Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis travel to Nashville for Vanderbilt Invite this weekend
01/22/2015 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
| Vanderbilt Invite | |
| Dates | January 23-24, 2015 |
| Location | Nashville, Tenn. -- Multipurpose Facility |
| Meet Info | Meet Central | Schedule | Heat Sheets |
| Live Results | Live Results |
| Live Video | None |
| Rankings | Men's Poll | Women's Poll |
| Performance Lists | Men's National | Women's National |
| Meet Notes | SIU Meet Notes |
| Records | SIU Record Book |
| SIU Social Media | @SIU_TrackXC  | Saluki Track and Field  Saluki Athletics | Saluki Athletics | Saluki Athletics  |
By Tyler Wooten
SIUSalukis.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Saluki track and field squads will look to improve upon their already strong start to the indoor season this weekend at the Vanderbilt Invite.
A total 16 schools will make the trek to Nashville, four of which sport top-25 ranked squads. The Saluki women are one of those four, ranked No. 23 in the USTFCCCA Preseason Computer Rankings; also competing on the women's side is No. 18 Auburn and No. 20 Mississippi State. The lone ranked team in attendance for the men are the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Saluki women have already made an impressive push to remain in the top-25 when the next poll comes out, adding three top-15 marks just last week. After missing the first meet of the year, seniors Ashley Gaston and DeAnna Price came back in top form. Gaston won the shot put on a two-foot overall PR of 16.83m (55-02.75), which currently ranks fourth nationally. Gaston now joins freshman Raven Saunders in the top-five on the national leaderboard, who ranks second at 17.16m (56-03.75). As for Price, she joined the top-15 in both the shot put (11th, 16.19m (53-01.50)) and weight throw (fifth, 20.62m (67-08.00)). Her mark in the weight gives SIU yet another top-five mark, behind senior Sophia Lozano's No. 3 distance of 21.57m (70-09.25). In all, the Salukis have 10 top-50 marks in the country right now -- four of which rank in the top-five and seven of which lie within the top-25.
The Saluki men aren't too far out of the top-25 in 39th, and have several top performers as well. On the men's side, SIU has eight top-50 performances, three of which lie in the top-10. The most recent addition to the top-10 is senior Luke James, who won the triple jump last weekend at Kentucky on a monster PR of 15.58m (51-01.50). That distance is the eighth-best nationally and jumped all the way to sixth all-time at SIU after not being ranked entering last weekend's competition.
Last weekend at the Kentucky Invitational, the Salukis came away with five total event titles -- which led to three separate honors from the Missouri Valley Conference this week. Seniors Ashley Gaston and Luke James were named the MVC Field Athletes of the Week on Wednesday after winning the shot put and triple jump, respectively. That same day, sophomore Kyle Landon was named the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week for the second time this season after winning his second high jump title in as many tries this year.
Competition will begin at 5:00 on Friday evening with both the men's and women's high jump and the women's weight throw.
TEAMS COMPETING
Alabama (No. 13 men)
Auburn (No. 18 women)
Furman
Georgia Tech
Louisiana Tech
Louisville
Michigan (men only)
Middle Tennessee State
Ole Miss
Mississippi State (No. 20 women)
Samford
Southern Illinois (No. 23 women)
SMU (women only)
Southern Miss
Vanderbilt (women only)
Western Kentucky
MEET NOTES
YOUTH IN CHARGE
SIU's highly-touted recruits over the last two seasons have not wasted any time in asserting their role in Southern's success. Sophomore Kyle Landon, the No. 2 high jump recruit in the country in 2013, began the first month of the year ranked No. 1 nationally at 2.20m (7-02.50) -- this coming off a tie for third at the outdoor national meet in June. Freshman Raven Saunders, the all-time high school girls record holder in the shot put and World Junior silver medalist, already owns the second-best throw in the nation and in SIU history at 17.16m (56-03.75). And freshman Lindsey Murray, the all-time high school girls pole vault record holder in the state of Illinois, already broke SIU's all-time record and ranks 22nd nationally at 4.02m (13-02.25).
BEST EVER?
SIU head coach Connie Price-Smith and throws coach John Smith may be in command of their best throws crew to date -- and that is saying something. SIU returns 2013 indoor national qualifier Bradley Sauer and All-MVC senior DeAnna Price from injuries, already improving a squad that returns four other throwers who are coming off trips to the national meet in Curtis Wideman (hammer throw), Sophia Lozano (weight throw), Alexus Scott (shot put) and Ashley Gaston (shot put, discus). SIU's throwers own 11 top-50 marks in the nation right now, nine of which rank in the top-20.
SIU WOMEN RANKED NO. 23
In her 14th year at the helm, SIU head coach Connie Price-Smith's women's team this season looks to be the strongest in at least three seasons. This is the first time either the Saluki men or women have been ranked in the indoor Top-25 since the 2012 season, when the Saluki women ranked no lower than No. 16 each week and finished the indoor season 13th at the national meet.
Contributing to Southern's Top-25 ranking were six qualifying marks, four from the 2013-14 indoor season and two from the Saluki Fast Start on Dec. 6. Freshman and all-time high school girls shot put record holder Raven Saunders' No. 1 national mark of 17.16m (56-03.75) was the highest contributor toward Southern's ranking, followed closely by senior Sophia Lozano's No. 1 weight throw distance of 21.57m (70-09.25). Also chipping in are last season's shot put marks from DeAnna Price (16.29m/53-05.50) and Ashley Gaston (15.94m/52-03.75), and 2013-14 weight throws from Price (20.75m/68-01.00) and Gaston (19.42m/63-08.75).
