CHARLESTON, Ill. – Indiana State's 2026 outdoor track and field season got off on the right foot Friday and Saturday, as the Sycamores accounted for 14 first-place finishes at the EIU Big Blue Classic.
 
Janiya Bowman broke Indiana State's school record in the long jump, which stood since 2006, with her wind-legal mark of 6.27m (20-7). Aliseonna Garnett also recorded a career-best mark in the discus to move into the top five in program history in the event, while Emma Yoder cracked the top 10 in program history in the hammer throw. The Blue and White secured sweeps of the top spots in the 100 and 110m hurdles, 4x400m relay and discus.
 
Event Winners

• Trent Jones – 200m (21.59)
• Ty Newsom – 400m (50.61)
• Nick Burns – 1500m (3:57.98)
• Rachel Mehringer – 100m hurdles (13.29)
• Collin Forrest – 110m hurdles (14.07)
• David Carnell – 400m hurdles (54.85)
• Deangelo Hughey, Caden Emmert, Nick Burns, Trent Jones – 4x400m relay (3:18.57)
• Nevaeh Wren, Lilly Gilbertson, Aubrey Runyon, Kyarra DeGroote – 4x400m relay (3:56.91)
• Noah Gilmore – high jump (2.00m/6-6.75)
• Janiya Bowman – long jump (6.27m/20-7, school record)
• Aliseonna Garnett – shot put (14.35m/47-1), discus (53.71m/176-2, fifth in program history)
• Theo Thurmond – discus (52.21m/171-3)
• Lillian Gibbs – javelin (43.56m/142-11)

 
Top-Three Finishes

• Will Riley – 200m (second, 21.62)
• Kyarra DeGroote – 400m (second, 56.73)
• Nevaeh Wren – 400m (third, 56.80)
• Jcim Grant – 5000m (third, 15:19.75)
• Alli Steffey – 5000m (second, 18:35.33)
• Robyn Schemel – 5000m (third, 18:55.06)
• Aubrey Runyon – 100m hurdles (third, 13.98)
• David Carnell – 110m hurdles (second, 14.22)
• Parker Doyle – 110m hurdles (third, 14.34)
• Ethan Widenhoefer – high jump (second, 1.95m/6-4.75)
• Landon Dobbs – pole vault (second, 4.70m/15-5)
• Dan O'Laughlin – pole vault (third, 4.70m/15-5)
• Amy Luttrell – pole vault (second, 3.56m/11-8)
• Campbell Roberts – pole vault (third, 3.56m/11-8)
• Aaron Massiah – long jump (third, 7.19m/23-7.25)
• Ben Brown – shot put (second, 16.15m/53-0)
• Olivia Marshall – shot put (second, 13.87m/45-6.25)
• Emma Yoder – discus (second, 45.49m/149-3), hammer throw (second, 56.11m/184-1, 10th in program history)
• Mitchel Myers – hammer throw (second, 50.57m/165-11)
• Austin Grays – hammer throw (third, 49.43m/162-2)
• Aliseonna Garnett – hammer throw (third, 52.70m/172-11)

 
Sprints/Hurdles
Indiana State accounted for the top spot in three of the four hurdles events, headlined by a sweep of the top three in the 110m hurdles. Collin Forrest paced the Trees in the event at 14.07, with David Carnell and Parker Doyle right behind with times of 14.22 and 14.34, respectively. Carnell also claimed a win in the 400m hurdles with a career-best time of 54.85.
 
Rachel Mehringer started her outdoor season in a big way Saturday, cruising to a win in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.29 to rank among the national leaders. Aubrey Runyon also nabbed a top-three finish for the Blue and White with a time of 13.98 in her outdoor collegiate debut.
 
Trent Jones delivered his best career wind-legal 200m performance in Friday's opening day of action, claiming the top spot with a time of 21.59. Will Riley was right behind in his outdoor collegiate debut, placing second with a career-best time of 21.62. Emma Martin ran a wind-aided 25.83 as the top Sycamore on the women's side. Parrish Hartley Jr. added a top-five finish in the 100m with a time of 10.79, while Krystian Dilosa had the top time for the Trees on the women's side at 12.45.
 
