Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis to compete at Vanderbilt Invitational this weekend
01/28/2016 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
| Vanderbilt Invitational | |
| Date | Friday & Saturday, Jan. 29-30, 2016 |
| Location | Nashville, Tenn./Multi-Purpose Facility |
| Live Results | Vanderbilt Invite |
| Start List | Start List |
| Meet Info | Information |
| Social Media | @SIU_TrackXC |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Saluki track and field will head to the Volunteer State this weekend to compete in the Vanderbilt Invitational at Vanderbilt's Multi-Purpose Facility.
SIU will compete alongside more than 700 athletes from 20 schools, including four SEC teams- Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt along with teams from the ACC and Big 10 conferences, amongst others.
Director of track and field and cross country Kathleen Raske is excited to see how the Salukis respond to this weekend's enhanced level of competition.
"We're finally in a position where were going to get a chance to be in the right sections, the right heats and be pressed by really good competition on all sides," said Raske. "I'm looking forward to seeing our team be the best competitors possible and to respond to the competition."
Southern holds nine national top-50 marks (five men, four women) -- helping boost the Saluki men to 31st in the most recent USTFCCCA Computer Rankings. Kyle Landon, who was named both the Missouri Valley Conference's Male Field Athlete of the Week and the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week after winning the high jump at the Gladstein Invitational, is ranked third in the nation and sits just three-quarters of an inch behind Randall Cunningham of the University of Southern California for first. Landon will high jump Friday beginning at 4 p.m.
Highlighting Saturday's action will be Tyrone Echols, who will continue to chase the SIU indoor 60m record. Echols notched the fifth-best 60m time in program history by running a 6.87 at the Kentucky Invitational two weeks ago. Josh Freeman, who's ranked fourth in the nation in the shot put, will throw at 2 p.m. while Nikolai Gall will run for the first time this season, as he is slated to run the 200m, 400m and 4x400m relay.
On the women's side, Alexus Scott will throw Saturday looking to improve upon her top-20 marks in both the weight throw and the shot put while Mystique Thompson is set to compete in the 60m, 200m and the 4x400m relay.
When asked about the team's goals for the meet, Raske said, "we want to continue to improve and progress. We want to be the best competitors possible, and be better than we were last week."
Day one of the Vanderbilt Invitational gets underway with the men's and women's high jump at 4 p.m. Live results from the meet can be found here, while a full schedule of events is below.
Schedule of Events
Friday
4 pm High Jump M/W
4 pm Weight Throw W 2 Flights
5 pm Long Jump W 3 Flights
5 pm Long Jump M 2 Flights
5 pm Pole Vault M
6:30 pm Weight Throw M 1 Flight
7 pm 200 Meters W 17 Sections
7:30 pm 200 Meters M 15 Sections
8 pm Distance Medley W
8:15 pm Distance Medley M
8:25 pm 5000 Meters W
8:50 pm 5000 Meters M
Saturday
Field events
11 am Shot Put W 2 Flights
Noon Pole Vault W
2 pm Triple Jump W 2 Flights
2 pm Triple Jump M 1 Flight
2 pm Shot Put M 2 Flights
Running Events
10 am 3000 Meters-Unseeded W Section 2-3
10:25 am 3000 Meters-Unseeded M Section 2-3
10:45 am Mile Run-Unseeded W Section 3-4
11 am Mile Run-Unseeded M Section 3-4
11:15 am 400 Meters-Unseeded W Sections 5-9
11:25 am 400 Meters-Unseeded M Sections 5-9
1 pm 60 Hurdles-Prelim W 7 Heats
1:20 pm 60 Hurdles-Prelim M 4 Heats
1:40 pm 60 Meters-Prelim W 7 Heats
2 pm 60 Meters-Prelim M 7 Heats
2:20 pm Mile Run-Seeded W Top 1-2 Sec
2:35 pm Mile Run-Seeded M Top 1-2 Sec
2:55 pm 60 Hurdles-Final W
3:05 pm 60 Hurdles-Final M
3:10 pm 60 Meters-Final W
3:15 pm 60 Meters-Final M
3:20 pm 400 Meters-Seeded W Top 1-4 Sec
3:35 pm 400 Meters-Seeded M Top 1-4 Sec
3:50 pm 800 Meters-Seeded W Top 1-3 Sec
4:05 pm 800 Meters-Seeded M Top 1-3 Sec
4:20 pm 3000 Meters-Seeded W Top 1 Sec
4:35 pm 3000 Meters-Seeded M Top 1 Sec
4:45 pm 4X400 Relay W
5:10 pm 4X400 Relay M
Men's National Rankings (Top-50)
3. Kyle Landon - High Jump - 2.24m (7-04.25)
4. Josh Freeman - Shot Put - 19.67m (64-06.50)
12. Bradley Sauer - Weight Throw - 21.09m (69-02.50)
32. Isaac Ingram - Weight Throw - 19.91m (65-04)
39. Kemar Jones - 60m Hurdles - 7.98
Women's National Rankings (Top-50)
19. Alexus Scott - Weight Throw - 19.90m (65-03.50)
20. Alexus Scott - Shot Put - 16.09m (52-09.50)
25. Freya Block - Weight Throw - 19.70m (64-07.75)
30. Cara Engel - Pole Vault - 4.06m (13-3.75)
Players Mentioned
