Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Track and Field ranked No. 23 by USTFCCCA
02/01/2016 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
By: Will Becque
SIUSalukis.com
NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its most recent computer rankings today with the Southern Illinois University men's track & field team cracking the top-25 for the first time since the USTFCCCA went to its current computer ranking system prior to the 2008 season.
The Saluki men are currently ranked 23rd in the nation, an eight-spot jump from last week's rankings. The team has three top-5 performances this season highlighted by Bradley Sauer's mark of 22.06m (72-04.5) in the men's weight throw at the Vanderbilt Invitational on Jan. 29, the fourth-best throw in the nation.
"It fires the team up to get SIU on the board at the national level," said SIU director of track and field and cross country Kathleen Raske. "When we have more than one athlete that's national class, which we certainly have, its great to get recognized and get in the top-25. However, we still have work to do, and we have to perform at our best when it counts the most to be even better at the national level. [Being ranked] is great, but we are still on a journey, and we hope to continue to get better and better and perform at our best at the national championships."
Joining Sauer in the top-5 in the nation are senior Josh Freeman and junior Kyle Landon. Freeman, a returning indoor and outdoor All-American in the shot put, broke his own school record with a mark of 19.67m (64-06.5) at the Kentucky Invitational to rank fifth in the nation while Landon, also a returning indoor All-American, is ranked third nationally in the high jump after clearing 2.24m (7-04.25) to win at the Kentucky Invitational.
Southern has two additional student-athletes ranked in the Top-50, led by sophomore Isaac Ingram. Ingram is ranked 35th in the nation in the weight throw with a mark of 19.91m (65-04), while senior Kemar Jones is ranked 48th nationally in the 60m hurdles after running a 7.98 at the Saluki Fast Start Meet.
The Saluki men's and women's squads return to action Feb. 5-6 when they host the inaugural Don DeNoon Invitational at the SIU Recreation Center.
Players Mentioned
