Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Tennessee Relays
Saluki women's 4x100 relay breaks school record on final day of Tennessee Relays
04/08/2017 | 10:09:00 | Track and Field
The Saluki women's 4x100 relay team broke their own school record on the final day of the 50th running of the Tennessee Relays, Saturday, April 8. All told, Southern racked up four wins and five top-10 school marks at the three-day event.Â
The Saluki women's 4x100 relay team of Mystique Thompson, Tyjuana Eason, Shafiqua Maloney and Bri'Anna Branch broke their own school record in the event, as they finished fifth in a time of 45.52. Their mark Saturday was .01 faster than their previous-best time. Not only is it the fastest time in the Missouri Valley Conference this season, but it is the 39th-best mark in the NCAA west region.
The Saluki women's 1600m sprint medley relay team of Eason, Thompson, Maloney, and Luca-Anna Palasti nearly broke another school record, as they finished second in a field of three teams with a time of 3:55.66. The school record in the event is 3:54.99, set in 2003.
Kyle Landon won the high jump for the 39th time in his Saluki career, as he cleared 7'-1.50" (2.17m) on his first attempt at the height. While his clearance Saturday fell just short of a season-best, the Chester, Ill. native remains ranked third in the NCAA west region, and sixth in the NCAA.
Kyle Kling capped off a solid weekend in the circle in which he set personal-bests in both the discus and the shot put. Kling took seventh in the shot Friday night with a toss of 57'-4.75" (17.49m). The Machesney Park, Ill. native is now ranked second in the Valley to teammate Jared Kern. Kling followed by setting a personal-best in the discus with a toss of 167'-8" (51.10m), which is the third-best mark in the Valley.Â
Kling was the latest in what was a solid weekend in the circle for the Saluki throwers. Freya Block got things started for Southern with a runner-up finish in the women's hammer Thursday night after she threw 199'-09" (60.89m). Kern followed with the fourth-longest throw in the NCAA and the second-longest outdoor shot put toss in school history while volunteer coach Josh Freeman, who won the event, took home the Tony Wilson Men's Field Most Outstanding Athlete of the meet honors for his efforts.
Madison Meyer and Kilee Hagerstrand finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the heptathlon. Meyer set a PR in the 800m and took third in the 200m, while Hagerstrand set a season-best in the high jump and the shot put. Meyer finished with 4621 points while Hagerstrand tallied 4601.
The Salukis are back in action April 14-15 at the OVC vs. MVC meet hosted by Indiana State in Terre Haute, Ind.
Players Mentioned
