Friday, February 1
Carbondale, Ill.
Southern Illinois University
vs
Don DeNoon Invite
Photo by: Will Becque
Salukis to host fourth-annual Don DeNoon Invitational
01/31/2019 | 11:48:00 | Track and Field
CARBONDALE, Ill. - After strong performances throughout the first four meets of the 2019 indoor season, the Southern Illinois University track and field team returns home Friday, Feb. 1 when it hosts the Don DeNoon Invitational inside the SIU Recreation Center.
The Salukis are set to host their largest home meet under first-year Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Rosalind Joseph, as 11 teams are set to compete. Ole Miss highlights the field, which also includes regional foes Western Illinois, Arkansas State, Evansville and UT Martin, amongst others.
"For me, this meet is where we start to gear up for the MVC Championship," Joseph said. "Before, we were seeing where we were, fine-tuning some things and adding to our  workload. Now we are just starting to taper a little bit and get our student athletes ready for the events they will be competing in. This will be a good time with them at home and families coming in where we can put the spotlight on them for the second time this season. Everyone is training well so we are excited about our preparation."
One of the highlights of the two-day meet will take place Friday night, as the women's weight throw competition will get underway at 3:15 p.m. and will feature world-class athletes.
Saluki alum and current volunteer coach Deanna Price opened her season last weekend at the Indiana Relays and promptly unleashed the longest throw in the United States at 80'-7.50" (24.57m). Jeneva (McCall) Stevens, who was inducted into the SIU Hall of Fame earlier this year, is also scheduled to compete. Stevens is currently fourth in the nation in the event at 76'-10" (23.42m). Janaeh Stewart, who threw collegiately at Ole Miss and currently has the second-best weight throw mark in the U.S. at 79'-3.75" (24.17m), is also slated to compete.
"The women's weight throw is gonna be a hot one," Joesph said. "It is certainly going to be an event that will have strong competition. Deanna Price Lambert will come, along with post-collegiate throwers from Ole Miss. Probably some of the top marks in the world are going to come out of that event."
In addition to the Price, Stevens and Stewart, SIU's Alexis Roberson and Ole Miss' Shey Taiwo both have top-15 marks in the NCAA this season, as Roberson comes into the weekend meet ranked No. 14 while Taiwo sits at No. 10.Â
The event is free of charge, with the SIU Recreation Center giving fans a birds-eye view of the weight throw. Seats are lined along the upstairs track at the Rec Center, which allows fans the unique ability to not only see the entire throws pit, but also provides spectators with a great view of the entire meet.
The pole vault, as well as the triple jump and women's high jump, will be contested Friday night.
Day two of the fourth annual Don DeNoon Invitational is set to begin at 10:00 a.m. CT as the men's shot put and men's high jump get underway. Running events begin at 11:15 a.m. starting with the women's 60-meter dash. There are 32 entrants in the women's 60m.
"I put a lot of emphasis early in the season on competing and being aggressive," Joseph said. "Right now, I am actually asking our student athletes to put a little more thought into what it is they need. We are really trying to figure out each individual and what they need. Some need rest, some need to do more. Some think they don't need to run but they do. I think there is a lot of fine-tuning right now, a lot of communication with our coaching staff on what it is they need to get ready."
The Salukis currently have four event groups ranked in the top-15 nationally, according to the USTFCCCA event rankings. The Saluki men's weight throwers are collectively ranked 4th with a total of 228'-0.75" (69.51m), while the women's weight throwers rank 6th with a cumulative toss of 250'-6" (76.35m). The men's shot putters rank 7th nationally with a mark of 235'-7.25" (71.81m) and the women's shot putters are ranked 9th at 193'-2.50" (58.89m).Â
Individually, Southern has six athletes who are ranked in the top-50 nationally led by Roberson. Roberson moved into the Top-15 of the NCAA after her toss of 69'-7" (21.21m) at the John Gartland Invitational on Jan. 19. Adam Kessler, meanwhile, will head into the weekend ranked 16th in the shot put.
After hosting the Don DeNoon Invitational this weekend, the Salukis will next travel to Birmingham, Ala. on Feb. 8 to compete at the Samford Invitational.
Top-50 Nationally
Six Salukis are ranked in the top-50 nationally.
