INDIANAPOLIS – Competing in its deepest field to date, Indiana State put together a strong showing at the Crossroads of America Invitational with four wins and 19 top-three finishes.
 
Facing multiple Power Four institutions while competing at the site of the MVC Indoor Championships, the Sycamores featured first-place finishes in distance, jumps and field events. Sprinters Janiya Bowman and Trent Jones also set program top-10 marks at the Fall Creek Pavilion.

 Event Winners

• Brittney Burak – 5000m (16:57.30)
• Gnister Grant, Lilly Gilbertson, Halle Miller, Eve Schurr – distance medley relay (12:13.55)
• Noah Gilmore – high jump (2.05m/6-8.75) (invite section)
• Austin Grays – weight throw (17.66m/57-11.25)

 
Top-Three Finishes

• Terrance O'Bannon – 60m (second in prelims, 6.71, did not run finals)
• Michelle McDonald – 60m (second, 7.69)
• Collin Forrest – 60m hurdles (second, 7.98)
• Brandon Mueller – 5000m (second, 15:30.48)
• Peyton Smith – 5000m (second, 17:29.74)
• Hadley Gradolf – 5000m (second, 17:31.83)
• Nick Burns, Xavier Wills, Caden Emmert, Emerson Fayman – distance medley relay (second, 10:07.30)
• Amare Draughn – high jump (third, 1.94m/6-4.25)
• Landon Dobbs – pole vault (second, 4.73m/15-6.25)
• Lincoln Hulsey – pole vault (second, 4.73m/15-6.25)
• Janiya Bowman – long jump (second, 5.82m/19-1.25)
• Aaron Massiah – triple jump (third, 14.83m/48-8)
• Aliseonna Garnett – shot put (third, 14.49m/47-6.5)
• Emma Yoder – weight throw (second, 18.16m/59-7)
• Olivia Marshall – weight throw (third, 17.73m/58-2)

 
Other Notable Marks

• Janiya Bowman – 200m (23.98, third in program history)
• Trent Jones – 400m (48.31, 10th in program history)

 
Sprints/Hurdles
Indiana State had a pair of sprinters record top-10 program marks, as Janiya Bowman and Trent Jones both recorded indoor career-best showings. Bowman became the third athlete in program history to run under 24 seconds in the 200m with a time of 23.98, while Jones ran a 400m time of 48.31 to crack the indoor program top-10 charts.
 
The Sycamores also had entries qualify for finals in all four straightaway events, with Collin Forrest and Michelle McDonald clocking top-three finishes. Forrest ran times of 7.99 and 7.98 to place second in the 60m hurdles, while McDonald was second in the 60m with times of 7.58 and 7.69. Terrance O'Bannon also advanced to finals in the 60m on the men's side with a time of 6.71, but did not run finals. Aubrey Runyon clocked the top 60m hurdles time on the women's side with a season-best 8.68.
 
Jahnel Bowman ran the fastest women's 400m time by a Sycamore this season at 57.66, and teamed up with Nevaeh Wren, Kyarra DeGroote and Lilly Gilbertson for a 4x400m relay time of 3:56.57. The Sycamore men's 4x400m team of Deangelo Hughey, Jones, Matthew Wray and Weaver clocked a time of 3:20.12, with Jones (48.31) and Weaver (48.88) both carding top-10 finishes in the 400m.
 
Mid-Distance/Distance
Indiana State picked up a pair of event wins in the distance events, with Brittney Burak running a 5000m time of 16:57.30 to pace a 1-2-3 finish for the Trees in the event. Peyton Smith (17:29.74) and Hadley Gradolf (17:31.83) rounded out the podium for the Blue and White.
 
The Trees' distance medley relay team of Gnister Grant, Lilly Gilbertson, Halle Miller and Eve Schurr closed the opening day of competition with a first-place finish as the Sycamore quartet ran a time of 12:13.55. Miller also earned a top-five finish in the 800m with a time of 2:15.63.
 
Nick Burns continued his strong start to the season by winning his heat in the 600m and placing sixth overall at 1:20.96, while Xavier Wills was also in the top 10 at 1:21.76. Emma Martin placed seventh in the 600m on the women's side at 1:39.47.
 
Gnister Grant had the top mile time on the women's side at 5:05.68, while Emerson Fayman had the top mile time for the Sycamore men at 4:16.43. Fayman paired up with Burns, Wills and Caden Emmert to place second in the distance medley relay at 10:07.30.
 
Jumps
Indiana State continued its strong performances in the jumps events, highlighted by Noah Gilmore winning the invite section of the high jump with his career-best clearance of 2.05m (6-8.75). Amare Draughn cleared 1.94m (6-4.25) to finish third in the open section, while Essence Johnson was fourth in the open section on the women's side with a clearance of 1.59m (5-2.5). Ellie Irwin cleared 1.69m (5-6.5) in the invite section.
 
The Sycamores also had a pair of top-three finishes in the pole vault, with Lincoln Hulsey and Landon Dobbs both clearing 4.73m (15-6.25). On the women's side, Amy Luttrell and Campbell Roberts both cleared 3.85m (12-7.5) to card top-five finishes.
 
Janiya Bowman's strong season in the long jump continued, with her top mark of 5.82m (19-1.25) placing her second in the field. Jahnel Bowman also finished in the top five on the women's side with a career-best mark of 5.70m (18-8.5), while Parrish Hartley Jr. recorded a season-best mark of 6.75m (22-1.75) on the men's side.
 
Aaron Massiah recorded the best mark of his young career in the triple jump, with his season-best showing of 14.83m (48-8) earning him a third-place finish in the field.
 
Throws
Austin Grays tallied a win in the weight throw to lead the Sycamore throwers, with the freshman recording a top mark of 17.66m (57-11.25). The Trees also had three top-five finishes on the women's side, as Emma Yoder (18.16m/59-7), Olivia Marshall (17.73m/58-2) and Niesha Anderson (17.57m/57-7.75) occupied second, third and fourth place in the event. Cora Williams added a throw of 18.23m (59-9.75) in the invite section of the event, with Sycamore assistant Erin Reese winning the invite section at 24.66m (80-11).
 
The Sycamores continued their strong season in the shot put, as Aliseonna Garnett (14.49m/47-6.5) and Marshall (13.94m/45-9) both earned top-five finishes on the women's side. Ben Brown led the Sycamore men with a mark of 16.11m (52-10.5) and also earned a top-10 finish in the weight throw at 15.65m (51-4.25).
 
Up Next
Indiana State travels to Columbia, Missouri, for the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational January 30-31, with the Sycamores also fielding entries in the Rose-Hulman Classic January 31 in Terre Haute.

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