CHICAGO – Indiana State opened its 2022-23 indoor track and field season in style Friday, taking home 13 event wins in the Blue Demon Holiday Invite at Gately Park.
 
Shomari Rogers-Walton led the way for the Sycamores with a sweep of the long jump and triple jump titles. Rogers-Walton (triple jump), Ryann Porter (triple jump), Nicholas Burns (800m), William Staggs (pole vault) and Isiah Thomas (60m) all set meet records for the Sycamores, while Burns (800m), Trent Jones (400m, 4x400m relay), Alysha Bradford (4x400m relay) and Maria Biskopstoe (600m, 4x400m relay) captured event titles in their collegiate debuts.
 
Event Winners

• Isiah Thomas – 60m (6.76, meet record time of 6.75 in prelims)
• JaVaughn Moore – 300m (33.88)
• Trent Jones – 400m (49.37)
• Maria Biskopstoe – 600m (1:36.71)
• Nicholas Burns – 800m (1:57.51, meet record)
• Alysha Bradford, Iyanla Hunter, Sierra Long, Maria Biskopstoe – 4x400m relay (3:55.12)
• Cameron Stevens, Tahj Johnson, Quincy Armstrong, Trent Jones – 4x400m relay (3:18.02)
• Shomari Rogers-Walton – long jump (7.38m/24-02.50), triple jump (14.35m/47-01.00)
• Trevor Thompson – high jump (2.03m/6-08.00)
• Ryann Porter – triple jump (12.59m/41-03.25, meet record)
• Landis Brandon – pole vault (3.66m/12-00.00)
• William Staggs – pole vault (5.11m/16-09.25, meet record)

 
Top-Three Finishes

• Zoe Sullivan – 60m hurdles (second, 8.45)
• Frankie Young III – long jump (second, 7.04m/23-01.25)
• Daniel O'Laughlin – pole vault (second, 4.51m/14-09.50)
• Wyatt Puff – shot put (second, 17.46m/57-03.50)
• Noah Bolt – weight throw (second, 19.29m/63-03.50)
• Daunte Majors – 60m (third, 6.86)
• Ryann Porter – 60m hurdles (third, 8.66)
• Iyanla Hunter – 200m (third, 25.16)
• Tahj Johnson – 300m, (third, 34.77)
• Selene Weaver – pole vault (third, 3.66m/12-00.00)
• Parker Speth – pole vault (third, 4.51m/14-09.50)
• Hannah Redlin – shot put (third, 13.84m/45-05.00)
• Brett Norton – weight throw (third, 18.96m/62-02.50)

 
Sprints/Hurdles
Thomas had the headline result among the sprints group, breaking the meet record in the 60m in the prelims at 6.75 and following it with a 6.76 in the final. Majors, who joined the team this season after previously playing baseball at Indiana State, clocked a 6.86 to finish third. The men weren't the only ones with impressive showings in the 60, as Nyla Jones ran a 7.66 in her collegiate debut and Daija Springer ran a personal-best 7.72 on the women's side.
 
Indiana State's hurdlers put together a strong performance in the 60m hurdles, with Sullivan besting the previous meet record in the finals at 8.45 and Porter running 8.66 to place in the top three. ISU had three men reach the finals in the 60 hurdles, with Quincy Armstrong leading the way in fourth at 8.21.
 
Hunter gave Indiana State another podium finish, this one in the 200m with a time of 25.16. Moore, who has been arguably the best short sprinter in the MVC the last three seasons, placed first in the 300m at 33.88, while Johnson also earned a podium finish in the event (34.71).
 
Jones, making his collegiate debut, used a strong final 200 meters to claim the 400m title in 49.37. He was joined in the top five by Stevens, who ran a time of 49.79 after a strong opening 200 meters.
 
The Sycamores also swept the 4x400m relays, with Bradford, Hunter, Long and Biskopstoe teaming up to run 3:55.12 on the women's side and Stevens, Johnson, Armstrong and Jones running 3:18.02 on the men's side.
 
Mid-Distance
Indiana State was a perfect 2-for-2 in the mid-distance races it competed in Friday. Biskopstoe had the strongest final 400 meters of anyone in the field to take first in the 600m at 1:36.71.
 
Burns led nearly wire-to-wire in the 800m, crossing the line in 1:57.51 to set a meet record in the process.
 
Jumps/Pole Vault
Indiana State's jumps group put together an impressive season-opening showing, winning six of the eight events contested Friday.
 
Rogers-Walton had the headline performance of the group by taking the long jump (7.38m/24-02.50) and triple jump (14.35m/47-01.00) titles at the meet. His mark in the triple jump was a meet record. Rogers-Walton was joined on the podium in the long jump by Young III (7.04m/23-01.25), while Emmanuel Odubanjo (13.63m/44-08.75) was fourth in the triple jump. Porter continued her run as the top triple jumper in the MVC on the women's side, smashing the meet record in the event with a mark of 12.59m (41-03.25).
 
Reigning MVC outdoor high jump champion Thompson picked up where he left off from his time at Southern Illinois, placing first in his Sycamore debut by clearing 2.03m (6-08.00). On the women's side, Kelsey Bowlds cleared 1.65m (5-05.00) to place fourth.
 
Indiana State swept the pole vault titles, with the men sweeping the podium in the process. Staggs set a meet record by clearing 5.11m (16-09.25), with O'Laughlin and Speth both clearing 4.51m (14-09.50) to round out the top three. On the women's side, the Sycamores had six of the top seven with Brandon and Weaver both clearing 3.66m (12-00.00) to lead the way. Hannah Hendrick, Brooklyn Giertz and Abigail Ballengee all cleared 3.51m (11-06.25) in a statement showing for the Blue and White.
 
Throws
Indiana State had four podium finishes in the throws events, with two of those coming in the men's weight throw. Bolt (19.29m/63-03.50) and Norton (18.96m/62-02.50) placed second and third in the event, respectively, with Puff earning a runner-up finish in the shot put at 17.46m (57-03.50). Norton (fourth, 16.46m/54-00.00) and Bolt (fifth, 16.23m/53-03.00) also placed in the top five in the shot put for the Trees.
 
On the women's side, Redlin had the top result with a third-place finish in the shot put (13.84m/45-05.00), while Josie Hapack (fourth, 13.77m/45-02.25) earned a top-five finish in her collegiate debut. Hapack was also the lone Sycamore with a mark in the weight throw, placing ninth in the event (14.60m/47-10.75).
 
Up Next
Friday's meet was the only meet for the Sycamores before the calendar turns to 2023. Indiana State's next meet is January 14 in Normal, Illinois, as the Trees take part in the Coughlan-Malloy Cup, an annual dual meet with longtime rival Illinois State.
 
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