois State. This year's edition will take place at Horton Fieldhouse in Normal, Illinois.
 
The Sycamores also host three meets during indoor season (Jan. 20-21 - John Gartland Invitational, Feb. 4 - Blue-White Classic, Feb. 18 – ISU Open) and will host three meets during the outdoor season (March 31-April 1 – Pacesetter Sports Invitational, April 13-15 – Gibson Invitational, April 29 – Sycamore Open). Indoor home meets will take place at the Indoor Track and Field Facility (North Gym), while outdoor home meets will be contested at the Gibson Track and Field Complex.
 
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on the Sycamore Track & Field and Cross Country teams, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from the both the App Store and the Google Play Store.