TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State took full advantage of the home crowd Saturday, as the Sycamores produced five conference champions and a plethora of high marks on the first day of the MVC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
 
Brittney Burak closed the day on the track with Indiana State's first women's 10,000m champion in nearly 20 years, while a quartet of Sycamores – Lincoln Hulsey, Amy Luttrell, Janiya Bowman and Emma Yoder – claimed conference hardware in the field events on the opening day.
 
Rachel Mehringer also put down the best 100m hurdles time in conference history, one which ranks in the top five nationally and inside the top 15 in the world this season among all-conditions times. Aliseonna Garnett and Gnister Grant also etched their names into the program top-10 charts in the hammer throw and steeplechase, respectively.
 
Overall, the Sycamores sit in first place on the women's side and fifth on the women's side heading into Championship Sunday.
 
Team Scores
MEN
1. Northern Iowa – 56
2. Illinois State – 42
3. Belmont – 39
4. Drake – 37
5. Indiana State – 28
6. Southern Illinois – 11
7. Valparaiso – 10
8. Bradley – 5
T9. UIC – 3
T9. Evansville – 3
 
WOMEN
1. Indiana State – 69
2. Northern Iowa – 52
3. Illinois State -35
4. Bradley – 23
5. Murray State – 19
6. Belmont – 17
7. Drake – 12
8. Southern Illinois – 4
9. Valparaiso – 3
T10. Evansville – 0
T10. UIC – 0
 
Saturday MVC Champions

• Brittney Burak – 10,000m (35:38.05)
• Lincoln Hulsey – pole vault (5.12m/16-9.5, eighth in program history)
• Amy Luttrell – pole vault (3.98m/13-0.75, won jump-off to claim conference title)
• Janiya Bowman – long jump (6.13m/20-1.5)
• Emma Yoder – hammer throw (61.84m/202-10, third in program history)

 
Saturday All-Conference

• Landon Dobbs – pole vault (third, 5.02m/16-5.5)
• Aliseonna Garnett – hammer throw (third, 57.51m/188-8, 10th in program history)
• Lillian Gibbs – javelin (third, 41.98m/137-8)

 
Saturday Scorers

• Ryan York – 3000m steeplechase (fourth, 9:08.58)
• Gnister Grant – 3000m steeplechase (seventh, 10:54.06, fifth in program history)
• Dan O'Laughlin – pole vault (sixth, 4.77m/15-7.75)
• Campbell Roberts – pole vault (fourth, 3.88m/12-8.75)
• Aaron Massiah – long jump (fifth, 7.17m/23-6.25)
• Kilan Macklin – long jump (eighth, 6.94m/21-5.5)
• Jahnel Bowman – long jump (seventh, 5.62m/18-5.25)
• Cora Williams – hammer throw (fourth, 57.11m/187-4)
• Olivia Marshall – hammer throw (sixth, 55.46m/181-11)

 
Other Notable Marks

• Rachel Mehringer – 100m hurdles (12.71 – school, facility, MVC and MVC Championship all-conditions record, top five in NCAA and top 15 in the world for all-conditions times this season)

 
Sprints/Hurdles
On a day where sprinters and hurdles athletes contested in prelims, the Sycamores qualified nearly all of their entries into finals. Rachel Mehringer led the way with one of the best hurdles performances the nation has seen this season, with her 12.71 ranking in the top five in the NCAA and the top 15 in the world among all-conditions times. Mehringer will be joined in the finals by Aubrey Runyon, who will pull double-duty on Championship Sunday after her times of 13.72 in the 100m hurdles and 1:02.74 in the 400m hurdles prelims.
 
A pair of Sycamore short sprinters will also pull double-duty Sunday afternoon, with Casey Hood Jr. and Janiya Bowman both qualifying for finals in multiple events. Bowman ran the top prelims time in the 100m at 11.58 and added a time of 23.28 in 200m prelims, good for second in the field. Hood Jr. ran times of 10.51 in the 100m and 20.81 in the 200m, and will also be joined in the 100m finals by Terrance O'Bannon with his time of 10.59.
 
Indiana State qualified both of its 400m entries on the men's side, with Trent Jones and Ivan Weaver both winning their heats to advance to Championship Sunday. Jones was second among prelims times at 47.14, while Weaver was fourth at 47.32.
 