Indiana State delivered strong showings in both 400m races, with Ty Newsom earning a first-place finish on the men's side with his time of 50.61. Kyarra DeGroote and Nevaeh Wren clocked career-best times of 56.73 and 56.80, respectively, with the Sycamore duo both finishing among the top three in the field. The Sycamores also swept the top spots in the men's and women's 400m, with the women running a time of 3:56.91 and the men clocking a time of 3:18.57.
 
Mid-Distance/Distance
Indiana State claimed a first-place finish in the men's 1500m, coming courtesy of Nick Burns. Burns clocked a time of 3:57.98 to finish more than two seconds ahead of the field despite primarily being an 800m runner. Emersyn Bland clocked the top time on the women's side at 4:48.01.
 
Jcim Grant added a third-place finish for the Blue and White in the 5000m with a time of 15:19.75. The Blue and White also recorded a pair of top-three finishes in the women's 5000m, with Alli Steffey placing second at 18:35.33 and Robyn Schemel finishing third at 18:55.06.
 
Jumps
Janiya Bowman picked up right where she left off from her Indoor Championship MVP campaign, breaking Indiana State's long jump record in her outdoor season debut. Bowman's leap of 6.27m (20-7) put her among the national leaders in the event to open the season, with Jahnel Bowman (5.79m/19-0) and Aaliyah Thurman (5.50m/18-0.5) also finishing in the top five in the field. Aaron Massiah added a podium finish for the Blue and White on the men's side, with his mark of 7.19m (23-7.25) placing him third and representing the best mark of his young collegiate career.
 
Indiana State finished with the top two marks in the men's high jump, with Noah Gilmore clearing 2.00m (6-6.75) to place first and Ethan Widenhoefer clearing 1.95m (6-4.75) to finish second. Essence Johnson cleared 1.60m (5-3) to earn a top-five finish on the women's side.
 
The Sycamores added a pair of top-three finishes in both pole vault competitions Saturday, with Landon Dobbs and Dan O'Laughlin both clearing 4.70m (15-5) to nab podium finishes on the men's side. Amy Luttrell and Campbell Roberts both cleared 3.56m (11-8) to place in the top three on the women's side, with Abby Ballengee also clearing the same mark for the Sycamores in a top-five finish.
 
Throws
Indiana State throwers accounted for four event wins and a pair of program top-10 marks during their season-opening meet, with Aliseonna Garnett responsible for a large portion of those efforts. Garnett nabbed wins in both the shot put (14.35m/47-1) and discus (53.71m/176-2), with her mark in the discus representing a top-five mark in program history. Olivia Marshall was behind Garnett in the shot put, with her mark of 13.87m (45-6.25) placing second, while Emma Yoder finished second to Garnett in the discus at 45.49m (149-3).
 
Yoder had a big weekend for the Blue and White, recording a program top-10 mark in the hammer throw to go along with her second place finish in the discus. Her hammer throw mark of 56.11m (184-1) was the best among collegiate athletes, while Garnett (52.70m/172-11), Marshall (52.02m/170-8) and Cora Williams (50.25m/164-10) all broke the 50-meter mark.
 
Theo Thurmond recorded a big weekend for the Blue and White, including a first-place finish in the discus with a mark of 52.21m (171-3). Thurmond also placed in the top five in the shot put at 13.70m (44-11.5), while Mitchel Myers (50.57m/165-11) and Austin Grays (49.43m/162-2) registered top-three finishes in the hammer throw. Ben Brown had the top result for the Trees in the shot put, with his mark of 16.15m (53-0) placing second.
 
Lillian Gibbs returned to her winning ways in the javelin to start the 2026 outdoor season, with her mark of 43.56m (142-11) being more than five meters ahead of the field. Jake Ottersbach (44.22m/145-1) and Ty Newsom (37.44m/122-10) both placed in the top five in the javelin on the men's side.
 
Up Next
Indiana State plays host to its first of four outdoor meets at the John McNichols Memorial Track at the Gibson Track and Field Complex, welcoming competition to Terre Haute for the Pacesetter Sports Invitational April 3-4.
 
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