NCAA Women's Track and Field Top-25 - Preseason, Jan. 6
School - Points
1. Florida - 196.37
2. Texas A&M - 170.73
3. Oregon (defending indoor champions) - 140.45
4. Georgia - 131.71
5. Texas - 113.93
6. Kentucky - 104.09
7. Arkansas - 96.31
8. Providence - 87.12
9. Florida State - 68.25
10. Georgetown - 68.21
11. Stanford - 66.67
12. Kansas State - 62.01
13. Oklahoma State - 51.33
14. Maryland - 50.63
15. Michigan - 48.94
16. UCLA - 47.58
17. Texas Tech - 46.69
18. Auburn - 44.09
19. Michigan State - 39.69
20. Mississippi State - 39.41
21. Clemson - 39.27
22. Wisconsin - 38.76
23. Southern Illinois - 37.29
24. Missouri - 37.11
25. North Carolina - 35.39
Women's National Rankings (Top-50):
2. Raven Saunders - Shot Put - 17.16m (56-03.75)
3. Sophia Lozano - Weight Throw - 21.57m (70-09.25)
4. Ashley Gaston - Shot Put - 16.83m (55-02.75)
5. DeAnna Price - Weight Throw - 20.62m (67-08.00)
11. DeAnna Price - Shot Put - 16.19m (53-01.50)
23. Lauren Cheadle - Long Jump - 5.96m (19-06.75)
23. Lindsey Murray - Pole Vault - 4.02m (13-02.25)
32. Alexus Scott - Weight Throw - 18.97m (62-03.00)
34. Remy Abrought - 60 Meter Hurdles - 8.49
41. Freya Block - Weight Throw - 18.62m (61-01.25)
Women's MVC Rankings (Top-Eight):
1. Lauren Cheadle - Long Jump - 5.96m (19-06.75)
1. Sophia Lozano - Weight Throw - 21.57m (70-09.25)
1. Lindsey Murray - Pole Vault - 4.02m (13-02.25)
1. Raven Saunders - Shot Put - 17.16m (56-03.75)
1. Cetrena Simmons - High Jump - 1.65m (5-05.00)
2. Remy Abrought - 60 Meter Hurdles - 8.49
2. Ashley Gaston - Shot Put - 16.83m (55-02.75)
2. DeAnna Price - Weight Throw - 20.62m (67-08.00)
3. Kelley Gallagher - 3000 Meter Run - 10:04.72
3. DeAnna Price - Shot Put - 16.19m (53-01.50)
3. Katie Trupp - Pole Vault - 3.85m (12-07.50)
4. Cara Engel - Pole Vault - 3.82m (12-06.25)
4. Caselyn Harding - Pole Vault - 3.82m (12-06.25)
4. Alexus Scott - Weight Throw - 18.97m (62-03.00)
4. Mystique Thompson - 60 Meter Dash - 7.64
5. Freya Block - Weight Throw - 18.62m (61-01.25)
5. Alicia Reed - 400 Meter Dash - 57.50
5. Mobola Rotibi - Mile - 5:00.90
5. Alexus Scott - Shot Put - 14.75m (48-04.75)
6. Alauna Ray - Triple Jump - 11.90m (39-00.50)
6. Tyra Wooten - 400 Meter Dash - 57.53
7. Bertha Frazier - 400 Meter Dash - 57.73
8. Shaneice Bufford - Triple Jump - 11.70m (38-04.75)
8. Lauren Cheadle - 60 Meter Dash - 7.74
8. Sadie Darnell - 3000 Meter Run - 10:14.23
8. Jessica Jump - 400 Meter Dash - 57.97
Men's National Rankings (Top-50):
4. Kyle Landon - High Jump - 2.20m (7-02.50)
8. Luke James - Triple Jump - 15.58m (51-01.50)
9. Josh Freeman - Shot Put - 18.87m (61-11.00)
12. Curtis Wideman - Weight Throw - 20.91m (68-07.25)
17. Bradley Sauer - Weight Throw - 20.42m (67-00.00)
17. Curtis Wideman - Shot Put - 18.35m (60-02.50)
33. Franklin Adams - Long Jump - 7.25m (23-09.50)
33. Kyle Landon - Long Jump - 7.25m (23-09.50)
Men's MVC Rankings (Top-Eight):
1. Franklin Adams - Long Jump - 7.25m (23-09.50)
1. Josh Freeman - Shot Put - 18.87m (61-11.00)
1. Luke James - Triple Jump - 15.58m (51-01.50)
1. Kyle Landon - Long Jump - 7.25m (23-09.50)
1. Kyle Landon - High Jump - 2.20m (7-02.50)
1. Curtis Wideman - Weight Throw - 20.91m (68-07.25)
2. Bradley Sauer - Weight Throw - 20.42m (67-00.00)
2. Curtis Wideman - Shot Put - 18.35m (60-02.50)
4. Juan Carrera - 3000 Meter Run - 8:27.19
4. Jonathan Walsh - Pole Vault - 4.90m (16-00.75)
5. Jeff Stewart - Shot Put - 16.43m (53-11.00)
6. Oscar Medina - 3000 Meter Run - 8:28.63
7. Louis Dotson - Triple Jump - 13.86m (45-05.75)
7. Alex Lietz - Pole Vault - 4.75m (15-07.00)
7. Bradley Sauer - Shot Put - 16.02m (52-06.75)
7. Chad Weaver - Pole Vault - 4.75m (15-07.00)
8. Brandon Shemonia - 3000 Meter Run - 8:29.98
Players Mentioned
