TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State track and field begins competition at the 2025 NCAA East First Round Wednesday afternoon, with 16 Sycamore entries set to compete over the course of four days at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium.
Men's competition days are Wednesday and Friday, with women's competition days set for Thursday and Saturday.
Strength In Numbers
Indiana State has double-digit entries at the NCAA East First Round for the fourth straight season, with the Blue and White having 16 entries and 14 athletes qualify for the 2025 NCAA East First Round. The Trees had 14 entries at the 2024 NCAA East First Round (17 athletes), 14 entries at the 2023 NCAA East First Round (15 athletes) and 15 entries at the 2022 NCAA East First Round (12 athletes).
The Sycamores are in the midst of their best stretch in over a decade from a regional standpoint, with the current four-year stretch of double-digit entries being the program's best since a 10-year stretch from 2006-15.
Trees Atop The Valley
Indiana State continued its dominance of the Missouri Valley Conference, sweeping the MVC Outdoor Championships for the second straight season. A year after winning all four conference track and field titles, the latter two on home soil, the Sycamores won their fourth straight MVC Men's Outdoor Championship and second consecutive MVC Women's Outdoor Championship.
Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Indiana State has won 12 out of a possible 16 MVC Track and Field Championships (2022-24 men's indoor, 2022 women's indoor, 2024-25 women's indoor, 2022-25 men's outdoor, 2024-25 women's outdoor). The vast majority of those conference titles have seen the Sycamores wrap up the top spot before the 4x400m relay, the final event of the championships.
Run It Back
Nine of Indiana State's 14-athlete delegation for the NCAA East First Round has previous postseason experience, including a pair of All-Americans in
Casey Hood Jr. (2025 indoor) and
Will Staggs (2023 outdoor, 2024 indoor).
Staggs (2022-25) and
Wyatt Puff (2021-23, 2025) will be making their fourth NCAA East First Round appearances, the most of anyone on the team.
Terrance O'Bannon (2023-DNC, 2024-25) will be at his third NCAA East First Round, while
Noah Bolt (2023, 2025),
Collin Forrest (2024-DNC, 2025),
Lillian Gibbs (2024-25), Hood Jr. (2024-25),
Rachel Mehringer (2024-25) and
Brooklyn Pfaff (2024-25) are all making their second NCAA East First Round appearance.
Welcome To The Show
Indiana State has five athletes who will be making their NCAA East First Round debut during the week in Jacksonville, with three men and two women representing the Sycamores at the regional round for the first time in their careers.
Three of the five Sycamore debutants come in throws events, with
Niesha Anderson (hammer throw),
Sloan Cox (shot put) and
Aliseonna Garnett (shot put) all reaching the NCAA East First Round for the first time in their respective careers.
Ryan Handy (3000m steeplechase) and
Kilan Macklin (long jump) are also making their NCAA East First Round debut in 2025.
Those figures don't include
Collin Forrest, who was an alternate for the 4x100m relay last season but did not compete, along with
Casey Hood Jr. and
Terrance O'Bannon, who have competed in relays in previous seasons but are competing in individual sprints events at the regional round for the first time in their careers.
Meet The Sycamores
Indiana State's 14 athletes in the 2025 NCAA East First Round are scheduled to compete in 16 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.
Niesha Anderson | Hammer Throw
Thursday, May 29 | 10 a.m.
Anderson came through in the clutch at the MVC Outdoor Championships with a career-best mark of 58.51m (191-11) to finish as runner-up in the event in the conference. She ranks in the top 10 in program history with her mark from the conference championships and will be making her NCAA East First Round debut Thursday. Anderson is in the first flight of the hammer throw.
Noah Bolt | Discus
Friday, May 30 | 1 p.m.
Bolt won the MVC discus title for the first time in his career in 2025, and was also an all-conference selection in the hammer throw during the outdoor campaign. He ranks in the top 10 in program history in both the discus (56.48m/185-4) and hammer throw (61.65m/202-3), and will be making his second NCAA East First Round appearance (2023). Bolt is in the third flight of the discus.
