TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State track and field begins competition at the 2024 NCAA East First Round Wednesday morning, with 17 Sycamores set to compete over the course of four days at the UK Outdoor Track and Field Complex in Lexington, Kentucky.
Men's competition days are Wednesday and Friday, with women's competition days set for Thursday and Saturday.
The Forest Runs Deep
Indiana State's 17-athlete delegation is the Sycamores' most at an NCAA East First Round since 2015. The Trees have had double-digit athletes and entries in each of the last three NCAA East First Rounds, marking the first time that the Sycamores have had three or more consecutive seasons with double-digit regional qualifiers since a 10-year stretch from 2006-15 with double-digit qualifiers and entries.
In addition to the continued success in the NCAA East Region, Indiana State will look to increase its presence on the national stage once again. The Sycamores have had at least one athlete qualify for the NCAA Outdoor National Championships in 18 of the last 19 editions (2004-17, 2019, 2021-23 – no championships were contested in 2020), including each of the last four.
Will Staggs was Indiana State's most recent NCAA National Championships qualifier, earning Second Team All-America honors at the 2024 NCAA Indoor National Championships.
Running It Back
Of Indiana State's 17 NCAA East First Round participants, eight have previous experience at the NCAA regional rounds. Seven of those eight with previous experience –
Elias Foor,
Kevin Krutsch,
Daunte Majors,
Brett Norton,
Terrance O'Bannon,
Will Staggs and
Isiah Thomas – were a part of Indiana State's delegation at the 2023 NCAA East First Round in Jacksonville, Florida.
Shomari Rogers-Walton's last NCAA East First Round appearance came in 2022 in Bloomington, Indiana.
The Syacmores' returning NCAA East First Round field isn't just one-year wonders, either. Krutsch (2021, 2023-24), Norton (2022-24) and Staggs (2022-24) are all making their third NCAA East First Round appearance.
Fresh Faces In The Fold
Nine Sycamores will be making their NCAA East Preliminary Round debuts over the course of the week in Lexington. Seven of the nine debutants for Indiana State are freshmen or sophomores, with
Tahj Johnson and
Grace Quinlan the only upperclassmen in their first NCAA East First Round, while Indiana State's 2024 NCAA East First Round delegation features four freshmen in
Lillian Gibbs,
Casey Hood Jr.,
Rachel Mehringer and
Jaden Smith.
The Sycamores' group of debutants features multiple athletes who made their marks on the biggest stage this season.
Ali Ilupeju, Mehringer, Quinlan and Smith all recorded their top marks of the season in Indiana State's sweep of the 2024 MVC Outdoor Championships.
Atop The Charts
Indiana State completed a sweep of the MVC Men's and Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the first time in program history Sunday, winning both the men's and women's outdoor titles at the Gibson Track and Field Complex.
The Sycamores finished with a program record 221.5 points on the men's side, surpassing the 200-point mark for the first time ever and finishing 69.5 points ahead of second-place Illinois State. Indiana State recorded 158 points on the women's side, finishing 21.5 points ahead of second-place Murray State
Indiana State had 12 event champions over the course of the three-day meet, half of which came during a dominant Championship Sunday performance for the Sycamores.
Elias Foor was named the MVC Most Valuable Men's Track and Field Athlete of the championships following three all-conference performances and scoring in all four throws events, while
Jake Ottersbach was named the MVC Men's Track and Field Freshman of the Year after winning the decathlon.
Meet The Sycamores
Indiana State's 17 athletes in the NCAA East First Round are scheduled to compete in 12 events over the course of the four-day regional meet. Below is a summary of each qualified Sycamore, along with their event schedule for the week and season highlights.
Elias Foor | Discus and Hammer Throw
Wednesday, May 22 | 10 a.m. (Hammer Throw)
Friday, May 24 | 1 p.m. (Discus)
Foor was named the 2024 Most Valuable Athlete of the MVC Outdoor Championships after scoring in all four throws events, including three all-conference performances. He won the discus, an event that he ranks 10th in the NCAA East Region in (59.51m/195-03), and he also owns Indiana State's facility record in the event. Foor is also qualified in the hammer throw, where he is seeded 38th (62.29m/204-04).
Collin Forrest | 4x100m Relay (alternate)
Friday, May 24 | 5 p.m.
Forrest won the 110m hurdles at the MVC Outdoor Championships with a career-best time of 14.05. He also has experience running the sprints events, having competed in the 200m this season.
Lillian Gibbs | Javelin
Thursday, May 23 | 1 p.m.
Indiana State's school record holder in the javelin, Gibbs wasted no time making her mark on the program by breaking the program record in just her third collegiate meet (45.32m/148-08). She was runner-up in the event at the MVC Outdoor Championships.
Brooklyn Giertz-Pfaff | Pole Vault
Thursday, May 23 | 6:30 p.m.
Giertz-Pfaff cracked the top five in program history in the pole vault this season with her career-best clearance of 4.15m (13-07.25) in late April. She was the runner-up in the event at the MVC Outdoor Championships.
Casey Hood Jr. | 4x100m Relay
Friday, May 24 | 5 p.m.
Hood Jr. has been a mainstay on the Sycamores' 4x100m relay this season, running either the opening or anchor leg. He won the 60m at the MVC Indoor Championships, ran the anchor leg of the conference-winning 4x100m relay and also scored points in the 100m at the MVC Outdoor Championships.
