TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State track and field closed out the regular season in a big way Friday, with the Sycamores setting season-best marks across the board in the Sycamore Open.
 
The Sycamores finally got a long-awaited meet day of good weather and took full advantage. Multiple records fell for the Blue and White on a picture-perfect day at the John McNichols Memorial Track at the Gibson Track and Field Complex, giving the Sycamores plenty of momentum heading into the conference championships. Rachel Mehringer shattered the facility, school and MVC record in the 100m hurdles, while Lillian Gibbs broke her own school record in the javelin and Will Staggs continued his record-setting ways by breaking his facility record in the pole vault.
 
Friday's season finale was a roaring success for the Blue and White, as Indiana State placed first in 21 different events while recording 53 top-three finishes on the day and setting 14 program top-10 marks. The Sycamores also sent their senior class, which contributed to 10 MVC Championships over the last four years, off on a high note in their final home meet.

 Event Winners

• Terrance O'Bannon – 100m (10.23, third in program history – all conditions)
• Michelle McDonald – 100m (11.61, eighth in program history – all conditions)
• Casey Hood Jr. – 200m (20.64, second in program history)
• Trent Jones – 400m (47.20, fourth in program history)
• Xavier Wills – 800m (1:52.03)
• Halle Miller – 800m (2:14.21)
• Jason Dworak – 1500m (3:48.71)
• Peyton Smith – 1500m (4:34.81)
• Layton Hall – 5000m (15:01.78)
• Rachel Mehringer – 100m hurdles (13.03, ran a wind-legal facility, school and MVC record 13.04 in prelims)
• Collin Forrest – 110m hurdles (13.84, 10th in program history – all conditions)
• Tommy Claxton – 3000m steeplechase (9:47.56)
• Gnister Grant – 3000m steeplechase (11:12.40)
• Casey Hood Jr., Daunte Majors, Matthew Wray, Terrance O'Bannon – 4x100m relay (39.73, third in program history)
• Will Staggs – pole vault (5.43m/17-9.75, facility record)
• Brooklyn Pfaff – pole vault (4.09m/13-5)
• Janiya Bowman – long jump (5.99m/19-8)
• Jaden Smith – triple jump (14.33m/47-0.25)
• Sloan Cox – shot put (18.15m/59-6.75, fourth in program history)
• Noah Bolt – discus (56.48m/185-3, fifth in program history), hammer throw (60.23m/197-7)

 
Top-Three Finishes

• Angel Thomas – 100m (third, 11.82)
• Janiya Bowman – 200m (third, 24.33)
• Tahj Johnson – 400m (third, 47.87)
• Jahnel Bowman – 400m (second, 55.63)
• Nick Burns – 800m (second, 1:52.85)
• Caden Emmert – 800m (third, 1:52.99)
• Ryan York – 1500m (second, 3:49.74)
• Ryan Handy – 1500m (third, 3:53.10)
• Morgan Dyer – 1500m (third, 4:41.89)
• Ian Gadberry – 5000m (second, 15:06.19)
• David Carnell – 110m hurdles (second, 13.98)
• Parker Doyle – 110m hurdles (third, 14.05)
• Noelle Dilosa – 400m hurdles (second, 1:01.97)
• Xander Fackler – 3000m steeplechase (second, 10:02.62)
• Janiya Bowman, Michelle McDonald, Krystian Dilosa, Rachel Mehringer – 4x100m relay (second, 45.46, ninth in program history)
• Noah Gilmore – high jump (second, 2.01m/6-7)
• Ellie Irwin – high jump (third, 1.66m/5-5.25)
• Kennedy Merrell – pole vault (third, 3.69m/12-1.25)
• Ty Newsom – long jump (third, 6.81m/22-4.25)
• Jahnel Bowman – long jump (second, 5.69m/18-8)
• Justice Boston – long jump (third, 5.66m/18-7), triple jump (second, 11.91m/39-1)
• Wyatt Puff – shot put (second, 18.05m/59-2.75)
• Olivia Marshall – shot put (second, 14.66m/48-1.25)
• Aliseonna Garnett – shot put (third, 14.47m/47-5.75), discus (second, 49.02m/160-10, 10th in program history)
• Emma Yoder – discus (third, 47.81m/156-10), hammer throw (third, 51.60m/169-3)
• Niesha Anderson – hammer throw (second, 55.49m/182-0)
• Jake Ottersbach – javelin (third, 47.13m/154-7)
• Lillian Gibbs – javelin (second, 48.04m/157-7, school record)

 
Other Notable Marks

• Daunte Majors – 200m (20.92, seventh in program history)

 
Sprints/Hurdles
Indiana State could not ask for a better day from its sprints and hurdles group, with Rachel Mehringer's MVC record time in the 100m hurdles headlining the day for the Blue and White. Mehringer ran a wind-legal 13.04 in prelims and followed with a 13.03 in finals, breaking her own school record while also beating the previous conference record by more than one-tenth of a second. In addition, she firmly put herself among the top 15 times in the nation this season.
 
Mehringer wasn't the only Sycamore athlete to shine in hurdles events. Collin Forrest (13.84) and David Carnell (13.98) both broke the 14-second mark in the 110m hurdles, with Parker Doyle (14.05) right behind to complete a Sycamore sweep of the top three spots. Forrest moved up to 10th in program history among all-conditions times, while Noelle Dilosa placed second in the 400m hurdles with her career-best time of 1:01.97. Graham West added a career-best 55.56 in the men's 400m hurdles for the Sycamores.
 
