Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Lenny Lyles Invite
Saluki Track and Field breaks three meet records at Lenny Lyles-Clark Wood Invitational
04/29/2017 | 10:13:00 | Track and Field
SIU won three event titles and broke three meet records at Louisville on Saturday.
The Southern Illinois track and field team broke three meet records and won three event titles Saturday, April 29 at the Lenny Lyles-Clark Wood Invitational, hosted by the University of Louisville.
The women's 4x100 relay team, Lucas Horton and Jared Kern each broke meet records, while SIU's sprint squad was joined by Kyle Landon and Freya Block in the winner's circle.
The women's 4x100 relay squad of Mystique Thompson, Shafiqua Maloney, Tyjuana Eason and Bri'Anna Branch won the event by running the first sub :45 second quarter mile in Lenny Lyles-Clark Wood Invitational history. It bested the previous meet record of 45.37, set by Cincinnati last year.
It also gives the Saluki foursome the 14th-best time in the NCAA West Region with two meets to go. The top-24 relay teams advance to the NCAA West Regional on May 25-27.Â
Horton finished third the 800m with a lifetime-best time of 1:49.83. The Harrisburg, Ill. native was one of three in the field to break the meet record of 1:50.25, which had stood since 2008. Horton's mark is the second-best half-mile time in the Valley this season, and the 31st-best in the NCAA West Region.
The Saluki men put on a show in the shot put circle as Kern broke the meet record and four other Salukis recorded season-bests. The 2017 NCAA Indoor All-American was the top-collegiate finisher at the Lenny Lyles-Clark Wood Invitational, as he broke a three-year old meet record with a heave of 63'-2.25" (19.26m). Kyle Kling finished third with a personal-best toss of 58'-8" (17.88m). Kling's throw is the tenth-best in school history, and the 33rd-best in the NCAA West Region. Ricky Hurley, Nathan Stout and Isaac Ingram also tallied season-bests in the circle Saturday while Saluki alum Josh Freeman won the event with a toss of 67'-4.75" (20.45m).Â
Landon won the high jump for the fifth-straight meet. The Chester, Ill. native was one of four to attempt 7'-1" (2.16m), and the only in the field to clear it, doing so on his first attempt. It marks the 42nd time that Landon has won the high jump as a Saluki.
Block won the hammer throw for the third time this season, winning Friday night's competition with a toss of 194'-07" (59.30m) on her final attempt. Block took the lead on her third toss of the opening round with a throw of 190'-2" (57.98m), and threw 190'-10" (59.09m) on her fourth attempt. With a commanding lead, she threw 194'-07" (59.30m) on her final toss. Alexis Roberson threw a personal-best 166'-02" (50.64m) to finish seventh.
Ingram threw a bomb on his first attempt Friday night in the hammer throw, as he set a new personal-best with a heave of 197'-0" (60.06m). It's the ninth-longest throw in school history, and will get the Harrisburg, Ill. native closer to qualifying for the NCAA West Regional on May 25. It is the 44th-best toss in the West Region.
The Salukis return to action at the Ole Miss Classic on May 6.Â
Players Mentioned
