TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State track and field splits its squad for the second straight weekend Friday and Saturday, with the Sycamores scheduled to compete in a trio of meets over the next two days.
ISU will field entries in the GVSU Big Meet, Marian Invitational and Tyson Invitational. The GVSU Big Meet and Marian Invitational are both one-day meets on Friday, with the Tyson Invitational slated for Friday and Saturday.
Last Time Out
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.
Indiana State also wrapped up its first split-squad weekend of the season Saturday, taking home first-place finishes on both the men's and women's side at the Blue-White Classic inside the ISU Indoor Track and Field Facility.
The Sycamores took home first-place finishes in nine different events Saturday, with every event group picking up at least one first-place finish. Indiana State had at least one top-three finish in all but two events it took part in.
As a team, Indiana State finished with 124 points on the men's side and 179.5 points on the women's side. The Sycamore women finished 94.5 points ahead of second-place Greenville, with the men finishing 48 points ahead of St. Mary-of-the-Woods, who was second.
Weekly Winner
Indiana State pole vaulter
Will Staggs was named the MVC Men's Field Athlete of the Week for the second consecutive week Thursday, as announced by the conference office.
Staggs broke Indiana State's school record in the pole vault at the Meyo Invitational, becoming the first athlete in program history to clear 18 feet in the event. He cleared marks of 5.05m (16-06.75), 5.20m (17-00.75), 5.35m (17-06.50) and the record-breaking mark of 5.50m (18-00.50), all on his first attempts, on his way to a first-place finish in the event.
In the process, Staggs became the first MVC athlete since 2001 to clear 5.50m or better in the pole vault. He ranks first in the MVC, second in the Great Lakes region and 10th in the nation in the event.
Staggs has been named the MVC Men's Field Athlete of the Week a conference-leading four times this season, earning the honor following 80 percent of Indiana State's meets thus far.
Topping The Conference
The USTFCCCA released its first set of conference rankings Monday, with Indiana State leading the way in the MVC. The Sycamores checked in at No. 1 in the conference on both the men's and women's side.
Indiana State is paced by 12 conference-leading marks, with the Sycamores sweeping the top spot in the conference on both the men's and women's side in a pair of events (distance medley relay, shot put). Additionally,
Shomari Rogers-Walton leads the conference in both the long jump and triple jump, while Indiana State tops the MVC in five of the six field events.
Sycamores On The National Stage
Indiana State has found itself among the nation's best in multiple events this season, with three Sycamore entries currently ranked in the top 15 nationally this season.
Will Staggs owns the top individual ranking for the Blue and White, with his school record mark of 5.50m (18-00.50) in the pole vault ranking 10th nationally. Indiana State's men's distance medley relay team of
Ethan Breen,
Tahj Johnson,
Napoleon Hernandez and
Jackson Krieg also finds itself among the best in Division I, as the Sycamore quartet ranks 12th overall with a time of 9:50.13.
Niesha Anderson also finds herself among the best in the nation in the weight throw, as she ranks 15th in Division I with a mark of 21.36m (70-01.00).
All three of Indiana State's top-15 marks also rank among the top three in their events in program history.
The Forest Runs Deep
Indiana State's depth has been on full display this season, as four Sycamore event groups cracked the top 10 in Division I in the latest set of USTFCCCA #EventSquad rankings.
Indiana State's men's 60m and men's triple jump groups own the highest rankings among the Sycamore squad, with both entering the week at No. 7 nationally. Both of Indiana State's men's throws events are also among the top 10, as the men's shot put group comes in at No. 8 and the men's weight throw group checks in at No. 9.
Up Next
Indiana State returns home for its final meet before the MVC Indoor Championships, playing host to the ISU Open the afternoon of February 17.
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.
- #MarchOn -
