WICHITA, KAN. —
For the fourth straight year, Indiana State’s Major Clay will climb to the top spot on the awards podium as the Sycamore captured his fourth high jump championship at the 2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference outdoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday.
The competition was conducted at Cessna Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University.
ISU also had a big night in the preliminaries of several events, including the hurdles where two women and five men advanced to the finals on Sunday. The Sycamores also had a strong finish to the evening with Kalli Dalton setting an Indiana State record in a third place finish in the women’s 3,000 meter steeplechase and Dustin Betz taking second in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase.
The Sycamore men’s team sits in second place after the second day of the championships with 67.5 points as they trail pre-championship favorite Wichita State as the Shockers have 73 points. Northern Iowa is currently third with 50 while Southern Illinois is fourth with 47.5, Illinois State fifth with 43, Drake sixth with 27, and Bradley seventh with four points.
Wichita State also leads the women’s standings after the second day with 91.5 points. Southern Illinois is second with 78.5 with Illinois State third with 77 and Indiana State fourth with 47 points. Northern Iowa is currently fifth with 29.5 with Missouri State sixth with 11, Drake seventh with 9.5 and Bradley eighth with seven points.
Clay is the first four-time winner of the outdoor men’s high jump competition. The Sycamore senior has also won three straight MVC indoor titles giving him seven straight high jump championships in conference action.
Clay was the only competitor to clear 7 feet and won by clearing 7-01⁄4. Freshman teammate Jonathon Christensen took the silver by clearing a personal best height of 6-11 in his first outdoor championship. Both earned All-Conference recognition for their efforts.
Dalton earned All-Conference honors with a third-place finish in the women’s 3,000 steeplechase with a school-record time of 10:47.31, breaking the record set by Leah Durr in 2007 of 10:52.37. Hanna Mercer finished 10th in 11:21.00 and Andrea Prusz 11th in 11:27.99. Illinois State finished 1-2 in the event with Kristen Zillmer first (10:35.82) and Elise Sigg second (10:40.45).
Betz finished second in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase with a time of 9:04.60, while Gabe Ocasio was 10th in 9:48.35. Betz, Wichita State’s Tomas Cotter and Southern Illinois’ Lucas Cherry ran in a pack for most of the race with Cotter pulling away down the home stretch for the win (9:00.74) and Betz holding off Cherry (9:06.94).
Nikki Snearley and Rachael Johnson were the top Sycamores in the women’s high jump as both cleared 5-31⁄4, with Snearley placing 10th and Johnson 11th. Southern Illinois sophomore Kenya Culmer won the event by clearing 5-111⁄2.
Sycamore junior Felisha Johnson earned All-Conference honors in the women’s shot put as she placed third with a distance of 54-31⁄4. Teammate Mary Theisen had a personal-best throw of 52-41⁄2 to finish fourth. Southern Illinois’ Jeneva McCall won the event (58-8 1/2) with Illinois State’s Brittany Smith second (56-8 3/4).
Chris Fields had his best-ever finish in the men’s shot put as he placed fourth with a heave of 55-61⁄2. Illinois State’s Curtis Jensen won the title with a throw of 61-53⁄4.
Kelly Steffen battled back from a disappointing finish in the women’s heptathlon to place fourth in the long jump while recording the eighth-best distance in school history of 19-21⁄2. She was a quarter-inch out of the top three.
Ernest Rollins competed in the long jump for the first time in conference championship action and placed fourth with a personal-best leap of 23-51⁄2. Robert Webb finished 15th with a leap of 21-21⁄2. Drake’s Dan Karys won the event with a leap of 24-1.
Sycamore teammate Jaquelle Spencer finished fifth with a leap of 18-113⁄4. Missouri State’s Kimsue Grant won the event (20-9 1/4).
ISU’s Greggmar Swift ran a personal-best (third best in school history) 13.62 and posted the top time in the preliminaries of the men’s 110 hurdles while Duane Brown also advanced with the sixth best time of 14.35. Max Tuttle will lead three Sycamores into the 400 hurdles with the fourth best time of 53.35. Arqeil Shaw ran a personal-best 54.25 for the sixth best in the preliminaries and Ray Skamay ran 54.14 to also advance with the seventh-fastest time. Brown did not make the finals of the 400 hurdles after running 55.33 (10th fastest) in the prelims.
Justin Baxtron advanced to finals in two events, posting the fastest time in the preliminaries with a personal-best 10.50, which also ties him for 10th best in school history. Baxtron also posted the fastest time in the 200 preliminaries of 21.49. Andrew Stull also advanced in the 200 with the third-best time of the prelims at 21.63.
Kevin Piraino and Drew Gambill also advanced to today’s finals. Piraino ran 48.82 of the fifth-fastest time of the 400 prelims, while Gambill ran 1:53.58 for the eighth-fastest in the 800 prelims.
Indiana State’s Stacia Weatherford hit the final hurdle in the 100 hurdles and stumbled across the finish line but still advanced to the today’s finals with a time that was just two-hundredths of a second off the school record. Weatherford was timed in 13.90.
