Friday, February 24
Cedar Falls, Iowa
All Day
Southern Illinois University
at
MVC Indoor Championships
Photo by: Will Becque
Salukis set for MVC Indoor Track and Field Championships
02/23/2017 | 8:39:00 | Track and Field
The Southern Illinois track & field teams travel to Cedar Falls to compete at the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by the University of Northern Iowa, beginning Saturday at the UNI Dome.
The Salukis are ranked No. 23 in the most recent United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA DI Men's National Team Rankings and will be looking for their first MVC Indoor Track & Field Championship since 2012. The Saluki women will be looking to take home an indoor conference championship for the first time since 2009.
Pre-Championship Poll
The Saluki men were picked to finish 2nd in the MVC Pre-Championship poll, as they tallied 55 points to finish nine points behind Wichita State. The Shockers were also picked to win on the women's side, where the Salukis were slotted fourth.
Nationally Ranked
Three Salukis are all but locked in for the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, led by Jared Kern. Kern has the furthest throw in the NCAA this season at 67'-2", while both Warren Hazel and Kyle Landon rank seventh in their respective events.Â
Needing a big mark
Several Salukis are on the cusp of qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships, including Isaac Ingram. Ingram is currently 20th in the NCAA in the weight throw after his personal-best toss of 69'-6.75" (21.20m) at the Don DeNoon Invitational. Freya Block is ranked 30th in the women's weight, while Cara Engel, the top-ranked pole vaulter in the Valley, is ranked 33rd in the NCAA.
Looking to make it four-straight
Kyle Landon has won three-straight MVC indoor high jump titles, and could become the first male since 1984 to win four-straight MVC indoor high jump titles. Saluki great Stephen Wray was the last high jumper to win four-straight titles, doing so from 1981-84. The Chester, Ill. native is one of only five high jumpers all-time to win at least three conference titles.
Also looking to repeat
Franklin Adams is one of two Salukis who have won an MVC Indoor title on either the men's or women's side, having done so as a freshman in 2014. Adams took fourth as a sophomore, and finished sixth as a junior.Â
Coming for that No. 1 spot
Mystique Thompson (60m), Katie Trupp (pole vault), Warren Hazel (400m) and Nathan Schuck (pole vault) all finished second in their respective events a year ago at the conference meet. Hazel has the top 400m time in the Valley coming into Saturday night's race, while both Thompson and Schuck come into the meet second in the conference in their events.Â
Dominating the weight
The Saluki women have won almost half (47.6%) of the weight throw titles since the conference began contesting the event in 1996. Southern has won 9 of the last 11 MVC weight throw titles, including an eight-year title streak from 2005-12. SIU's most recent win in the event came in 2015, when DeAnna Price struck gold during her senior indoor season.
Longest Drought by Event (Men)
The Saluki men's longest streak without a conference title comes in the 4x400 relay, with SIU's last win coming in 1990. The 4x400 squad of Jaylen Galloway, Luke Horton, Ryan Mayberry and Warren Hazel will try to put an end to that streak in what will be the final event of the 2017 championships, with the race set to get underway at 4:55 p.m.
Event Rankings
The USTFCCCA compiles rankings by event, and SIU's men's shot put is the highest ranked, as they are No. 3 behind Virginia and North Dakota State. Jared Kern leads the way, as he is currently first in the NCAA in the shot. Kyle Kling (No. 80) and Ricky Hurley (No. 95) are both ranked in the top-100.
Several other event groups rank in the top-25, including men's weight throw (No. 14), women's pole vault (No. 18), men's pole vault (No. 21) and women's weight throw (No. 25).Â
Â
The Salukis are ranked No. 23 in the most recent United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA DI Men's National Team Rankings and will be looking for their first MVC Indoor Track & Field Championship since 2012. The Saluki women will be looking to take home an indoor conference championship for the first time since 2009.
Pre-Championship Poll
The Saluki men were picked to finish 2nd in the MVC Pre-Championship poll, as they tallied 55 points to finish nine points behind Wichita State. The Shockers were also picked to win on the women's side, where the Salukis were slotted fourth.
