Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis Eye Multiple Indoor Records at PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational
01/29/2026 | 3:11:00 | Track and Field
Carbondale, Ill.— The Southern Illinois University track and field team returns to action this weekend as the Salukis travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to compete in the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational, hosted by the University of Louisville at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center on January 30–31.
The two-day meet, named in honor of Louisville legend and Olympian Lenny Lyles, will provide Southern Illinois with a strong midseason test against a competitive field featuring several Power Four programs along with regional opponents. The invitational presents an important opportunity for the Salukis to build on recent momentum and evaluate progress as the indoor season continues.
Southern Illinois enters the weekend following a strong showing at the DeNoon Classic, where the team demonstrated continued improvement across multiple event groups. The PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational serves as another key evaluation point, allowing the Salukis to fine-tune execution and measure themselves against high-level competition as the Missouri Valley Conference Championships approach later this season.
As part of an ongoing effort to establish the meet as one of the premier indoor events in the nation, this year's invitational will feature Wavelight Technologies pacing lights. The LED system runs along the inside of the track and moves at a preset pace, providing athletes with a visual guide to help maintain target times.
Field events will open the competition Friday at 9:45 a.m. ET, followed by track events beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET. Competition will continue through Saturday, with field events opening each day and running events following throughout the schedule.
Live results will be available throughout the meet, with updates provided via Southern Illinois track and field social media channels.
Coach Richard Jones is excited about the chance to see how his team performs in preparation for the MVC Champi0nships alters this year.
"Looking at the teams entered, this will be one of the larger and more competitive meets of the season outside of the MVC championship," Jones said. "We are excited to get to this level and look to compete well and improve on our MVC rankings after this weekend."
What to watch for:
Senior Leah Thames has a legitimate chance to break SIU's indoor records in the 200 and 400 meters this season. The 200-meter record stands at 23.39, while the 400-meter mark is 53.90.
The men's 4x400 relay team of Shane Ashton, Donte Long, Kwame Smith, and Jalen Dickerson also has an opportunity to challenge the indoor school record of 3:07.15.
Live Results here: https://live.dcracetiming.com/meets/60820
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
For the latest updates on the Salukis, follow the team on Twitter (@SIUTrackXC), Instagram (@SIUTrackXC) and Facebook (@SalukiTrackAndField).
The two-day meet, named in honor of Louisville legend and Olympian Lenny Lyles, will provide Southern Illinois with a strong midseason test against a competitive field featuring several Power Four programs along with regional opponents. The invitational presents an important opportunity for the Salukis to build on recent momentum and evaluate progress as the indoor season continues.
Southern Illinois enters the weekend following a strong showing at the DeNoon Classic, where the team demonstrated continued improvement across multiple event groups. The PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational serves as another key evaluation point, allowing the Salukis to fine-tune execution and measure themselves against high-level competition as the Missouri Valley Conference Championships approach later this season.
As part of an ongoing effort to establish the meet as one of the premier indoor events in the nation, this year's invitational will feature Wavelight Technologies pacing lights. The LED system runs along the inside of the track and moves at a preset pace, providing athletes with a visual guide to help maintain target times.
Field events will open the competition Friday at 9:45 a.m. ET, followed by track events beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET. Competition will continue through Saturday, with field events opening each day and running events following throughout the schedule.
Live results will be available throughout the meet, with updates provided via Southern Illinois track and field social media channels.
Coach Richard Jones is excited about the chance to see how his team performs in preparation for the MVC Champi0nships alters this year.
"Looking at the teams entered, this will be one of the larger and more competitive meets of the season outside of the MVC championship," Jones said. "We are excited to get to this level and look to compete well and improve on our MVC rankings after this weekend."
What to watch for:
Senior Leah Thames has a legitimate chance to break SIU's indoor records in the 200 and 400 meters this season. The 200-meter record stands at 23.39, while the 400-meter mark is 53.90.
The men's 4x400 relay team of Shane Ashton, Donte Long, Kwame Smith, and Jalen Dickerson also has an opportunity to challenge the indoor school record of 3:07.15.
Live Results here: https://live.dcracetiming.com/meets/60820
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
For the latest updates on the Salukis, follow the team on Twitter (@SIUTrackXC), Instagram (@SIUTrackXC) and Facebook (@SalukiTrackAndField).
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