TERRE HAUTE — For Megan Rossi, setting an NCAA Division III record in women’s pole vault Friday was simply a matter of sticking to the basics of her event.
For Marcia Taddy, helping her relay team shatter a national mark boiled down to finding the energy.
For Amanda Donath, a record-breaking time means nothing unless she can repeat the feat today.
Those women highlighted a sometimes-spectacular first day of track and field competition in Rose-Hulman’s Sports and Recreation Center, where action resumes at 11:30 a.m. today.
No records fell in the first day of men’s competition, although Greg Tyson Jr. was able to repeat as long jump champion — not without a heart-stopping final jump by an opponent, however — and Willy Kaul of Wisconsin-Oshkosh came out of nowhere on the anchor leg to give his team a surprising victory in the distance medley relay.
It was the distance medley relay where Taddy and her Wisconsin-Platteville teammates set their record, shattering Wartburg’s 2005 record by more than 7 seconds. And there was a pretty exciting anchor leg involved in that race, too.
Taddy, who had already qualified for two finals for her team, took the baton for the 1,600-meter anchor leg with a slight lead over Catherine Beck of Tufts, but Beck stalked Taddy for the first six of their eight laps.
“I could feel it,” Taddy admitted after the race, and Beck made her move with a little less than two laps to go.
Beck led for a lap, but then Taddy summoned her own reserve and made a final pass with a half lap remaining. Beck surged briefly, then yielded and finished a little more than a second behind — also more than 6 seconds better than the previous meet record.
“We ran by ourselves to get our qualifying time, so we were really confident [of a meet record] coming in,” Taddy said after the race. “But we saw Tufts had an awesome qualifying time as well, so we knew it would be a great race.”
Competing today in the mile and the 800, where she has the best qualifying time in each event, should be a little more relaxing for Taddy.
“I had the mile and the 800 before this [relay race],” she noted. “[Distance coach Tom Antczak] and I weren’t sure I should do the triple. It’s tough, but it’s my senior year, the last chance to run indoors, so I said we’d see what happens … I’m really happy with how it’s going.”
Today should be quite relaxing for North Central’s Rossi, who had to compete in what boiled down to several pole vault competitions after tying longtime rival Meghan Voiland of Augustana for first place.
Rossi and Voiland, who competed against each other when Rossi was at Downers Grove South and Voiland at Yorkville (Ill.) before the two went to neighboring Division III college rivals, both established meet records of 11-feet-113/4 with their initial jumps, and when their first-place battle began neither could shake the other.
“I was very tired,” Rossi said, after 20 additional vaults for both competitors were necessary to determine a national champion. “I just tried to stay positive and focus on the process.”
The record-setting height was a personal best indoors and enabled Rossi to remain undefeated against Division III competition as a senior, and she said afterward her strategy for the day was simple.
“I just wanted to jump up, see my feet and finish my jumps,” she explained. “A lot of hard work and dedication paid off.”
Donath’s 400-meter time of 55.27 seconds was better than the meet record time of 55:46 set in 2002 by Amber James of Wheaton, but she achieved it in a heat. She’ll have to win today’s race to get credit for a national record, and she’s competing against the last two national champions in the event — Rachel Anderson of Illinois Wesleyan and Bridget Burns of Wartburg.
Tyson’s best long jump of the day, 24-3, was a Division III season best but not a national record, or even as long as his winning jump as a sophomore in 2006. And he breathed easier at the end after sharing a hug with runner-up Fred Jones of Tufts, who fouled on a final jump that caused a loud reaction in the tightly packed crowd.
“It was a huge jump,” Tyson said of Jones’ last effort. “Had he changed his mark a little bit, maybe he’d be talking to you about winning.”
As it was, Tyson said repeating as winner was “a great feeling. That was our goal for the year, to get in position to be able to repeat, and it seems a great justice to be able to do that for everybody that helps me.”
Tyson will also compete in triple jump today, although he joked, “For me it’s double jump; I lack the middle element.”
College
Records fall in first day of indoor track championships
Three marks bettered in women’s competition
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Indiana State connects on all 12 of its 3-point shots vs. SIU and sets three NCAA records in process
When you’re a shooter and you’re in a slump, the boilerplate cure is to summon amnesia, forget about your struggles and keep on shooting.
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ISU's Webb wins heptathlon
Indiana State’s Robert Webb captured the heptathlon Saturday at the Grand Valley State Big Meet as he totaled the second most points in ISU history while dominating the event. Webb scored 5,140 points, which is second only to former Sycamore Anthony Bertoli’s 5,189 points in 2008.
Webb, a senior, established three more personal best efforts enroute to the overall victory as he ran 8.45 in the 60 meter hurdles and 2 minutes, 50.73 seconds in the 1,000 meters while also clearing 13-1 1/2 in the pole vault. Webb entered the second day of the event in the lead with 2,893 points after winning three of the four Friday events and setting personal bests in the long jump and shot put. -
Perfect game: ISU shoots NCAA record 12-for-12 from 3-point range in win over SIU
Indiana State set an NCAA record for 3-point percentage and consecutive 3-pointers made Saturday afternoon in Hulman Center, connecting on all 12 attempts during a 78-68 win over Southern Illinois.
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‘Frustrated’ Sycamores regroup to face Southern Illinois
Indiana State’s men’s basketball struggles have hit one Sycamore senior hard.
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Thomas nets double-double as ISU women end losing streak
The halftime speech is one of the most time-worn clichés in sports, but once in a while, it’s meaningful. It certainly was for the Indiana State women’s basketball team on Friday against Bradley.
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Sycamore women looking to snap six-game losing streak
The Indiana State women’s basketball team is in dire need of a victory in Hulman Center this weekend.
