ST. LOUIS – Indiana State sophomores Casey Hood Jr. and Rachel Mehringer earned their first conference honors of the season Tuesday afternoon, as the Sycamore duo swept the MVC's weekly track awards.
 
Hood Jr. was named the MVC Men's Track Athlete of the Week, while Mehringer was tabbed the MVC Women's Track Athlete of the Week.
 
Hood Jr. set a Blue Demon Holiday Invite record in his season debut, clocking a time of 6.67 in the 60m prelims to advance as the fastest time in the field. He followed that with a time of 6.71 in the finals to place second overall. Hood Jr. was two-hundredths of a second off his career-best time, which was set at the 2024 MVC Indoor Championships. He owns the two fastest 60m times in the MVC this season, and he also ranks second in the Great Lakes Region and sixth nationally in the event.
 
Mehringer started her 2024-25 season in style, posting 60m hurdles times of 8.36 in the prelims and 8.34 in the finals to place second in the event. Her time was just one-hundredth off her career-best time, which was set at the 2024 MVC Indoor Championships. Mehringer also ran the 200m for the first time in her indoor career, finishing with a time of 26.10. Her 60m hurdles time ranks first in the MVC, third in the Great Lakes Region and 10th nationally.
 
Hood Jr.'s weekly honor is the first of his career and his second career MVC honor, having earned Freshman of the Year at the 2024 MVC Indoor Championships. Mehringer's honor is the fourth of her career, having been named MVC Track Athlete of the Week twice during the 2023-24 indoor season and once during the 2024 outdoor season.
 
Indiana State's next meet comes after the new year, with the Sycamores set to face longtime rival Illinois State for the Coughlan-Malloy Cup January 17 in Normal, Illinois.
 
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.