TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State track and field begins competition at the NCAA East Preliminary Round Wednesday morning, with 15 Sycamores set to compete over the course of four days at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium. Men's competition days are Wednesday and Friday, with women's competition days set for Thursday and Saturday.
Growing The Forest
Indiana State's 15-athlete delegation is its most at an NCAA East Preliminary Round since 2015. The Sycamores sent 12 athletes to last season's NCAA East Prelim.
In addition to the increase in numbers at the East Prelims, Indiana State looks to expand its success on the national stage. The Sycamores have a pair of athletes in their regional delegation with national championship experience, as
Ryann Porter qualified for each of the last two NCAA Outdoor National Championships and
JaVaughn Moore earned Second Team All-America honors at the 2023 NCAA Indoor National Championships.
Back in the Fold
Of Indiana State's 15 athletes set to compete at the NCAA East Preliminary Round, nine have previous experience at NCAA Preliminary Rounds. Among that group,
Noah Malone,
JaVaughn Moore,
Brett Norton,
Ryann Porter,
Wyatt Puff,
William Staggs and
Selene Weaver represented the Sycamores at the 2022 NCAA East Preliminary Round in Bloomington, Indiana.
Kevin Krutsch competed for Indiana State in the 2021 NCAA East Preliminary Round, which also took place in Jacksonville, while
Trevor Thompson participated in the 2022 NCAA West Preliminary Round while at Southern Illinois.
Trees On Top
Indiana State swept the MVC Men's Track and Field Championships for the second straight year, as the Sycamores won both the indoor and outdoor conference titles. The Sycamores' 186 points were the most for Indiana State since 2013 and the third-most in program history.
The current stretch for Indiana State, which includes MVC Men's Indoor Championships and MVC Men's Outdoor Championships in consecutive seasons, along with an MVC Women's Indoor Championship in 2022, is its best since winning four straight MVC Men's Outdoor Championships from 2011-14. ISU also won three MVC Men's Indoor Championships and an MVC Women's Outdoor Championship in that span.
Meet the Sycamores
Indiana State's 15 athletes in the NCAA East Preliminary Round are scheduled to compete in nine events over the course of the four-day regional meet. Below is a summary of each qualified Sycamore, along with their event schedule for the week and season highlights.
Noah Bolt | Discus and Hammer Throw
Wednesday, May 24 | 10 a.m. (Hammer)
Friday, May 26 | 1 p.m. (Discus)
Bolt ranks among the top 10 in program history in both the hammer (60.73m/199-03) and discus (54.50m/178-10), and he recently earned a second-place finish in the latter at the MVC Outdoor Championships with a mark of 54.14m (177-07). Both of his career-best marks in the events he will compete in have come this season.
Elias Foor | Hammer Throw
Wednesday, May 24 | 10 a.m.
Foor's top hammer throw mark came on home turf, with his throw of 60.55m (198-08) coming at the Gibson Invitational. He scored in three of the four throws events at the MVC Outdoor Championships, contributing 13 points across the shot put, hammer throw and javelin.
Kevin Krutsch | High Jump
Friday, May 26 | 2:30 p.m.
Krutsch tied his outdoor career-best mark of 2.12m (6-11.50) to win his second MVC outdoor high jump title as part of Indiana State's sweep of the conference podium in the event. He has cleared 2.08m (6-09.75) in four of the last five meets, including a pair of marks over 2.10m (6-10.75).
Daunte Majors | 4x100m Relay
Friday, May 26 | 5 p.m.
A former outfielder on the Indiana State baseball team, Majors has put together a strong debut season with the Sycamore track and field program. In addition to running the second leg of the Trees' 4x100m relay, Majors also has one of the top 10 100m times in the Missouri Valley Conference this season.
Noah Malone | 4x100m Relay
Friday, May 26 | 5 p.m.
Indiana State's anchor leg of the 4x100m relay that has run a season-best time of 39.77, Malone has a top wind-legal 100m this season of 10.41. He has also run a wind-aided 100 of 10.35 and ran the first leg of the 4x400m relay at the MVC Outdoor Championships.
Lawrence Mitchell | High Jump
Friday, May 26 | 2:30 p.m.
Mitchell made his return from injury in a big way. After missing all of indoor season and most of outdoor season, he competed in one meet before the MVC Championships. Mitchell went out and cleared an outdoor career-best 2.09m (6-10.25) as part of Indiana State's sweep of the conference podium in the event.