Bradley visits Terre Haute tonight looking to sweep the season series from the Sycamores, who are in jeopardy of the program’s first seven-game losing streak since the 1995-96 season.
“I think it should [add to motivation]. There’s no doubt that group in the locker room in there is very disappointed,” Coach Teri Moren said. “As I keep saying, we’re in a rough patch right now, and there’s no group of kids that wants to get right back on track more than they do.” -
Leonard dominates in first half, but IU, Zeller earn the victory
The first half belonged to Illinois’ Meyers Leonard.
The win belonged to Indiana and Cody Zeller.
The 23rd-ranked Hoosiers (19-6, 7-6 Big Ten) took advantage of a glaring free-throw discrepancy to defeat the Illini 84-71 on Thursday. -
Rose women roll; Dickerson becomes all-time assists leader
Rose-Hulman senior Alisa Dickerson became the college’s career leader in assists as the Engineers cruised past Defiance 60-33 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference women’s basketball Saturday afternoon in Hulbert Arena.
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MVC’s worst a tantalizing option for ISU
Even though the Indiana State men’s basketball team has played better of late, having won three of its last four games, there’s only one team with a worse record in the Missouri Valley Conference standings than the Sycamores.
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Sycamores can’t stop Stutz, Shockers
All or nothing. It was that kind of game for Wichita State center Garrett Stutz. Unfortunately for Indiana State’s men’s basketball team, the “all” came in the second half.
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McWhorter’s fortunes rise with ISU’s
More so than any other Sycamore, Steve McWhorter might embody the decline and the recent rise of the Indiana State men’s basketball team.
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Johnson dominates again for ISU track
Felisha Johnson continued to dominate women’s weight throw while two Indiana State hurdlers moved into today’s finals after solid performances in the preliminaries Friday at the Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame.
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Indiana State women lose at Illinois State
Playing short-handed again, Indiana State’s women suffered their sixth straight Missouri Valley Conference basketball loss Friday night, falling 78-67 to host Illinois State.
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Indiana, Purdue meet with both looking to regain momentum
Indiana University’s stint in the Top 25 may be coming to an end. Purdue is just looking for a winning streak.
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ISU women looking to end five-game losing streak at Illinois State
Within a few points in the final minutes, Indiana State had chances to win women’s basketball games at Missouri State and Wichita State last weekend.
But the Sycamores lost for the fourth and fifth straight games, also losing freshman Jessica Valley for the season at Wichita State. The promising backcourt player tore the ACL in her right knee and began strengthening exercises this week in order to make plans for surgery. -
ISU Senior Day game to be televised on ESPN
The Missouri Valley Conference announced Thursday that Indiana State’s regular season finale against No. 12-ranked Creighton on Feb. 25 in Hulman Center has been chosen as the MVC’s “wild card” game that will be telecast on either ESPN or ESPN2.
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Hoosiers load up on in-state players
With a 1-11 record in his first season as IU football coach, Kevin Wilson knew there were a lot of holes to fill in terms of personnel.
- Wabash Valley verbal commitments
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It’s on: Sycamores, Bulldogs to play at Hinkle on Feb. 18
How badly did Indiana State want to get Butler as its BracketBusters opponent?
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METRO ROUNDUP: Four from Rose receive weekly honors
Four Rose-Hulman athletes earned Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference weekly honors, the HCAC announced Monday.
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Hoosiers reclaim needed offensive momentum
Indiana hadn’t allowed an opponent to shoot better than 40 percent in three straight games heading into Sunday’s home game against Iowa.
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Sycamores will have to match Aces’ toughness
Indiana State men’s basketball coach Greg Lansing has an enduring respect for the toughness Evansville coach Marty Simmons coaxes out of his Purple Aces.
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Rose, The Woods post weekend victories
Rose-Hulman relied on a balanced scoring attack and a strong defensive effort to earn a 55-44 women’s basketball victory Saturday over Mount St. Joseph.
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ISU's Stacia Weatherford sets school record in 60-meter hurdles
Indiana State junior Stacia Weatherford set the school record in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, while sophomore Greggmar Swift dominated the action in the men’s 60 hurdles during competition Saturday at the Indiana Relays.
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Rose takes first in Engineer Track and Field Invitational
Rose-Hulman relied on nine event victories, 13 top-two finishes and three school records for a strong performance at the ninth annual Engineer Track and Field Invitational on Saturday.
The men’s squad captured first place honors in a meet that featured two of the nation's top 20 NCAA Division III squads and 12 institutions from seven states. The day’s competition also included 10 meet records. -
Mattox’s 31 not enough for ISU women
Indiana State pulled within 63-57 with a 6-0 run with 8 minutes, 50 seconds remaining Friday night at JQH Arena, but the Sycamores lost 84-70 to host Missouri State in a Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball game.
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Mattox, Sycamores staying positive on road trip to Missouri State, Wichita State
Indiana State seniors Brittany Schoen and Deja Mattox are within striking distance of passing 1,000 points in their women’s basketball careers, and they would join classmate Shannon Thomas in that club. Schoen needs just 16 points, while Mattox is 89 points away.
But Mattox has been on a roll of late, scoring a team-high 15.1 points through ISU’s 4-3 start to Missouri Valley Conference play. -
IU triumphs
When Indiana’s Will Sheehey left the floor after receiving his second technical foul, the Hoosier fans cheered.
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ISU women nipped at buzzer
Creighton sophomore Carli Tritz — blanketed by Indiana State senior Brittany Schoen — had just two points at halftime Friday in Hulman Center.
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ISU needs to find chip on its shoulder
When one looks back at the totality of Indiana State’s 2010-11 men’s basketball season, there’s a recurrent theme that tied together the high points in a 20-14 campaign. A recurrent theme that might give ISU a lifeline in what has been a disappointing 2012 season.
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