Indiana State's sprinters also had a banner day, with four different individuals and both competing relays running program top 10 times. Terrance O'Bannon vaulted up to third in program history among all-conditions 100m times, with his times of 10.20 in prelims and 10.23 in finals putting him in position to reach the NCAA East First Round. Casey Hood Jr. moved up to second in program history in the 200m with a conference-leading time of 20.64 and was joined in the program top 10 by Daunte Majors, who ran a career-best 20.92. Hood Jr. finds himself in strong position to qualify for the NCAA East First Round in both the 100m and 200m.
 
Trent Jones continued his career-best season by cracking the program top-10 charts in the 400m for the first time in his career, as his time of 47.20 moved him all the way to fourth in program history in the event. Tahj Johnson also had a strong showing, placing third with a time of 47.87, while Deangelo Hughey added a season-best 48.48. Jahnel Bowman also added a career-best 400m time on the women' side, finishing second with a time of 55.63. Michelle McDonald also moved her name up the program charts Friday, with her 100m time of 11.61 ranking eighth among all-conditions times in program history. Angel Thomas also ran under the 12-second mark in both prelims and finals, with her finals time of 11.82 placing her third.
 
Both of Indiana State's 4x100m relay teams ran season-best times to move up the program charts Friday. Hood Jr., Majors, Matthew Wray and O'Bannon teamed up to run a time of 39.73 on the men's side, the third-fastest in program history, while Janiya Bowman, McDonald, Krystian Dilosa and Mehringer ran the ninth-fastest time in program history on the women's side at 45.46.
 
Mid-Distance/Distance
Indiana State got strong performances from its distance crew, taking top spot in nearly every event the Sycamores competed in. The Trees swept the top three in the men's 800 with Xavier Wills (1:52.03), Nick Burns (1:52.85) and Caden Emmert (1:52.99) all going sub-1:53, with Halle Miller clocking a time of 2:14.21 to win the women's 800.
 
Indiana State also swept the top three in the men' 1500m, as Jason Dworak (3:48.71) led the way while Ryan York (3:49.74) and Ryan Handy (3:53.10) both ran career-best times. Peyton Smith ran a career-best 4:34.81 to place first in the women' 1500, while Morgan Dyer ran a season-best 4:41.89 to finish third.
 
The Sycamores also went 1-2 in a pair of events on the men's side, the 3000m steeplechase and the 5000m. Tommy Claxton (9:47.56) and Xander Fackler (10:02.62) took the top spots in the steeplechase, while Layton Hall (15:01.78) and Ian Gadberry (15:06.19) had the top two 5000m times. Fackler and Hall both ran career-best times in their respective events, while Gadberry's time was a season best. Gnister Grant won the 3000m steeplechase on the women's side with a career-best time of 11:12.40.
 
Jumps
A sweep of the pole vault titles highlighted another strong meet for the Sycamore jumpers, with Will Staggs and Brooklyn Pfaff collecting event wins in their final home meet. Staggs broke his own facility record by clearing 5.43m (17-9.75), with Dan O'Laughlin also clearing a career-best 4.92m (16-2) to place in the top five. Pfaff cleared a season-best 4.09m (13-5), with Kennedy Merrell and Abby Ballengee both clearing 3.69m (12-1.25) to place in the top five on the women's side. Staggs remains among the national leaders in the pole vault, with Pfaff squarely in the mix for an NCAA East First Round spot.
 
Indiana State's horizontal jumpers produced a pair of first place finishes, including a sweep of the top three spots in the women's long jump. Janiya Bowman had the top mark at 5.99m (19-8), while Jahnel Bowman (5.69m/18-8) and Justice Boston (5.66m/18-7) rounded out the top three. Jaden Smith added a first-place finish in the men's triple jump with a season-best 14.33m (47-0.25), while Boston placed second on the women's side at 11.91m (39-1). Ty Newsom placed third in the men's long jump with a career-best mark of 6.81m (22-4.25).
 
The Blue and White also had a pair of season-best performances in the high jump, with Noah Gilmore clearing 2.01m (6-7) and Xavier Sherrell clearing 1.96m (6-5). Gilmore, Sherrell and Ethan Widenhoefer (1.96m/6-5) all placed in the top five on the men's side, while Ellie Irwin cleared 1.66m (5-5.25) to finish third on the women's side.
 
Throws
Lillian Gibbs broke her own school record in the javelin for the third time this season Friday, with her top mark of 48.04m (157-7) further extending her MVC lead in the event. Gibbs and Brooklyn Pfaff (40.47m/132-9) both earned top-five finishes on the women's side, while Jake Ottersbach had a career-best mark of 47.13m (154-7) to finish third on the men's side.
 
Indiana State went 1-2 in the men's shot put, with Sloan Cox's winning throw of 18.15m (59-6.75) moving him to fourth in program history in the event. Wyatt Puff finished second with a mark of 18.05m (59-2.75) and also earned a top-five finish in the discus (54.42m/178-6). Olivia Marshall added a career-best shot put mark of 14.66m (48-1.25) to place second on the women's side, while Aliseonna Garnett finished third with a mark of 14.47m (47-5.75).
 
Noah Bolt picked up wins in both the discus and hammer throw in his final home meet, with his career-best discus mark of 56.48m (185-3) placing him in the top five in program history in the event. Bolt continued his consistent run of form in the hammer throw with a top mark of 60.23m (197-7).
 
Garnett moved up the program ranks in the discus, with her career-best mark of 49.02m (160-10) placing her 10th in program history and earning her a top-three finish at the meet. Emma Yoder earned top-three finishes in both the discus (47.81m/156-10) and hammer throw (51.60m/169-3), recording career-best marks in both events, while Niesha Anderson placed second in the hammer with a mark of 55.49m (182-0).
 
Up Next
Indiana State aims to repeat as MVC Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Champions May 16-17 in Carbondale, Illinois.
 
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