Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Music City Classic
Track and Field to compete at Music City Challenge
02/10/2017 | 4:36:00 | Track and Field
24 teams are in attendance at the two-day event.
THIS WEEK
The Southern Illinois track and field team travels to Nashville, Tenn. for the Music City Challenge this weekend. The two-day event begins Friday, Feb. 10 with 24 teams competing including Cincinnati, East Tennessee State, Georgia, Louisville, Jacksonville, Illinois, Kennesaw State, Minnesota, SMU, Southeast Missouri State, UCF and Virginia Tech.
LAST TIME OUT
The Salukis racked up 11 first-place finishes and two top-10 school marks at the Don DeNoon Invitational while both the Saluki men and women claimed team titles at their home invitational.
SALUKIS JUMP INTO ALL-TIME RANKINGS
Two Salukis posted top-10 school marks at the Don DeNoon Invitational. Isaac Ingram improved upon his existing mark, moving up to No. 5 on SIU's all-time weight throw list with a personal-best toss of 69'-6.75" (21.20m). Ryan Mayberry, meanwhile, cracked the top-10 of best 200m marks in school history after he ran a lifetime-best 21.97 to win last Saturday.
Distancers Make Debut
Several Saluki distance runners made their 2017 indoor debut at the Don DeNoon Invitational, led by Josh Maier. The junior from Alsip, Ill. finished fourth in the mile with a time of 4:17.21. Lucas Horton was right behind him, as he finished fifth with a time of 4:17.62. Horton though, had opened this season. It was, however, the first time he had run the mile this year.
The Saluki women ran the 3000m at the Don DeNoon Invitational and were led by Shannon Effron. Effron clocked a personal-best 10:32.90, cutting nearly 40 seconds off of her previous season-best time. Hillary Merrill finished the race in 10:45.54, cutting more than 10 off her season-best mark.
SALUKIS IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
Six Salukis rank in the top-25 in their respective events, of which four rank in the top-15. Jared Kern is the clubhouse leader with a No. 2 ranking in the shot put after his school record-breaking toss at the Indiana Relays, while Kyle Landon remains No. 5 in the high jump after his clearance at the Vanderbilt Invite on Jan. 20.
Isaac Ingram moved up to No. 14 in the weight throw after he set a PR with a toss of 69'-6.75" (21.20m) at the Don DeNoon Invitational, while Warren Hazel's 46.85 in the 400m that he ran at the Indiana Relays has him ranked No. 15 in the NCAA.
A pair of Saluki seniors will try to improve upon their top-25 marks in Cara Engel and Freya Block. Engel's clearance of 13'-6.25" (4.12m) in the pole vault is the 20th-best mark in the NCAA, while Block's season-opening toss of 65'-3.5" (19.90m) in the weight throw is the 24th-best mark in the NCAA. Both Engel and Block rank first in the MVC with their respective marks.
Ingram, Engel named MVC Field Athletes of the Week
Isaac Ingram and Cara Engel have been named the Missouri Valley Conference Field Athletes of the Week, the Valley announced Tuesday. Ingram jumped to No. 14 in the NCAA in the weight throw after he recorded a personal-best at the Don DeNoon Invitational, while Engel won her third event title of the season with the second-best clearance of her career.
NEXT TIME OUT
The Salukis will next travel to Eastern Illinois University to compete in the EIU Friday Night Special on Friday, March 17.
Players Mentioned
