TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Competing inside the friendly confines of the Gibson Track and Field Complex for the second straight weekend, Indiana State closed its home regular season slate with first-place finishes on both the men's and women's side at the Sycamore Open.
The Sycamores had multiple highlight-worthy performances on home soil, with
Brooklyn Giertz-Pfaff firmly entering the NCAA East First Round qualifying mix in the pole vault and
Elias Foor moving his way to the fringe of US Olympic Trials marks in the discus. Season and personal bests came by the bunches for the Trees on Saturday, with Indiana State's athletes taking advantage of ideal weather conditions to post their best marks of the year.
As a team, Indiana State recorded 15 first-place finishes, with nine on the men's side and six on the women's side. The Sycamores finished with 188.5 points on the men's side and 161 points on the women's side.
Event Winners
Top-Three Finishes
- Alysha Bradford – 200m (second, 24.79)
- Hadley Gradolf – 1500m (second, 4:59.26)
- Chloe Rolen – 100m hurdles (second, 15.22)
- Jake Ottersbach – 110m hurdles (second, 14.80)
- Claire Pittman – long jump (second, 5.84m/19-02.00)
- Jaden Smith – triple jump (second, 14.41m/47-03.50)
- Gavin Connelly – shot put (second, 15.14m/49-08.25)
- Sophie Yovanovich – 100m (third, 12.40)
- Ryan Handy – 1500m (third, 4:00.17)
- Graham West – 400m hurdles (third, 57.81)
- Kaylen Gustafson – 400m hurdles (third, 1:09.28)
- Essence Johnson – high jump (third, 1.50m/4-11.00)
- Abby Ballengee – pole vault (third, 3.80m/12-05.50)
- Faith Frye – long jump (third, 5.54m/18-02.25)
- Ali Ilupeju – triple jump (third, 14/10m/46-03.25)
- Aliseonna Garnett – shot put (third, 12.70m/41-08.00)
- Ryan Golliher – hammer throw (third, 57.56m/188-10)
- Cloe Clark – javelin (third, 34.83m/114-03)
Sprints/Hurdles
Terrance O'Bannon's return to the track was a successful one, as he clocked a wind-legal time of 10.46 to win the 100m in his first meet since the outdoor season opener. O'Bannon was one of three Sycamore men to win in the sprints and hurdles events, alongside season-best performances from both
Collin Forrest (14.24) in the 110m hurdles and
Quincy Armstrong (52.66) in the 400m hurdles. The Trees also had top-three finishes from
Jake Ottersbach (14.80) in the 110m hurdles and
Graham West (57.81) in the 400m hurdles.
Indiana State also got strong performances from its women's sprinters, as
Alysha Bradford clocked a career-best 24.79 in the 200m and
Sophie Yovanovich ran her best collegiate 100m with a time of 12.40 and added an outdoor season-best 200m time of 25.33.
Chloe Rolen (15.22) added a second-place finish in the 100m hurdles, while
Kaylen Gustafson (1:09.28) placed third in the 400m hurdles.
Mid-Distance/Distance
While the majority of Indiana State's distance group competed at the Drake Relays, the Sycamores still made positive strides on their home track. The Trees had the top finishers in both 1500m races, with
Ryan York winning the men's 1500 at 3:56.60 and
Sara Skaff pacing the women's 1500 with a time of 4:54.39. Indiana State also had additional top-three finishers in both 1500s, with
Hadley Gradolf (4:59.26) placing second on the women's side and
Ryan Handy (4:00.17) finishing third on the men's side.
Indiana State also had a pair of top-five finishes in the women's 800m, led by
Kyra Young placing fourth with a time of 2:21.96.
Michelle Gasmund finished fifth with a time of 2:23.03.
Jumps
Indiana State's jumps group posted another strong weekend, with four first-place finishes Saturday. The Trees swept the pole vault titles, with
Will Staggs clearing 5.33m (17-05.75) on the men's side and
Brooklyn Giertz-Pfaff clearing a career-best 4.15m (13-07.25) on the women's side. Giertz-Pfaff climbed to fourth in program history in the event, while
Abby Ballengee,
Kennedy Merrell and
Landis Brandon all cleared 3.80 (12-05.50) for the Sycamores.
Shomari Rogers-Walton continued his strong April for the Sycamores, winning the triple jump with a season-best mark of 15.33m (50-03.50). Rogers-Walton,
Jaden Smith (14.41m/47-03.50) and
Ali Ilupeju (14.10m/46-03.25) swept the podium in the men's triple jump for the Trees, while
Claire Pittman (5.84m/19-02.00) and
Faith Frye (5.54m/18-02.25) had podium finishes in the women's long jump.
The Trees also had a pair of top-three finishes in the women's high jump, led by
Kayla Douglas clearing a career-best mark of 1.63m (5-04.25).
Essence Johnson also earned a top-three finish for the Blue and White after clearing 1.50m (4-11.00).
Throws
Indiana State's throwers have been strong all season and Saturday's Sycamore Open was no different.
Elias Foor led the way for the Trees with wins in both the discus (59.30m/194-07) and hammer throw (62.29m/204-04), with his mark in the hammer a career-best and his mark in the discuss setting the Gibson Track and Field Complex record.
Brett Norton added a win in the shot put (18.05m/59-02.75), while the Trees also got top-three finishes in throws events from
Gavin Connelly (shot put, 15.14m/49-08.25) and
Ryan Golliher (hammer throw, 57/56m/188-10).
Hannah Redlin was also a winner of multiple events for the Sycamores, earning first-place finishes in both the shot put (14.61m/47-11.25) and discus (48.07m/157-08).
Lillian Gibbs also added a win in the javelin for the Trees with a mark of 40.76m (133-09), while Indiana State also got top-three finishes from
Aliseonna Garnett (12.70m/41-08.00) in the shot put and
Cloe Clark (34.83m/114-03) in the javelin.
Up Next
Indiana State's final meet before the MVC Outdoor Championships is the Billy Hayes Invitational Friday in Bloomington, Indiana.
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