Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis headed to Lexington for final tune up before MVC Championship
05/01/2026 | 8:07:00 | Track and Field
The Southern Illinois track and field team will make its final regular-season stop this weekend at the Jim Green Invitational, hosted by the University of Kentucky in Lexington. The meet serves as the Salukis' last opportunity to sharpen up before the Outdoor Missouri Valley Conference Championships on May 16-17.
Southern Illinois enters the weekend carrying strong momentum after an impressive outdoor campaign that has featured multiple personal bests, program records, and several athletes climbing to the top of the MVC performance lists.
Competition begins Friday at noon ET with the women's hammer throw and wraps up with the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase at 6:45 p.m. ET.
What to Watch
The Salukis have established themselves as contenders across a wide range of events this spring.
On the women's side, Leah Thames has been one of SIU's most versatile and dominant performers, currently ranking first in the MVC in the 400-meter dash, second in the 200-meter dash, and third in the 100-meter dash.
The women's 4x100-meter relay squad of Thames, freshmen Courtney McDonald and Jamison Love, along with KeyAnn Wilson, sits second in the conference heading into the postseason stretch.
In field events, Na' Kyrah Cooks ranks second in the MVC in both the women's long jump and triple jump, while Ella McDonnell is fifth in the high jump. Jalynn Wood also enters the weekend ranked fifth in the women's javelin.
On the men's side, Kwame Smith leads the MVC in the 400-meter dash and is also a key piece of Southern Illinois' 4x400-meter relay team alongside Donte Long, Xavier Preston, and Jalen Dickerson. The quartet currently ranks second in the conference.
Dickerson also leads the MVC in the men's 400-meter hurdles, with teammate Shane Ashton ranking third in the same event.
Freshman Jordan Smith has made an immediate impact in the field, currently sitting second in the MVC in the men's javelin. Malik Allen leads the conference in the triple jump, while Christian Coleman is tied for fourth in the high jump.
In throws, Dallas Hodge enters the meet ranked third in the men's hammer throw.
With conference championships just two weeks away, the Jim Green Invitational offers one final chance for the Salukis to fine-tune performances, chase qualifying marks, and build momentum heading into the MVC title meet.
Live results for the Jim Green Invitational can be found here:Â https://live.pttiming.com/?mid=8914&en=39-1
Players Mentioned
