CHICAGO – Indiana State captured the MVC Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship for the third time in the last four years Monday, as the Sycamores repeated as conference champions at Gately Park.
 
The championship was Indiana State's ninth women's indoor track and field title (1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2014, 2015, 2022, 2024, 2025) and the 48th conference championship for the Sycamore Track and Field/Cross Country programs. Indiana State finished second on the men's side, the program's fifth straight top-two finish.
 
Indiana State finished with 123 points on the women's side, winning the title by 18 points over Illinois State. The Trees finished with 146 points on the men's side, 9.5 behind Northern Iowa.
 
The Sycamores racked up a plethora of specialty awards, including a sweep of the MVC Elite 18, which goes to the student-athletes with the highest GPA among medalists. Emma Gresham (4.0, Environmental Geoscience) and Will Staggs (3.96, Applied Medicine) were the Elite 18 recipients. In addition, Casey Hood Jr. was named the MVC Most Outstanding Men's Indoor Track Athlete and Jahnel Bowman was tabbed the MVC Women's Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year.
 
Team Scores
MEN
1. Northern Iowa – 155.5
2. Indiana State – 146
3. Illinois State – 130.5
4. Bradley – 95
5. Southern Illinois – 65.5
6. Drake – 33
7. Belmont – 16.5
8. UIC – 11
T9. Valparaiso – 5
T9. Evansville - 5
 
WOMEN
1. Indiana State - 123
2. Illinois State – 105
3. Northern Iowa – 82
4. Bradley - 76
5. Murray State – 75.5
6. Belmont – 71.5
7. Drake – 50
8. Southern Illinois – 36
9. Missouri State – 35
10. UIC - 9
 
Monday MVC Champions

• Casey Hood Jr. – 60m (6.60), 200m (21.21)
• Rachel Mehringer – 60m hurdles (8.19, MVC Championship record)
• Jahnel Bowman – triple jump (12.13m/39-9.75)
• Wyatt Puff – shot put (18.58m/60-11.5)

 
Monday All-Conference

• Terrance O'Bannon – 60m (second, 6.69)
• Emma Gresham – 3000m (third, 9:26.02)
• David Carnell – 60m hurdles (second, 8.11)
• Kevin Krutsch – high jump (second, 2.07m/6-9.5)
• Ellie Irwin – high jump (third, 1.72m/5-7.75)
• Dominique Wood – triple jump (third, 12.06m/39-6.75)

 
Monday Scorers

• Daunte Majors – 200m (sixth, 21.67)
• Janiya Bowman – 200m (sixth, 24.34)
• Ivan Weaver – 400m (fourth, 47.94)
• Trent Jones – 400m (sixth, 48.69)
• Tahj Johnson – 400m (sixth, 48.69)
• Jason Dworak – mile (fourth, 4:16.03)
• Emma Gresham – mile (fifth, 4:45.93)
• Parker Doyle – 60m hurdles (fifth, 8.21)
• Collin Forrest – 60m hurdles (sixth, 8.22)
• Ivan Weaver, Tahj Johnson, Caden Emmert, Trent Jones – 4x400m relay (fourth, 3:15.67)
• Noah Gilmore – high jump (fourth, 1.99m/6-6.25)
• Kilan Macklin – high jump (sixth, 1.99m/6-6.25)
• Amare Draughn – high jump (seventh, 1.94m/6-4.25)
• Jaden Smith – triple jump (fifth, 14.56m/47-9.25)
• Justice Boston – triple jump (fifth, 11.80m/38-8.75)
• Aaliyah Thurman – triple jump (eighth, 11.54m/37-10.5)
• Sloan Cox – shot put (seventh, 17.98m/59-0)
• Elias Foor – shot put (eighth, 17.71m/58-1.25)
• Aliseonna Garnett – shot put (fourth, 14.85m/48-8.75)
• Olivia Marshall – shot put (eighth, 13.58m/44-6.75)

 
Sunday Recap
 
Sprints/Hurdles
Indiana State's sprints and hurdles groups continued their rich tradition on Championship Monday with a trio of individual titles. Rachel Mehringer broke the MVC Championship record in the 60m hurdles with a school record-tying 8.19, while Casey Hood Jr. swept the top spot in both the 60m (6.60) and 200m (21.21). Hood Jr. was joined on the 60m podium by Terrance O'Bannon (6.69), while David Carnell earned all-conference honors in the 60m hurdles (8.11).
 
