TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Four distinguished Indiana State Track & Field/Cross Country alumni are returning to Terre Haute as part of a 2023 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 cross country and distance runner Amy Cohee, thrower Brandon Pounds, high jumper Melyssa Reinhardt and hurdler Adarius Washington.
 
The alumni panel will speak Friday evening at 6:30 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.
 
AMY COHEE TUSH – Cross Country/Distance (1991-95) – Rushville, Indiana (Rushville Consolidated HS)
 
Accomplishments as a Sycamore: One of the top athletes in program history, Cohee's name can still be found all over the Sycamore record books. She owns top-20 program times in the 4k (14:52), 5k (18:00), outdoor 3000m (9:53.51) and 5000m (17:21.17). Cohee won individual titles in cross country (1993) and outdoor track and field (5000m, 1994) and was a part of seven MVC title-winning teams for the Sycamores (1991 XC, 1993 XC, 1993 Indoor, 1993 Outdoor, 1994 Indoor, 1994 Outdoor, 1995 Indoor). She was also a standout in the classroom, where she was a two-time MVC Scholar-Athlete Team selection. Cohee was the 1993 MVC Cross Country Athlete of the Year and was also a member of the MVC All-Centennial Cross Country Team. She was inducted into the Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.
 
Where she is now: Amy graduated from ISU in 1995 and continued to coach at ISU for a year as a graduate assistant coach. She learned that Coach Gartland and Coach McNichols were two of the hardest working tandems in the coaching world.  They were a perfect mix of good cop/ bad cop and got the job done.   Amy continued to learn from her coaching mentors and it lit a fire inside that still burns today.   Post graduation, she continued coaching cross country and track and field at Butler University, Northwestern University, Milan High School, and currently at Rushville High School. Her journey from being an athlete to a coach has given her great experiences that she would never change. Amy graduated with an elementary education degree, but currently works in health care at a hospital pharmacy.   She lives in Rushville with her husband Jimmy, her daughters: Jamey and Cyndi, (all of whom are branches of the ISU family), as well as her new foster child, Daryn.  
 
BRANDON POUNDS – Throws (2008-13) – Indianapolis, Indiana (Lawrence North HS)
 
Accomplishments as a Sycamore: One of the best throwers in program history, Pounds remains the Indiana State record holder in both the hammer throw (outdoor) and weight throw (indoor) despite last competing for the Sycamores a decade ago. In addition to his two school records, he also ranks in the top 10 in program history in the shot put both indoors and outdoors. Pounds was a six-time all-conference honoree, earning four outdoor and two indoor All-MVC honors in his career. He won MVC individual titles in the shot put (2009 outdoor) and hammer throw (2012 outdoor), and was a part of five MVC title-winning teams at Indiana State (2011 Indoor, 2011 Outdoor, 2012 Outdoor, 2013 Indoor, 2013 Outdoor). Pounds qualified for four NCAA National Championships in throws events, earning two First Team All-America honors (2012 hammer throw, 2013 weight throw) and two Second Team All-America honors (2012 weight throw, 2013 hammer throw). He also placed fifth in the indoor weight throw at the 2013 USATF Indoor Championships.
 
Where he is now: After Indiana State, Pounds transitioned back to Indianapolis as an assistant track and field coach at Warren Central High School where he produced two female state finalists in the shot put event and won two team State Titles. While at Warren Central High School, he pursued a career in Law Enforcement and Leadership. He graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in 2019 and became the School Resource Officer, overseeing 4,000 students and staff daily. He continues to be a mentor to the students and staff while continuing to build relationships throughout the community. In 2019, he continued his education at Indiana Wesleyan University, where he obtained his Masters in Public Administration.
 
In 2021, Pounds was inducted into the Indiana Track and Field Hall of Fame and retired from coaching. He now supports his daughter in swimming, gymnastics, and many other activities. In the same year, he transitioned to the Town of Zionsville, where he is a member of the Police Department. He is currently a School Resource Officer, an Instructor, and a part of the REACH unit, which focuses on mental health within the community. He is married and has a daughter, and they reside in Fishers, IN. He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.
 
MELYSSA REINHARDT STARKS – High Jump (2001-05) – Indianapolis, Indiana (Southport HS)
 
Accomplishments as a Sycamore: A two-time MVC high jump champion, Reinhardt remains among the best in the event in Sycamore history. She ranks third indoors and second outdoors in program history in the high jump, earning five all-conference honors in a decorated career for Indiana State. Included in those all-conference honors were MVC titles in both the 2003 and 2005 indoor seasons for the Sycamores. Reinhardt also performed well on the national stage, qualifying for the 2004 NCAA Outdoor National Championships where she earned a top-30 finish in the high jump. She is one of six Indiana State high jumpers in program history to qualify for the NCAA Division I Outdoor National Championships, with her appearance in the 2004 NCAA Outdoor National Championships being the most recent national championship appearance by a Sycamore women's high jumper.
 
 
Where she is now: At Indiana State, Melyssa majored in Literature, Language, and Linguistics: Spanish, and minored in Photography.  After graduation, she went on to work as a model and commercial actress in Chicago.  A few years later, she returned to her hometown of Indianapolis.  She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Indianapolis and began her career as a high school teacher. In addition to teaching (Greenwood High School), she continues to occasionally work as a model/actress and is an assistant Track and Field coach at Southport High School--coaching under a head coach who is also a former teammate from ISU!  Melyssa has been married to her husband, Quin, for 18 years, and they have two children together.
 
ADARIUS WASHINGTON – Hurdles (2012-16) – Indianapolis, Indiana (Warren Central HS)
 
Accomplishments as a Sycamore: A three-time All-American hurdler, Washington was an instrumental part of one of the most dominant eras in Sycamore Track and Field history. Indiana State won three indoor (2013, 2014, 2015) and three outdoor (2012, 2013, 2014) MVC Championships during his time with the Blue and White, with Washington earning six all-conference honors in a decorated career. Washington won four individual conference titles, taking back-to-back indoor 60m hurdles and outdoor 110m hurdles crowns in 2015 and 2016. He also shined on the national stage, earning a trio of All-America honors in his career. Washington was First Team All-American hurdler at both the 2015 NCAA Indoor National Championships and the 2016 NCAA Outdoor National Championships, while he also earned Second Team All-America honors at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor National Championships. He remains among the best hurdlers in program history, ranking second in the outdoor 110m hurdles and third in the indoor 60m hurdles in the Sycamore record book. Washington also owns the Gibson Track and Field Complex record in the 110m hurdles at 13.58.
 
Where he is now: Adarius graduated in 2016 and continued to compete after college. He was awarded the emerging athlete award from USATF. He was selected to compete in the new Tracktown Summer Series as a member of Team Portland. At that meet, professional athletes were drafted to four teams, and they competed in a scored competition. In 2017, Adarius joined the Indiana State University Police force. During this time, he also was a volunteer coach at Indiana State. Two years later, he joined the Indiana State Police. He is the current record holder for the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and the Indiana State Police Academy for the 300 meters. Adarius is a member of the Indiana State Police Mobile Field Force, Honor Guard, and a Field Training officer. He currently resides in the Indianapolis area with his family.
 
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