Sloan Cox | Shot Put
Wednesday, May 28 | 6 p.m.
Cox broke the school record in the shot put at the MVC Outdoor Championships with his 18.62m (61-1.25) launch to place second in the conference in the event. One of two Sycamores to qualify in the men's shot put, Cox will be making his NCAA East First Round debut and has the rare feat of holding the shot put record at two different schools (Indiana State and Bellarmine). He is in the third flight of the shot put.
Collin Forrest | 110m Hurdles
Wednesday, May 28 | 6 p.m. (first round)
Friday, May 30 | 6:15 p.m. (quarterfinals)
The two-time defending 110m hurdles champion in the MVC, Forrest will compete at the NCAA East First Round for the first time in his career after being an alternate for the 4x100m relay last season. His time of 13.84, which was run in Terre Haute, ranks among the top 10 in program history for all-conditions times, and he led a 110m hurdles group which finished the regular season ranked in the top 15 nationally. Forrest is in lane nine of heat five, and will need to either finish in the top three of his heat or be one of the six fastest times among those who don't automatically qualify to advance to Friday's quarterfinal.
Aliseonna Garnett | Shot Put
Thursday, May 29 | 6 p.m.
Garnett was an all-conference honoree in the shot put with a mark of 15.30m (50-2.5), and surpassed the 15-meter mark twice during the 2025 outdoor season. She ranks among the top 10 in program history in both the shot put (15.34m/50-4) and discus (49.02m/160-10), both of which were thrown this season. Garnett is in the first flight of the shot put, and will be making her NCAA East First Round debut.
Lillian Gibbs | Javelin
Thursday, May 29 | 2:30 p.m.
Indiana State's school record holder in the javelin, Gibbs owns the top eight marks in the MVC this season headlined by her current record of 48.04m (157-7) which was set in Terre Haute. Gibbs was MVC runner-up in the event for the second straight season and will be making her second appearance at the NCAA East First Round. She is in the second flight of the javelin.
Ryan Handy | 3000m Steeplechase
Friday, May 30 | 5:40 p.m.
Handy is Indiana State's first NCAA East First Round qualifier in a distance event since 2021, and earned his spot in the field in a major way. He won the steeplechase at the MVC Outdoor Championships with a career-best time of 8:51.38, a top 10 time in program history and his second time under the 9-minute mark this season, to secure his place in the field. Handy is in the second heat of the steeplechase, and will need to finish in the top three in his heat or among the three fastest times among those who don't automatically qualify to punch his ticket to Eugene.
Casey Hood Jr. | 100m and 200m
Wednesday, May 28 | 7 p.m. (100m first round)
Wednesday, May 28 | 8:45 p.m. (200m first round)
Friday, May 30 | 6:35 p.m. (100m quarterfinals)
Friday, May 30 | 7:50 p.m. (200m quarterfinals)
The 2025 MVC Most Valuable Athlete and a Second Team All-American during indoor season, Hood will compete in both the 100m and 200m, events where he earned all-conference accolades this season. It will be his first individual events at the NCAA East First Round after previously representing the Trees in the 4x100m relay at this stage. He is Indiana State's record holder in the 100 with a wind-legal 10.08 and is second in program history in the 200 at 20.64. Hood Jr. is in lane six of heat six for the 100m and lane three of heat five for the 200m, and will need to either finish in the top three of his heat or be one of the six fastest times among those who don't automatically qualify to advance to Friday's quarterfinals.
Kilan Macklin | Long Jump
Wednesday, May 28 | 4:30 p.m.
Macklin made his mark in his debut season with the Sycamores, climbing into the top 10 in program history with his long jump mark of 7.56m (24-9.75), which was set at Louisville in April. He earned all-conference accolades in the long jump and also scored points in the high jump this season at the conference championships. An NCAA East First Round debutant, Macklin is in the first flight of the long jump.
