Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis resume indoor season at Kentucky Invitational
01/15/2016 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
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Meet Schedule
Heat Sheets
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- After almost a month off for the holidays, the men's and women's Saluki track and field teams will return to action at the Kentucky Invitational today and Saturday at the Nutter Field House.
The meet will begin today with the hammer throw at 4 p.m. The distance medley relays will also be run today at 7:30 p.m. Saturday's action will get under way beginning at 9 a.m.
The Southern Illinois track and field program was picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference coaches' preseason poll for the 2015-16 indoor season.
Wichita State was selected as the early favorite in the annual preseason coaches poll. The Shockers received 60 points on the women's side and 80 points on the men's side. Indiana State took second in both polls, with the men's squad totaling 73 points and the women's team ending with 57. The Salukis claimed third in both polls, with the men's team receiving 43 points and the women tallying 54.
A year ago at the 2015 MVC Indoor Championships, the Saluki women finished just three points shy of their first MVC title since 2010, taking second while the men took home a fourth-place finish. Southern claimed eight titles at last season's championship meet, including senior Josh Freeman winning SIU's first indoor shot put title since 2010.
The Saluki men were also ranked 34th in the preseason version of the National Team Computer Rankings by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), their highest preseason ranking dating back to 2008 and the highest of any Valley school, men's or women's, this season. The National Team Computer Rankings are complied by a mathematical formula based on national descending order lists. The purpose and methodology of the rankings is to create an index that showcases the teams that have the best potential of achieving the top spots in the national team race.
Nearly a month ago, Southern hosted the Saluki Fast Start in Carbondale, Ill., beginning the 2015-16 season strong footing, winning 13 events at the meet. Senior Bradley Sauer claimed first in the weight on the men's side with a mark of 20.79m (68-02.50), while fellow senior and returning outdoor All-American Josh Freeman brought home first place in the shot with a toss of 18.91m (62-00.50).
On the women's side, senior Alexus Scott is ranked in the top-10 in both the shot put and the weight after two personal-best throws at the Saluki Fast Start meet. Scott threw the shot 16.09m (52-9.5), which is the eighth-best throw in the nation thus far, and followed by throwing the weight 19.90m (65-3.5), good enough for the ninth-best mark of the season.
Women's National Rankings (Top-50):
42. Mystique Thompson - 60m - 7.56
32. Tyjuana Eason - 200m - 24.66
40. Mystique Thompson - 200m - 24.75
8. Alexus Scott- Shot put -16.09m (52-9.5)
36. Alex Morgan - shot put - 14.63m (48-0)
9. Alexus Scott - Weight throw - 19.90m (52-9.5)
17. Freya Block- Weight throw- 18.97m (62-3)
Men's National Rankings (Top-50):
4. Josh Freeman - Shot put - 18.91m (62-0.5)
16. Kemar Jones - 60h -7.98
Players Mentioned