Indiana State continued its Hurdle U tradition, with all five Sycamore entries in the 110m hurdles qualifying for finals. Collin Forrest (13.86) and Kieran Barnewall (13.89) won the two heats, and the Sycamore duo will be joined by Parker Doyle (14.11), David Carnell (14.22) and Graham West (14.75) in finals. Carnell and Doyle will also pull double-duty on Championship Sunday, as they ran times of 53.94 and 54.22, respectively, to advance in 400m hurdles prelims.
 
Mid-Distance/Distance
Indiana State's distance crew had a dream start to its championship chase, led by Brittney Burak's title in the 10,000m. Burak's time of 35:38.05 made her the first Sycamore in nearly 20 years to win the women's 10,000m.
 
The Sycamores also had a pair score points in the steeplechase, with Gnister Grant adding a top-five time in program history in the process. Grant's time of 10:54.06 moved her to fifth in program history and placed her seventh in the field, while Ryan York clocked a time of 9:08.58 to finish fourth on the men's side.
 
Nick Burns also advanced to Championship Sunday for the Blue and White, as the Sycamore senior advanced to 800m finals after running a time of 1:51.17 in prelims.
 
Jumps
Indiana State had a banner day in the jumps events, claiming a trio of conference titles including a program top-10 mark. Lincoln Hulsey claimed his first individual conference title in the pole vault, closing out the day in grand fashion with his career-best clearance of 5.12m (16-9.5) to crack the program top-10 charts. Hulsey was one of three Sycamores to score in the event, as Landon Dobbs cleared 5.02m (16-5.5) to place third and earn all-conference honors and Dan O'Laughlin cleared 4.77m (15-7.75) to place sixth in his final meet for the Trees.
 
Amy Luttrell completed an indoor-outdoor sweep of the pole vault on the women's side, winning a jump-off by clearing 3.98m (13-0.75) for her first outdoor conference crown. Campbell Roberts also scored for the Blue and White, as her clearance at 3.88m (12-8.75) placed her fourth in the event.
 
Janiya Bowman's busy day started in grand fashion, as she claimed her third career MVC title in the long jump and completed an indoor-outdoor sweep of the event with her mark of 6.13m (20-1.5). She was joined in the scoring by her sister, as Jahnel Bowman recorded a top mark of 5.62m (18-5.25) to place seventh for the Sycamores.
 
Aaron Massiah also carded a top-five finish for the Trees in his outdoor championship debut, as the freshman registered a mark of 7.17m (23-6.25) to finish fifth in the long jump. Kilan Macklin picked up a point for the Blue and White in the event with his mark of 6.94m (21-5.5) to place eighth.
 
Throws
Indiana State could not ask for a better performance in the women's hammer throw, as three Sycamores registered career-best efforts in the event on the big stage. Emma Yoder's top-three mark in program. History of 61.84m (202-10) earned her a conference title in the event, while Aliseonna Garnett cracked the top 10 in program history and earned all-conference accolades with her mark of 57.51m (188-8). Cora Williams finished fourth with her mark of 57.11m (187-4), while Olivia Marshall recorded a career-best throw of 55.46m (181-11) to place sixth.
 
The Sycamores also picked up an all-conference finish in the javelin, courtesy of Lillian Gibbs with her third-place finish at 41.98m (137-8). Theo Thurmond placed ninth for the Blue and White in the hammer with his mark of 53.02m (173-11)
 
Multis
Indiana State sits in a strong position in the combined events following the opening day of competition, as the Trees have two of the top four in the decathlon and two of the top five in the heptathlon. Ty Newsom leads the way for the Blue and White in the decathlon, with strong performances in the 400m (49.25), 100m (11.10) and high jump (1.83m/6-0) putting him in second at 3624 points.
 
Zenon Rule also produced a big opening day for the Blue and White, with a pair of personal bests in the 400m (52.22) and long jump (6.76m/22-2.25. Rule currently sits fourth in the field at 3438 points. Jake Ottersbach suffered an injury in the 100m, but has started every event and will score two team points as long as he starts the remaining five events.
 
Ellie Irwin leads a trio of Sycamores in scoring position in the women's heptathlon, including the top high jump clearance at 1.66m (5-5.25). Irwin also had a top-five finish in the 100m hurdles (14.60) and is fourth at 2946 points through the first day. Sophie Hale had a strong performance in both track events, the 100m hurdles (14.18) and 200m (25.76) with the local product sitting fifth at 2906 points. Kathryn Ison is less than 10 points off a scoring position, with strong performances in the 100m hurdles (14.87) and shot put (9.29m/30-5.75) putting her ninth at 2597 points through the first day.
 
Up Next
Indiana State's quest for conference hardware continues on Championship Sunday, with the first events slated for 9:30 a.m.
 
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