Recap | Two School Records Break as Salukis Compete at Badgers Midwest Invite
01/14/2024 | 11:30:00 | Track and Field
CHICAGO, Ill. - Southern Illinois University track and field continued their season on Saturday in Chicago, Ill. in the Badgers Midwest Invite hosted by the University of Wisconsin.
"It was our first meet back from Christmas break and a return into form. We had 2 school records and a few individual personal records so that's always a plus," head coach Richard Jones said.
Rachel Anderson delivered a big performance on Saturday. Anderson set one personal record with a 4:47.51 time in the women's one mile, where she currently sits second in school history. Later in the meet, she broke a school record in the women's 3000 meters with a time of 9:31.37. She set a personal record while passing Kayla Schiera's previous feat of 9:34.61, a mark she posted in 2022. Anderson also holds the 5000-meter record and joins Iaunia Pointer and Ty-nica Davis as the only athletes who hold multiple indoor school records. Claire Ayers, Ansley Bailey, Ellie Hall, and Stephanie Anthonies all finished in the top 10 of the event as well. Bailey, Hall, and Anthonies set personal records.
Iaunia Pointer finished second and set a personal and school record of 37.82 in the women's 300 meters. The mark currently ranks 11th in the NCAA.
Southern Illinois track events continue to be a strength as five other Salukis set personal records or season-best times. Trinity Cleaver advanced to the finals and set a personal record in the 60-meter hurdles. She also set a personal record in the women's 300 meters. Junior Christian Donatelli set a season-best while taking home third in men's 60 meters. Jadon Robertson finished second and third in the men's 60-meter hurdles. Ethan Senti set a personal record while finishing fourth in the men's one mile. Weston Jokerst joined him in the top 10 finishing sixth. Senti also placed third in the men's 3000 meters. Teanna Bell finished sixth in the event, while sophomore Vashti Grey set a personal record. Jeremiah Hamilton placed third in the men's 300 meters, setting a personal record with a time of 34.41.
Jadon Robertson led the way in the field events, placing fifth and setting a season-best in the high jump, and third in the long jump. Dallas Hodge led the charge in the men's weight throw. He finished sixth and joined fellow freshmen Sercye Haynes and Xavier Moore in setting personal records. Junior Darius Fuller took home third in the triple jump. His distance of 14.84 meters is a personal record and currently sits at 47th in the NCAA. Caleb Carter also set a personal record.
"There's still a lot of room for improvement so we just use this to build upon during the indoor season," Jones said.
UP NEXT
Southern Illinois will travel to the Indiana Invitational in Bloomington, Ind., on Friday, January 19. The event spans over two days.
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