Ali Ilupeju | Long Jump
Wednesday, May 22 | 6 p.m.
Ilupeju saved the best jump of his career for when it mattered most, winning the long jump at the MVC Outdoor Championships with his mark of 7.64m (25-00.75) on his final attempt. He also placed fourth in the triple jump at the conference championships.
Tahj Johnson | 4x100m Relay (alternate)
Friday, May 24 | 5 p.m.
Johnson ran the anchor leg of Indiana State's school-record 4x100m relay this season at Illinois, and has been an integral part of multiple top-10 relay times in program history. He also ran the fastest 400m time for a Sycamore since 2017 at Tennesse in April.
Kevin Krutsch | High Jump
Friday, May 24 | 2 p.m.
Krutsch cleared a season-best 2.10m (6-10.75) at Tennessee and has won each of the last two MVC outdoor high jump titles. He has cleared 2.05m (6-08.75) or higher in each of his last three meets.
Daunte Majors | 4x100m Relay
Friday, May 24 | 5 p.m.
Majors has run the second leg in every 4x100m relay for the Sycamores this season, including the school record and conference title-winning relay teams. He also placed second in the 100m this season at the MVC Outdoor Championships.
Rachel Mehringer | 100m Hurdles
Thursday, May 23 | 6 p.m. (First Round)
Saturday, May 25 | 6:15 p.m. (Quarterfinals)
Indiana State's school record holder in the 100m hurdles, Mehringer has run a wind-legal 13.38 this season and also clocked a slightly wind-aided time of 13.05 in the prelims at the conference championships. She won the 60m hurdles conference title indoors and the 100m hurdles outdoors.
Brett Norton | Shot Put
Wednesday, May 22 | 6:30 p.m.
Norton is tied for the school record in the shot put at 18.40m (60-03.25) and has thrown a season-best 18.37 (60-04.50) this year. He was the runner-up in the event at the MVC Outdoor Championships and also earned all-conference in the discus.
Terrance O'Bannon | 4x100m Relay
Friday, May 24 | 5 p.m.
O'Bannon won the 100m at the MVC Outdoor Championships and also ran the opening leg of the Sycamores' conference title-winning 4x100m relay. He ranks third in program history in the 100m with his time of 10.35 from last season.
Grace Quinlan | High Jump
Saturday, May 25 | 2 p.m.
Quinlan cleared an outdoor career-best 1.76m (5-09.25) at the MVC Outdoor Championships and also cleared 1.77m (5-09.75) during the 2023-24 indoor season. She was runner-up in the event at the outdoor conference championships.
Shomari Rogers-Walton | Long Jump and Triple Jump
Wednesday, May 22 | 6 p.m. (Long Jump)
Friday, May 24 | 6 p.m. (Triple Jump)
Rogers-Walton ranks among the best in program history in the long jump and triple jump. He won both events at the MVC Indoor Championships and was runner-up in the long jump at the MVC Outdoor Championships. Rogers-Walton's mark of 7.89m (25-10.75) ranks in the top 10 in the East Region.
Will Staggs | Pole Vault
Wednesday, May 22 | 6:30 p.m.
A two-time All-American at Indiana State, Staggs owns the indoor (5.52m/18-01.25) and outdoor (5.50m/18-00.50) school record in the pole vault, with both marks coming this year. He is a five-time conference champion in the event, having recently set the Indiana State facility record at 5.42m (17-09.25) at the MVC Outdoor Championships.
Jaden Smith | Triple Jump
Friday, May 24 | 6 p.m.
Smith has burst on the scene as a freshman with all-conference honors during both indoor and outdoor season in the triple jump. His top mark of 15.29m (50-02.00) came at the MVC Outdoor Championships.
Isiah Thomas | 4x100m Relay
Friday, May 24 | 5 p.m.
Thomas ran the third leg of every 4x100m relay Indiana State has had in the last two seasons. A fixture in the record books in both the 4x1 and 100m, he also scored in the 60m indoors and the 100m outdoors.
Where The Sycamores Are Seeded
Below is a list of where each of Indiana State's competing athletes are seeded in the NCAA East First Round field.
- Shomari Rogers-Walton – long jump (seventh, 7.89m/25-10.75), triple jump (40th, 15.33m/50-03.50)
- Will Staggs – pole vault (10th, 5.50m/18-00.50)
- Elias Foor – discus (10th, 59.51m/195-03), hammer throw (38th, 62.29m/204-04)
- Rachel Mehringer – 100m hurdles (14th, 13.05)
- Terrance O'Bannon, Daunte Majors, Isiah Thomas, Casey Hood Jr. – 4x100m relay (Tahj Johnson, Collin Forrest, Shomari Rogers-Walton – alternates) (20th, 39.64)
- Brooklyn Giertz-Pfaff – pole vault (27th, 4.15m/13-07.25)
- Brett Norton – shot put (30th, 18.47m/60-03.25)
- Ali Ilupeju – long jump (32nd, 7.64m/25-00.75)
- Grace Quinlan – high jump (42nd, 1.76m/5-09.25)
- Jaden Smith – triple jump (43rd, 15.29m/50-02.00)
- Lillian Gibbs – javelin (45th, 45.32m/148-08)
- Kevin Krutsch – high jump (48th, 2.10m/6-10.75)
What's at Stake
The top 12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships June 5-8 in Eugene, Oregon.
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
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