The Sycamore also advanced in the 400 hurdles with the top time of 59.11. ISU’s Brittany Housel also advanced with the eighth-best time of 1:03.86. Carmelia Stewart missed the cut with the 10th-fastest time of 1:04.75.
Macey Black, Leeann Michl and Kaci Smith advanced to today’s finals for the Sycamore women. Black ran 56.49 for the sixth-fastest time in the 400 prelims. Michl and Smith advanced in the 800, with Michl recording the fastest time in the prelims of 2:09.35 and Smith the eighth-fastest of 2:13.53.
Indiana State sophomore Kelly Steffen finished fifth and senior Patricia Merrion seventh in the women’s heptathlon, while junior Robert Webb finished seventh in the men’s decathlon.
Wichita State’s Tanya Friesen took the women’s individual title with 5,472 points, with Northern Iowa’s Paige Knodel second (5,392) and Drake’s Brianna Isom Brummer third (4,786).
Northern Iowa’s Daniel Gooris won his third straight MVC decathlon championship with 7,608 points. Wichita State’s Mac Griffith was second with 7,087, while Shocker teammate Justin Mickey finished third with 7,031.
In MVC action Friday:
• Padget, Pounds champions — At Wichita, Kan., Indiana State senior Craig Padgett and junior teammate Albaro Escalera broke away from the pack Friday with less than 1,000 meters left and pulled away to finish 1-2 in the men’s 10,000 run on the opening day of the 2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Padgett was the second individual champion for the Sycamore men’s team that day as junior Brandon Pounds was also a champion in capturing the men’s hammer throw (209-10).
For the second straight year, ISU junior Richelle Kimble finished tied for second in the women’s pole vault, this time going 13-3⁄4.
College
Major Clay takes fourth straight MVC high jump title
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Sycamores bow out of MVC Tournament
Indiana State’s baseball was out of pitching, and after a loss to Wichita State on Thursday, the Sycamores were out of second-chances too at the Missouri Valley Conference baseball tournament. What the Sycamores weren’t out of was heart, guts and clutch performances from some unlikely sources. But in the end, Friday’s elimination game rematch against the Shockers was a sampling of ISU’s season overall — the Sycamores were out of luck.
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Metro Sports: Chalk up No. 5 for Liz Evans
Senior Liz Evans capped the top career in Rose-Hulman athletics history with her fifth national championship and eighth All-American award at Wisconsin-La Crosse on Friday.
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Four Indiana State athletes advance to NCAA outdoor track and field championships
Three Indiana State seniors and a freshman have punched their tickets to the NCAA outdoor track and field championships in two weeks at Eugene, Ore., with their Friday efforts in the 2013 NCAA East Preliminary at Aggie Stadium on the campus of North Carolina A&T.
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Wichita State shuts out ISU to force elimination-game rematch
Indiana State starting pitcher Greg Kuhlman did his best.
Actually, he did far better than he ever has previously in an ISU uniform, but while Kuhlman’s gutty pitching effort spoke volumes, ISU’s bats remained ominously silent. -
Indiana State baseball now one win from MVC Championship
Indiana State’s Wednesday morning wish list probably read something like this: a dominant complete game effort from starting pitcher Devin Moore, near-immaculate defense to support him, and a steady diet of clutch situational hitting from lineup spots one to nine.
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Terre Haute's Mascari running 10,000 meters for chance to get to Hayward Field
Indiana State freshman and Terre Haute North graduate John Mascari is among the enormous group of Sycamores competing this weekend at the NCAA East Preliminary. The top 48 NCAA track and field competitors in each event on this half of the United States are narrowed down to 12 who will compete at the NCAA meet at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
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Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain
Indiana State pitcher Sean Manaea has battled through so many aches and pains during the 2013 season that it can be hard to discern the serious pain from the pain he pitches through.
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ISU's Negele answers call in big way in wake of Manaea injury
When Indiana State starting pitcher Sean Manaea slumped on the mound in obvious pain after he took his warm-up pitches, red flags raised for ISU’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament hopes.
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ISU baseball hoping Manaea can get its MVC Tournament moving in right direction
Indiana State’s baseball team has been waiting all season for its stars to align.
But this is the 2013 Sycamores, after all, and after a season in which seemingly little has gone right, it appears its stars will remain crossed at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. -
ISU track sending record 22 to postseason
On the heels of their thrilling double victory at the 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships both the Indiana State men and women moved up in the national rankings which were released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
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ISU's athletic treasure trove
Think of every championship that Indiana State has won in each of its sports, past and present. Think of every tournament — postseason or regular season — which the Sycamores have claimed as their own.
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Ort sets ISU RBI record in 16-7 win
Robby Ort celebrated his Indiana State baseball Senior Day on Saturday by becoming the Sycamores’ all-time leader in RBIs as ISU ended its regular season with a 16-7 win over Bradley at Bob Warn Field.
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Bradley ends 16-game MVC losing streak against ISU
Momentum was the only thing riding on Indiana State’s baseball game against Bradley on Friday. With a five-game winning streak going, ISU wanted to keep the good vibes going into next week’s Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
ISU couldn’t do it. -
Behind 16 hits and Manaea's pitching, ISU beats Bradley
Indiana State’s baseball team rode a wild ride of emotion on Thursday.