Rank | Athlete | Event | Mark/Time
14 | Alexis Roberson | Weight Throw | 69'-7" (21.21m)
16 | Adam Kessler | Shot Put | 62'-11.5" (19.19m)
37 | Matthew Bigelow | Heptathlon | 4919 points
46 | Caleb Vogel | High Jump | 6'-10.75 (2.10m)
46 | Ricky Hurley | Shot Put | 58'-20.25" (17.94m)
47 | Shauniece O'Neal | Weight Throw | 63'-8.25" (19.41m)
The Salukis are set to host their largest home meet under first-year Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Rosalind Joseph, as 11 teams are set to compete. Ole Miss highlights the field, which also includes regional foes Western Illinois, Arkansas State, Evansville and UT Martin, amongst others.
"For me, this meet is where we start to gear up for the MVC Championship," Joseph said. "Before, we were seeing where we were, fine-tuning some things and adding to our  workload. Now we are just starting to taper a little bit and get our student athletes ready for the events they will be competing in. This will be a good time with them at home and families coming in where we can put the spotlight on them for the second time this season. Everyone is training well so we are excited about our preparation."
One of the highlights of the two-day meet will take place Friday night, as the women's weight throw competition will get underway at 3:15 p.m. and will feature world-class athletes.
Saluki alum and current volunteer coach Deanna Price opened her season last weekend at the Indiana Relays and promptly unleashed the longest throw in the United States at 80'-7.50" (24.57m). Jeneva (McCall) Stevens, who was inducted into the SIU Hall of Fame earlier this year, is also scheduled to compete. Stevens is currently fourth in the nation in the event at 76'-10" (23.42m). Janaeh Stewart, who threw collegiately at Ole Miss and currently has the second-best weight throw mark in the U.S. at 79'-3.75" (24.17m), is also slated to compete.
"The women's weight throw is gonna be a hot one," Joesph said. "It is certainly going to be an event that will have strong competition. Deanna Price Lambert will come, along with post-collegiate throwers from Ole Miss. Probably some of the top marks in the world are going to come out of that event."
In addition to the Price, Stevens and Stewart, SIU's Alexis Roberson and Ole Miss' Shey Taiwo both have top-15 marks in the NCAA this season, as Roberson comes into the weekend meet ranked No. 14 while Taiwo sits at No. 10.Â
The event is free of charge, with the SIU Recreation Center giving fans a birds-eye view of the weight throw. Seats are lined along the upstairs track at the Rec Center, which allows fans the unique ability to not only see the entire throws pit, but also provides spectators with a great view of the entire meet.
The pole vault, as well as the triple jump and women's high jump, will be contested Friday night.
Day two of the fourth annual Don DeNoon Invitational is set to begin at 10:00 a.m. CT as the men's shot put and men's high jump get underway. Running events begin at 11:15 a.m. starting with the women's 60-meter dash. There are 32 entrants in the women's 60m.
"I put a lot of emphasis early in the season on competing and being aggressive," Joseph said. "Right now, I am actually asking our student athletes to put a little more thought into what it is they need. We are really trying to figure out each individual and what they need. Some need rest, some need to do more. Some think they don't need to run but they do. I think there is a lot of fine-tuning right now, a lot of communication with our coaching staff on what it is they need to get ready."
The Salukis currently have four event groups ranked in the top-15 nationally, according to the USTFCCCA event rankings. The Saluki men's weight throwers are collectively ranked 4th with a total of 228'-0.75" (69.51m), while the women's weight throwers rank 6th with a cumulative toss of 250'-6" (76.35m). The men's shot putters rank 7th nationally with a mark of 235'-7.25" (71.81m) and the women's shot putters are ranked 9th at 193'-2.50" (58.89m).Â
Individually, Southern has six athletes who are ranked in the top-50 nationally led by Roberson. Roberson moved into the Top-15 of the NCAA after her toss of 69'-7" (21.21m) at the John Gartland Invitational on Jan. 19. Adam Kessler, meanwhile, will head into the weekend ranked 16th in the shot put.
After hosting the Don DeNoon Invitational this weekend, the Salukis will next travel to Birmingham, Ala. on Feb. 8 to compete at the Samford Invitational.
Top-50 Nationally
Six Salukis are ranked in the top-50 nationally.
Rank | Athlete | Event | Mark/Time
14 | Alexis Roberson | Weight Throw | 69'-7" (21.21m)
16 | Adam Kessler | Shot Put | 62'-11.5" (19.19m)
37 | Matthew Bigelow | Heptathlon | 4919 points
46 | Caleb Vogel | High Jump | 6'-10.75 (2.10m)
46 | Ricky Hurley | Shot Put | 58'-20.25" (17.94m)
47 | Shauniece O'Neal | Weight Throw | 63'-8.25" (19.41m)
Players Mentioned
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