The Sycamores had three athletes score points in the men's 400m, as Ivan Weaver (47.94) finished fourth while Trent Jones (48.69) and Tahj Johnson (48.69) finished in a tie for sixth. Indiana State also had three score in the men's 60 hurdles, with Carnell in second, Parker Doyle (8.21) in fifth and Collin Forrest (8.22) in sixth. In addition, the Sycamores added sixth-place finishes in the 200m from Daunte Majors (21.67) and Janiya Bowman (24.34).
 
Indiana State's men's 4x400m relay team, which consisted of Weaver, Jones, Caden Emmert and Johnson, finished fourth with a time of 3:15.67. The Sycamores' women's 4x400m relay team of Noelle Dilosa, Jahnel Bowman, Kamille Gaskin-Griffith and Halle Miller placed 10th with a time of 3:59.03.
 
Mid-Distance/Distance
Indiana State got high-level performances from the distance crew on Championship Monday, including an all-conference performance from Emma Gresham in the 3000m. Gresham placed third with a time of 9:26.02, and also earned a fifth-place finish in the mile at 4:45.93, with her 3000m and mile times both ranking in the top three in program history.
 
Gresham wasn't the only Sycamore distance runner to score points Monday, as Jason Dworak placed fourth in the mile with a time of 4:16.03. In addition to the scoring marks, Brittney Burak ran a career-best 9:48.95 in the 3000m to rank in the top 10 in program history in the event.
 
Jumps
Monday was a big day for the jumps group, with double-digit points for the Blue and White in both the men's high jump and women's triple jump. Jahnel Bowman won the triple jump in her first indoor championships, with her mark of 12.13m (39-9.75) winning by a mere four centimeters. Dominique Wood (12.06m/39-6.75) earned all-conference honors with a third-place finish in her final championships, while Justice Boston (11.80m/38-8.75) and Aaliyah Thurman (11.54m/37-10.5) picked up points in fifth and eighth, respectively. Wood's mark also moved her into the top 10 in program history.
 
Indiana State had four scorers in the men's high jump, led by Kevin Krutsch in second at 2.07m (6-9.5) to earn all-conference. Noah Gilmore and Kilan Macklin both cleared 1.99m (6-6.25), with Gilmore finishing fourth and Macklin placing sixth based on misses. Amare Draughn finished in a tie for seventh after clearing 1.94m (6-4.25), with Ethan Widenhoefer also clearing that same mark to place 11th.
 
The Sycamores also had an all-conference performer in the women's high jump, as Ellie Irwin matched her season-best clearance of 1.72m (5-7.75) to place third. Jaden Smith added a fifth-place finish in the triple jump with a mark of 14.56m (47-9.25).
 
Throws
Wyatt Puff made sure that his final indoor championships was a memorable one, winning his first individual conference title in the shot put with a mark of 18.58m (60-11.5). Puff wasn't the only scorer in the event, though, was Sloan Cox (17.98m/59-0) and Elias Foor (17.71m/58-1.25) finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
 
Indiana State also had multiple scorers in the women's shot put, with Aliseonna Garnett leading the way in fourth with a mark of 14.85m (48-8.75). Olivia Marshall also picked up a point in her championships debut, finishing eighth with a top mark of 13.58m (44-6.75).
 
Multis
Indiana State's multis completed the second half of the heptathlon Monday, with a pair of Sycamores earning points in the event. Jake Ottersbach placed fifth with a career-best and program top-10 total of 4979 points. Ottersbach had a career-best mark in the pole vault (3.95m/12-11.5) and also added a strong 60m hurdles time (8.42) on day two.
 
Ty Newsom also moved into the top 10 in program history in the heptathlon, with his career-best score of 4814 also placing him eighth. Newsom's career-best marks of 2:52.03 in the 1000m and 3.75m (12-3.5) in the pole vault propelled him past teammate Zenon Rule, who finished ninth with a career-best 4805 points. Rule also tallied career-bests in the pole vault (4.45m/14-11) and 1000m (3:04.61) on the final day of competition.
 
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