Claire Pittman epitomizes what it means to be a student-athlete at Indiana State. 

An Indiana native, Pittman rose from competing on a smaller team in high school to becoming one of the best jumpers on one of the deepest rosters in the Missouri Valley Conference, culminating in an individual conference championship in the long jump last outdoor season. 

Pittman knew she loved track and field and wanted to continue competing at the collegiate level, and Indiana State was one of the few schools that was willing to bank on her ability, a move that has certainly paid off for everyone. The investments that Indiana State has made into its track and field program have not gone unnoticed, either. Within the last 10 years, the Gibson Track and Field Complex and ISU Indoor Track and Field Facility both opened, and the Mike and Mary Blackwell Sports Performance Center was completely renovated.

The jump from high school to college was a big one, as she went from one of the smaller high school teams in the state to a collegiate program with more than 100 high-level athletes. With that larger team comes a large support system beyond just family, one that Pittman doesn’t take for granted.

“To have my actual team and to hear the big roar from them (following a big jump), it’s most definitely a different feeling,” said Pittman. “I do get support all around, not just from the jumps group, but from others – the short sprints, the distance, just all-around.”

Pittman is part of an experienced jumps group with Faith Frye, Dominique Wood and Janiya Bowman. Pittman, Frye and Wood have been among the best in the conference over recent years, consistently scoring points for the Sycamores in the horizontal jumps at the conference championships. Having such a talented event group to work with has helped Pittman continue to grow and improve.

“Having more people in my event group, and seeing people I could learn from and bounce (ideas) off of, that was a big difference,” Pittman said. “Having a coach that wants to spend time with each of us individually, just wanting to make us all better, that might have been the biggest difference for me when I came here.”

Associate head coach Jeff Martin works with Indiana State’s horizontal jumpers and has been in Pittman’s corner since she arrived on campus.

“Coach Jeff knows my potential and I know my potential,” said Pittman. “I’ve been more consistent on the track, and that was one of my biggest challenges. I came in jumping 19-2 1/2, and not being able to scratch or touch that surface until about a year or two ago (was challenging). This has been one of my most consistent seasons indoor, for sure.” 

Martin’s dedication and commitment to the student-athletes he coaches has always been on full display, no matter how big the stage is.

Pittman earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science last year and elected to return to the Sycamore track and field program for another run at a conference title. She is currently pursuing her MBA at Indiana State.

“Honestly, if you would have told me four or five years ago that I would have had my bachelor’s degree and that I’d still be competing at this age and this time, getting my master’s, I low-key wouldn’t believe it,” Pittman said. “It’s really just a blessing to have this opportunity with track to pursue my academics. I did just graduate last May and I’m studying business administration this year to broaden my horizons and give me an umbrella to pick from and see what I’m most passionate about.”

In addition to her academic and athletic pursuits, Pittman works as an assistant hall director for the university. She schedules out each day in advance and sticks to her schedule accordingly to ensure she fulfills all her responsibilities, be it academics, athletics or her job duties.

Pittman’s focus is on the upcoming MVC Indoor Track and Field Championships before the Sycamores begin their outdoor season in late March. The upcoming outdoor season is a special one, though, as it concludes with Indiana State playing host to the MVC Outdoor Track and Field Championships the same weekend as spring commencement.

“To have the conference meet here is cool, to have that home-field advantage,” said Pittman of the outdoor championships, which are May 10-12. “We know the track best, we run it many times, we practice on it many times.”

Pittman still has plenty of goals she wants to accomplish as a Sycamore. As an athlete, she wants to be in a position where she is consistently jumping six meters (19 feet, 8 1/4 inches) or better, with an overall goal of wanting to break the school long jump records. From a team standpoint, she wants to bring the conference championship title back to Indiana State, something that starts over the weekend in Chicago.