First came the public announcement that Bob Warn Field would host the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Later, Sean Manaea’s availability to pitch ISU’s series opener against Bradley was in doubt. -
Indiana State women add five transfers, including experienced D-I point guard
Indiana State coach Teri Moren believes the addition of five more newcomers to the program — in addition to the five who had already joined the program earlier this calendar year — will provide her coaching staff the athleticism and depth it needs to play a successful, up-tempo brand of basketball next season.
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Metro roundup: Woods softball takes seventh in national tournament
The St. Mary-of-the-Woods softball team finished seventh in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association softball tournament on Tuesday at Firestone Stadium.
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Metro Roundup: Indiana State’s Shakir Bell on Performance Awards watch list
College Football Performance Awards has announced its watch list for the 2013 CFPA FCS Running Back Award, and Indiana State’s Shakir Bell earned a spot on the list.
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ISU baseball team builds on success with 14-2 rout
Indiana State’s baseball victory over Alcorn State on Friday would take on more meaning Saturday if the Sycamores could build momentum and pick up on the good work they did in Friday’s ninth-inning rally.
Mission accomplished.
The Sycamores were aggressive from the opening inning at the plate and starting pitcher Devin Moore gave them eight valuable and effective innings on the mound as ISU defeated Alcorn State 14-2 at Bob Warn Field.
“It was a really good experience for everybody. It felt great to finally come out here and put some things together. It’s also really nice when your offense puts a lot of runs on the board,” Moore said.
Moore’s eight innings of work were as valuable as gold to an ISU team that is short on quality arms due to injury and ineffectiveness. He didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning and one of the two runs he conceded was unearned. -
Johnson, Lyke win MVC titles for ISU
Indiana State’s Felisha Johnson and Maurice Lyke were both crowned Missouri Valley Conference champions on Saturday during the MVC Track and Field Championships at Drake University.
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ISU earns badly-needed win
Alcorn State’s baseball team might be ranked in the bottom 10 in RPI and Indiana State might have never lost to a Southwestern Athletic Conference team. So it wouldn’t appear that a quality win was in the offing when Alcorn State visited Bob Warn Field on Friday.
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Metro roundup: RHIT’s Evans sets Div. III record in high jump
For the third time this season, Rose-Hulman senior Liz Evans topped the NCAA Division III all-time national record in the outdoor high jump Friday night.
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ISU’s Mascari and Hope win MVC track & field titles
Indiana State produced two champions during the opening day of action in the Missouri Valley Conference track and field championships Friday at Drake. Freshman John Mascari, a Terre Haute native, won the men’s 10,000-meter race and Nicole Hope won the women’s pole vault for the second time in three seasons.
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ISU pole vault tradition continues with help from its author
Pole vault is track and field for the adrenaline junkie, Indiana State senior Nicole Hope proclaimed during a recent practice at Marks Field.
To catapult oneself about 14 feet into the air with a large $500 fiberglass pole on a daily basis is a risky endeavor.
“We have to be fearless. You can’t be afraid at all,” said Hope, who has also catapulted herself into the NCAA’s elite in the event, ranking 15th in the NCAA with her leap of 13-feet, 9 1/4. -
Sycamores searching for answers after seventh loss in eight games
These are the bad times for the Indiana State baseball team.
The will is there for the Sycamores to pull out of their worst slump of the season, but the results are not. The suffering continued on Wednesday at Bob Warn Field as Eastern Illinois defeated ISU 5-3. -
METRO ROUNDUP: ISU men's track picked first in MVC Championships, women second
The Indiana State men’s track team has won the last two Missouri Valley Conference outdoor championships, but the women have not stood on the top podium since 1999.
That may change this year, but the Sycamores will face some stiff competition in their quest for the championships. -
North grad Welker helps Whitson earn first NCAA bid as coach
Eastern Kentucky girls golf coach Mike Whitson, an alumnus of his employer, enjoyed his stay in Terre Haute as coach of Indiana State, where he started the women’s golf program.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman wins HCAC all-sports trophy
Rose-Hulman has won the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference men’s all-sports trophy for the fifth time in the past six year, the league announced Monday.
Rose tallied 66.5 points for its finishes in 11 men’s sports, just ahead of Franklin with 66. Hanover was third with 53 points. -
METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman tennis falls in HCAC semifinal
Rose-Hulman’s hot streak in men’s tennis came to an end Saturday in the semifinal round of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament at the West Indy Racquet Club.
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Manaea fights off bad hip, wet weather to toss four innings
Mother Nature has been the bane of the Indiana State baseball team’s existence all season. Eight games wiped due to weather are a testament to that. So it was no surprise, though no less disappointing, when she didn’t deal Indiana State pitcher Sean Manaea the greatest hand on Saturday as he tries to recover from a hip injury.
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ISU track enjoys big night at IU's Billy Hayes Invitational
The Indiana State Sycamores either won or finished as the top collegian in 12 events, led by the record-breaking performance of senior Brandon Pounds at the 2013 Billy Hayes Invitational Friday at Indiana University.
Pounds broke his own school record to win the men’s hammer throw. - More College Headlines
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