Salukis finish strong at Vanderbilt Invitational

The Southern Illinois track and field team wrapped up competition at the Vanderbilt Invitational Saturday evening. The Salukis tallied 12 top-10 finishes, which included six top-five performances and one win during the two-day event.

Saturday's festivities saw Jared Kern continue his ascent up SIU's top-10 indoor shot put list, as he passed Olympian George Woods for sixth all-time on Saturday. Kern set a new PR with a heave of 61'-5.5" (18.73m) to finish third.

Kern's best mark came on his third of six throws, as he was in second heading into the sixth attempt but Josh Atowunde of South Carolina upscored on his final throw to leapfrog Kern and claim second. Saluki volunteer coach Josh Freeman won with a personal-best heave of 66'-7" (20.29m). Kern's mark Saturday is nearly five feet further than the next best throw in the Valley and will end the weekend with the ninth-best mark in the nation.

After he won his first high jump title of the season Friday night, Kyle Landon jumped 47'-2.25" (14.38m) to place 10^th in triple jump. The Chester, Ill. native finished ahead of Fraquan Gaines, who took 11^th with a jump of 46'-11.5" (14.31m). Landon finished the weekend tied for the third-best high jump clearance in the nation after he sailed over 7'-3" Friday night.

Running the 800m for the first time this season, Lucas Horton ran 1:53.19 in the 800m to place eighth. The Harrisburg, Ill. native's time is the sixth-fastest in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Speaking of top-10 performances, Cara Engel cleared 13'-1.75" (4.01m) to finish ninth in the pole vault Saturday, as it marked the second time in three meets that she has cleared 13 ft. or higher. The Salukis also notched a top-10 performance in the women's 4x400m, as Genesis Ewell, Luca-Anna Palasti, Alicia Reed and Tyjuana Eason ran 3:50.34 to take seventh.

Kyle Landon won the high jump Friday night and is now tied for the third-best clearance in the nation at 7'-3", while both Freya Block and Isaac Ingram were the top-collegiate finishers in the weight throw, and have the 19^th and 20^th-best marks in the nation, respectively.

The Salukis will next travel to Bloomington, Ind. to take part in the Indiana Relays on Jan. 27-28.

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Players Mentioned

Freya Block

Tyjuana Eason

Cara Engel

Genesis Ewell

Josh Freeman

Fraquan Gaines

Luke Horton

Isaac Ingram

Jared Kern

Kyle Landon

Luca Palasti

Alicia Reed

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