JaVaughn Moore | 100m and 4x100m Relay
Wednesday, May 24 | 7 p.m. (100m First Round)
Friday, May 26 | 5 p.m. (4x100m Relay)
Friday, May 26 | 6:35 p.m. (100m Quarterfinal)
Moore ran a season-best 100m time of 10.22 in the MVC Outdoor Championships prelims, and has been a key part of the Sycamores' 4x100m relay team on the opening leg. Indiana State's top 4x1 time of 39.77 came in the prelims of the Drake Relays. Moore owns the school record in the 100m (10.13) and also is a part of the top four 4x100m relay teams in program history.
Brett Norton | Shot Put
Wednesday, May 24 | 6 p.m.
Norton's most recent attempt in the shot put won him an MVC Championship and tied the school record of 18.40m (60-04.50). He has marks of 17.60m (57-09.00) in each of the last foru meets, with his last two meets producing the two best marks of his career (17.86m/58-07.25, 18.40m/60-04.50).
Terrance O'Bannon | 4x100m Relay (alternate)
Friday, May 26 | 5 p.m.
O'Bannon's top 100m time of 10.35 ranks within the top five of the MVC, and he also has experience in the 4x100m relay as well. When he has competed in the relay, he has traditionally run the second leg.
Ryann Porter | Triple Jump
Saturday, May 27 | 6 p.m.
Porter jumped a season-best 12.85m (42-02.00) at the MVC Outdoor Championships and has been the top-ranked triple jumper in the MVC from start-to-finish this season. She also had career-best marks in the 100m hurdles and long jump this season. Porter has recorded triple jump marks of 12.40m (40-08.25) or better in all but one meet this season.
Wyatt Puff | Shot Put and Discus
Wednesday, May 24 | 6 p.m. (Shot Put)
Friday, May 26 | 1 p.m. (Discus)
Puff set Indiana State's facility record in the discus this season at 56.53m (185-05), which also ranks second in program history. His top shot put mark of 18.33m (60-01.75) came at the MVC Outdoor Championships and was bested by only teammate
Brett Norton. Puff ranks in the top three in program history in both events he will compete in this week.
William Staggs | Pole Vault
Wednesday, May 24 | 6:30 p.m.
Indiana State's indoor school record holder in the pole vault, Staggs moved up to second in program history in the event outdoors at 5.29m (17-04.25). He has gone over 5.05m (16-06.75) in each of the last six meets, with marks of 5.25m (17-02.75) on three different occasions this season.
Isiah Thomas | 4x100m Relay
Friday, May 26 | 5 p.m.
Thomas has run the third leg of Indiana State's 4x100m relay that has a top time of 39.77 this season. In addition, he also has a 100m of 10.48 that ranks in the top 10 of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Trevor Thompson | High Jump
Friday, May 26 | 2:30 p.m.
Thompson has made the most of his lone season at Indiana State, with a career-best clearance of 2.12m (6-11.50) at the MVC Outdoor Championships. He has cleared 2.10m (6-10.75) on three different occasions this season and 2.08m (6-09.75) an additional two times.
Selene Weaver | Pole Vault
Thursday, May 25 | 6 p.m.
Weaver's season-best mark of 4.02m (13-02.25) came at the Pacesetter Sports Invitational in early April, but she has been consistent throughout the season. She has cleared 3.90m (12-09.50) or better in every meet this season, including clearances of 3.95m (12-11.50) or better on three different occasions.
Where the Sycamores are Seeded
Below is a list of where each of Indiana State's competing athletes are seeded in this week's NCAA East Preliminary Round field.
- JaVaughn Moore, Daunte Majors, Isiah Thoms, Noah Malone (Terrance O'Bannon – alternate) – 4x100m relay (16th, 39.77)
- Kevin Krutsch – high jump (tied-19th, 2.12m/6-11.50)
- Trevor Thompson – high jump (tied-19th, 2.12m/6-11.50)
- Wyatt Puff – discus (20th, 56.53m/185-05), shot put (27th, 18.33m/60-01.75)
- William Staggs – pole vault (23rd, 5.29m/17-04.25)
- Brett Norton – shot put (24th, 18.40m/60-04.50)
- Ryann Porter – triple jump (tied-28th, 12.85m/42-02.00)
- JaVaughn Moore – 100m (tied-31st, 10.22)
- Lawrence Mitchell – high jump (33rd, 2.09m/6-10.25)
- Noah Bolt – discus (40th, 54.50m/178-10), hammer throw (47th, 60.73m/199-03)
- Selene Weaver – pole vault (48th, 4.02m/13-02.25)
- Elias Foor – hammer throw (48th, 60.55m/198-08)
What's at Stake
The top 12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships June 7-10 in Austin, Texas.