Nationally Ranked
Three Salukis are all but locked in for the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, led by Jared Kern. Kern has the furthest throw in the NCAA this season at 67'-2", while both Warren Hazel and Kyle Landon rank seventh in their respective events.Â
Needing a big mark
Several Salukis are on the cusp of qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships, including Isaac Ingram. Ingram is currently 20th in the NCAA in the weight throw after his personal-best toss of 69'-6.75" (21.20m) at the Don DeNoon Invitational. Freya Block is ranked 30th in the women's weight, while Cara Engel, the top-ranked pole vaulter in the Valley, is ranked 33rd in the NCAA.
Looking to make it four-straight
Kyle Landon has won three-straight MVC indoor high jump titles, and could become the first male since 1984 to win four-straight MVC indoor high jump titles. Saluki great Stephen Wray was the last high jumper to win four-straight titles, doing so from 1981-84. The Chester, Ill. native is one of only five high jumpers all-time to win at least three conference titles.
Also looking to repeat
Franklin Adams is one of two Salukis who have won an MVC Indoor title on either the men's or women's side, having done so as a freshman in 2014. Adams took fourth as a sophomore, and finished sixth as a junior.Â
Coming for that No. 1 spot
Mystique Thompson (60m), Katie Trupp (pole vault), Warren Hazel (400m) and Nathan Schuck (pole vault) all finished second in their respective events a year ago at the conference meet. Hazel has the top 400m time in the Valley coming into Saturday night's race, while both Thompson and Schuck come into the meet second in the conference in their events.Â
Dominating the weight
The Saluki women have won almost half (47.6%) of the weight throw titles since the conference began contesting the event in 1996. Southern has won 9 of the last 11 MVC weight throw titles, including an eight-year title streak from 2005-12. SIU's most recent win in the event came in 2015, when DeAnna Price struck gold during her senior indoor season.
The Saluki men have been almost as dominate, winning 13 of 33 (39.4%) MVC weight throw titles since 1979. Southern has won eight of the last 11 titles, including Brad Sauer's win a year ago. Isaac Ingram comes in as the favorite, having finished third a year ago and has been ranked No. 1 in the Valley for a majority of the season.
Longest Drought by Event (Women)
The Saluki women have never won the 60-meter dash dating back to 1985 when the event was extended five meters, from the 55-meter dash to the 60-meter dash. All three Salukis who are scheduled to run the race on Saturday, Mystique Thompson, Bri'Anna Branch and Tyjuana Eason, have notched top-10 school marks in the event this season and will all run in the second of three heats. Thompson broke the school record at last year's MVC Indoor Championships en route to a runner-up finish, as she ran 7.46. The defending MVC Indoor 60m champion, Marissa Kurtimah of Missouri State, will run in heat three and owns the fastest time this season in the Valley at 7.44.
Longest Drought by Event (Men)
The Saluki men's longest streak without a conference title comes in the 4x400 relay, with SIU's last win coming in 1990. The 4x400 squad of Jaylen Galloway, Luke Horton, Ryan Mayberry and Warren Hazel will try to put an end to that streak in what will be the final event of the 2017 championships, with the race set to get underway at 4:55 p.m.
Event Rankings
The USTFCCCA compiles rankings by event, and SIU's men's shot put is the highest ranked, as they are No. 3 behind Virginia and North Dakota State. Jared Kern leads the way, as he is currently first in the NCAA in the shot. Kyle Kling (No. 80) and Ricky Hurley (No. 95) are both ranked in the top-100.
Several other event groups rank in the top-25, including men's weight throw (No. 14), women's pole vault (No. 18), men's pole vault (No. 21) and women's weight throw (No. 25).Â
Â
Players Mentioned
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Jumps/Pole Vault
/ Track and FieldInside Saluki Athletics - September 23rd
Wednesday, September 24
9.15.25 | Saluki Spotlight Presented by SIU Alumni Association: Penny Warner (Soccer)
Wednesday, September 24
9.24.25 | Jorge Moreno with Rodney Watson
Wednesday, September 24
9.22.25 | Saluki Basketball Begins In Season Practice
Monday, September 22