Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Saturday, December 7
Carbondale, Ill.
Southern Illinois University
vs
Saluki Fast Start
Photo by: Will Becque
Indoor Track and Field Set To Begin With Saluki Fast Start
12/06/2019 | 12:20:00 | Track and Field
CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Southern Illinois University track and field indoor season gets underway on Saturday, Dec. 7 with the annual Saluki Fast Start inside of the SIU Recreation Center.
The Salukis will begin competition with field events starting at 10 a.m., followed by the running events at 1 p.m. Admission into the meet is free for all spectators.
The Field
Saint Louis University
Murray State
University of Tennessee Martin
University of Arkansas Little Rock
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
Austin Peay University
Williams Baptist University
Southern Illinois University
The season-opener serves as a chance for programs and coaches to understand where their deficiencies are and gives the competitors a chance to see what they need to improve on before the season gets in full swing.
"It'll be a good introduction for us to just see how fall training has been going," said second-year Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Rosalind Joseph. "I have to just sit back and watch and evaluate. Having a lot of newcomers, I don't know what they know. I know what I've been telling them, but really just seeing how they execute some things. There are little things that we're still trying to instill and see where everybody is."
While SIU's track and field program holds itself to high standards as it is, the Salukis saw their season expectations grow even higher on Wednesday when the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field preseason polls were released. The Saluki men were pegged to finish fourth in the conference while the women were tied for second with Indiana State. The Illinois State Redbirds were picked to finish first in both the men and women's preseason polls.
"On the men's side, I have no clue and I kind of like that," Joseph said in regard to the team's best event. "We have some returners in the throws, namely Adam Kessler and Ricky Hurley, so we expect them to continue to be successful in that role. Our women are not as new as the men. We have some of our top scorers returning from the sprinters and we will continue to expect a lot from them at the conference level."
Missouri Valley Conference Indoor T&F Preseason Rankings – Men
1. Illinois State
2. UNI
3. Indiana State
4. Southern Illinois
5. Bradley
6. Loyola
7. Drake
8. Valparaiso
9. Evansville
Missouri Valley Conference Indoor T&F Preseason Rankings - Women
1. Illinois State
T-2. Indiana State
T-2. Southern Illinois
3. UNI
4. Missouri State
5. Loyola
6. Bradley
7. Drake
8. Valparaiso
9. Evansville
On the men's side, the Salukis are returning last year's MVC Most Outstanding Men's Field Athlete in Adam Kessler. Kessler, the MVC Indoor Championship record holder in the shot put, will be joined alongside by Ricky Hurley, who took bronze in the weight throw at the MVC Indoor Championships last season. Willie Rodgers, Canoy Tyree, Theo Phipps and Caleb Vogel are all candidates to build off of successful 2018-19 campaigns. Damere Gilbert, a graduate transfer from DII St. Augustine, will look to make an impact as one of the short sprinters on a team that sought talent in that area coming into this season.
On the women's side, the Salukis will be without standout junior Shauniece O'Neal, as she will take a redshirt this season to prepare for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. However, the Salukis will look to their eight returning All-Conference student-athletes, including graduate student Tyjuana Eason, who earned gold in the women's 60m dash and 200m dash at the 2019 MVC Indoor Championship. Alongside Eason is senior Madison Meyer, who will look to repeat as the conference's gold winner in the women's pentathlon.
"We just have to sit and watch to figure out what they need," said Joseph. "Then, after break, we have to instill what they need into them. The ownership belongs to them after the meet."
Following Saturday's meet, the Salukis will have the rest of the month off before returning to action at the Jim Green Invitational, hosted by the University of Kentucky on Jan. 10-11.
Follow the Salukis
For the latest updates on the Salukis, be sure to follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Salukis will begin competition with field events starting at 10 a.m., followed by the running events at 1 p.m. Admission into the meet is free for all spectators.
The Field
Saint Louis University
Murray State
University of Tennessee Martin
University of Arkansas Little Rock
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
Austin Peay University
Williams Baptist University
Southern Illinois University
The season-opener serves as a chance for programs and coaches to understand where their deficiencies are and gives the competitors a chance to see what they need to improve on before the season gets in full swing.
"It'll be a good introduction for us to just see how fall training has been going," said second-year Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Rosalind Joseph. "I have to just sit back and watch and evaluate. Having a lot of newcomers, I don't know what they know. I know what I've been telling them, but really just seeing how they execute some things. There are little things that we're still trying to instill and see where everybody is."
While SIU's track and field program holds itself to high standards as it is, the Salukis saw their season expectations grow even higher on Wednesday when the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field preseason polls were released. The Saluki men were pegged to finish fourth in the conference while the women were tied for second with Indiana State. The Illinois State Redbirds were picked to finish first in both the men and women's preseason polls.
"On the men's side, I have no clue and I kind of like that," Joseph said in regard to the team's best event. "We have some returners in the throws, namely Adam Kessler and Ricky Hurley, so we expect them to continue to be successful in that role. Our women are not as new as the men. We have some of our top scorers returning from the sprinters and we will continue to expect a lot from them at the conference level."
Missouri Valley Conference Indoor T&F Preseason Rankings – Men
1. Illinois State
2. UNI
3. Indiana State
4. Southern Illinois
5. Bradley
6. Loyola
7. Drake
8. Valparaiso
9. Evansville
Missouri Valley Conference Indoor T&F Preseason Rankings - Women
1. Illinois State
T-2. Indiana State
T-2. Southern Illinois
3. UNI
4. Missouri State
5. Loyola
6. Bradley
7. Drake
8. Valparaiso
9. Evansville
On the men's side, the Salukis are returning last year's MVC Most Outstanding Men's Field Athlete in Adam Kessler. Kessler, the MVC Indoor Championship record holder in the shot put, will be joined alongside by Ricky Hurley, who took bronze in the weight throw at the MVC Indoor Championships last season. Willie Rodgers, Canoy Tyree, Theo Phipps and Caleb Vogel are all candidates to build off of successful 2018-19 campaigns. Damere Gilbert, a graduate transfer from DII St. Augustine, will look to make an impact as one of the short sprinters on a team that sought talent in that area coming into this season.
On the women's side, the Salukis will be without standout junior Shauniece O'Neal, as she will take a redshirt this season to prepare for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. However, the Salukis will look to their eight returning All-Conference student-athletes, including graduate student Tyjuana Eason, who earned gold in the women's 60m dash and 200m dash at the 2019 MVC Indoor Championship. Alongside Eason is senior Madison Meyer, who will look to repeat as the conference's gold winner in the women's pentathlon.
"We just have to sit and watch to figure out what they need," said Joseph. "Then, after break, we have to instill what they need into them. The ownership belongs to them after the meet."
Following Saturday's meet, the Salukis will have the rest of the month off before returning to action at the Jim Green Invitational, hosted by the University of Kentucky on Jan. 10-11.
Follow the Salukis
For the latest updates on the Salukis, be sure to follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Multis/Jumps
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and FieldSaluki Radio Baseball Broadcast - Game 1 at Bradley (Audio Only)
Saturday, April 18
4.16.26 | Saluki Softball Weekend Preview - UNI
Friday, April 17
4.16.26 | Saluki Baseball Weekend Preview - at Bradley
Thursday, April 16
Saluki Radio Baseball Broadcast - At UE Game Three (Audio Only)
Sunday, April 12