Rachel Mehringer | 100m Hurdles
Thursday, May 29 | 6 p.m. (first round)
Saturday, May 31 | 6:15 p.m. (quarterfinals)
The Indiana State and Missouri Valley Conference record holder in the 100m hurdles, Mehringer won her second straight MVC crown in the event by breaking the championship record at 13.07. She also owns the conference record at 13.04, which was set in Terre Haute, and has a slightly wind-aided 13.03 on her resume this season as well. Mehringer, who will be making her second appearance at the NCAA East First Round, is in lane five of heat six, and will need to either finish in the top three of her heat or be one of the six fastest times among those who don't automatically qualify to advance to Friday's quarterfinals.
Terrance O'Bannon | 110m
Wednesday, May 28 | 7 p.m. (first round)
Friday, May 30 | 6:35 p.m. (quarterfinals)
O'Bannon won his second straight MVC 100m title with a time of 10.36, and has run three times of 10.30 or faster this season. His two fastest times of 10.20 and 10.23 were both run in Terre Haute this month, with his times consistently improving with the weather getting warmer. O'Bannon is in lane two of heat three, and will need to either finish in the top three of his heat or be one of the six fastest times among those who don't automatically qualify to advance to Friday's quarterfinals.
Brooklyn Pfaff | Pole Vault
Thursday, May 29 | 5:30 p.m.
Pfaff, the MVC outdoor pole vault champion in 2025, received good news just hours after the original declarations were announced, as she was a late addition to the field. She ranks within the top 10 in program history in the event with her clearance of 4.15m (13-7.25) last season, and has a top clearance of 4.09m (13-5) this season. A model of consistency, Pfaff has cleared 3.81m (12-6) or better at every meet this season, including twice going above the 4-meter mark. Pfaff is in the first flight, with both pits running simultaneously.
Wyatt Puff | Shot Put and Discus
Wednesday, May 28 | 6 p.m. (shot put)
Friday, May 30 | 1 p.m. (discus)
Puff is making his fourth appearance at the NCAA East First Round and is pulling double-duty at the preliminary round for the third time in his career. The MVC runner-up in the discus, he ranks among the program leaders in both the shot put (18.47m/60-7.25) and discus (career-best 56.53m/185-5, season-best 55.06m/180-8). Puff scored double-digit points at three different MVC Outdoor Championships (2022, 2023, 2025) and also won the shot put at the 2025 MVC Indoor Championships. He is in the second flight of both the shot put and discus.
Will Staggs | Pole Vault
Wednesday, May 28 | 5:30 p.m.
A two-time All-American and the Indiana State indoor and outdoor pole vault record holder, Staggs is making his fourth NCAA East First Round appearance and looking to earn his second NCAA Outdoor National Championships berth. He cleared 5.53m (18-1.75) earlier this month at Ohio State and also has a clearance of 5.51m (18-1) at Louisville. Staggs has cleared 5.40m (17-8.5) or better at five meets this outdoor season. He is in the second flight, with both pits running simultaneously.
Where The Sycamores Are Seeded
Below is a list of where each of Indiana State's athletes are seeded in the NCAA East First Round field.
- Will Staggs – pole vault (fourth, 5.53m/18-1.75)
- Rachel Mehringer – 100m hurdles (11th, 13.03)
- Casey Hood Jr. – 100m (14th, 10.08), 200m (32nd, 20.64)
- Sloan Cox – shot put (24th, 18.62m/61-1.25)
- Noah Bolt – discus (23rd, 56.48m/185-4)
- Wyatt Puff – shot put (28th 18.47m/60-9.75), discus (33rd, 55.06m/180-8)
- Lillian Gibbs – javelin (30th, 48.04m/157-7)
- Collin Forrest – 110m hurdles (30th, 13.84)
- Niesha Anderson – hammer throw (37th, 58.51m/191-11)
- Terrance O'Bannon – 100m (39th, 10.23)
- Kilan Macklin – long jump (43rd, 7.56m/24-9.75)
- Ryan Handy – 3000m steeplechase (44th, 8:51.38)
- Brooklyn Pfaff – pole vault (48th, 4.09m/13-5)
- Aliseonna Garnett – shot put (48th, 15.34m/50-4)
What's At Stake
The top 12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on the Sycamore Track & Field and Cross Country teams, make sure to check out
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