SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Will Staggs set a new Indiana State program record in the pole vault at the Meyo Invitational, pacing Indiana State's contingent in the two-day event inside the Loftus Sports Center.
 
Staggs cleared 5.50m (18-00.50) on his first attempt to break the program record, which he previously matched a week ago at the Michigan Invitational. Indiana State also picked up a first-place finish from the men's distance medley relay team of Ethan Breen, Tahj Johnson, Napoleon Hernandez and Jackson Krieg, which ranks inside the top 20 nationally.
 
In addition to the first-place finishes, Indiana State picked up 10 more top-five finishes encompassing every event group that the Sycamores fielded in South Bend. Erica Barker moved into the top five in school history in the 3000m, while Jason Dworak also moved into the top 10 in program history in the 5000m.
 
Event Winners

• Ethan Breen, Tahj Johnson, Napoleon Hernandez, Jackson Krieg – distance medley relay (9:50.13, top 15 in Division I)
• Will Staggs – pole vault (5.50m/18-00.50, school record)

 
Top-Three Finishes

• Tahj Johnson – 400m (second, 48.16)
• Morgan Dyer, Iyanla Hunter, Halle Miller, Emma Gresham – distance medley relay (second, 12:00.15)
• Kevin Krutsch – high jump (second, 2.00m/6-06.75)
• Daunte Majors – 200m (third, 21.39, third in program history)
• Piere Hill – long jump (third, 6.94m/22-09.25)

 
Sprints/Hurdles
Tahj Johnson and Daunte Majors paced Indiana State's sprints group in South Bend, with both picking up top-three finishes in their respective events. Johnson won his heat in the 400m with a time of 48.16, which also ranked second in the championship field. Majors ran a 200m time of 21.39, which ranked third in both the meet and in program history.
 
Iyanla Hunter also had a strong showing in the 400m with a season-best time of 56.46, while the Trees put together a solid performance in both the men's and women's 200m. Majors was joined in the top 10 of the men's 200m by Terrance O'Bannon (22.09), while Janiya Bowman (24.65) and Sophie Yovanovich (25.04) both placed in the top 15 in a deep women's 200m field.
 
Distance
Indiana State's distance crew had a banner day at Notre Dame, led by a pair of highly-rated distance medley relay teams. The Sycamores' contingent of Ethan Breen, Johnson, Napoleon Hernandez and Jackson Krieg placed first with a time of 9:50.13, one that ranks third in program history and inside the top 15 in Division I this season. On the women's side, Morgan Dyer, Hunter, Halle Miller and Emma Gresham placed second with a time of 12:00.15, which puts the Sycamore quartet inside the top 50 nationally. Both Indiana State DMR teams rank first in the MVC.
 
Erica Barker moved her way up the program charts for the Sycamores, running a career-best 3000m time of 9:38.99 to vault into the top five in program history in the event. Barker sits fourth in program history following her performance in South Bend.
 
Jason Dworak also had a meet to remember for the Sycamores, climbing into the top 10 in program history in the 5000m with a time of 14:35.66. Dworak also paced Indiana State's contingent in the men's mile with a time of 4:08.65, just ahead of teammates Breen (4:08.93) and Krieg (4:09.83).
 
Indiana State also got season-best performances from Gresham (4:59.86) and Dyer (5:08.12) in the mile, along with Emerson Fayman in the 3000m (8:29.58).
 
Jumps/Pole Vault
Will Staggs' record-setting performance in the pole vault headlined another strong performance for the Sycamore jumps group. Staggs became the first person in program history to clear 5.50m (18-00.50), breaking a program record that he set on two occasions. Indiana State also got a strong showing in the women's pole vault, with Brooklyn Giertz-Pfaff clearing 3.90m (12-09.50) and Selene Weaver clearing 3.75m (12-03.50) to earn top-five finishes.
 
The Sycamores picked up top-three finishes in two more jumps events over the weekend, with Kevin Krutsch clearing 2.00m (6-06.75) to place second in the high jump and Piere Hill finishing third in the long jump with a top mark of 6.94m (22-09.25). Jaden Smith also earned a top-five finish in the triple jump with a top mark of 14.47m 47-05.75).
 
Indiana State earned a pair of top-10 finishes in the women's long jump, as Claire Pittman continued her strong season with a top mark of 5.77m (18-11.75). Faith Frye also placed in the top 10 with a mark of 5.38m (17-08.00).
 
Up Next
A second straight split-squad weekend awaits for Indiana State, which will send athletes to the GVSU Big Meet, Marian Indoor Invitational and Tyson Invitational the weekend of Feb. 9-10.
 
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