Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Photo by: Saluki Athletic Communications
Thames headlines SIU’s strong final invite before MVC championships
05/02/2026 | 6:40:00 | Track and Field
On the final day of the last regular-season meet of the year, held in Kentucky at the Jim Green Invitational, Leah Thames continued her historic senior season for Southern Illinois by becoming the first woman in program history to run the 400 meters in under 53 seconds.
Thames won the event against strong Southeastern Conference competition with a school-record time of 52.46 seconds. Layla Watson also impressed in the event, placing fourth and setting a personal record with a time of 54.37.
Kyla Engel and Eislee Moore each posted personal bests in the 800 meters. Engel finished second in her heat with a time of 2 minutes, 16.79 seconds, while Moore clocked 2:21.69. Savanna Franzen won her heat in the same event and recorded a season-best time of 2:20.13.
In the field events, Mali Thornton posted a personal-best mark of 42.37 meters in the discus. Na'Kyrah Cooks placed fifth in the triple jump with a mark of 11.55 meters, just shy of her personal best, while Mackenzie Fodrey finished seventh with a personal-best mark of 11.06 meters. Hannah Meiser recorded a personal-best time of 17:24.93 in the women's 5,000 meters, finishing seventh in the event and improving her previous best by 25 seconds. On the men's side, Ben Chance and Calen George both set personal records in the 5k, clocking 14:42 and 14:44, respectively.
Southern Illinois' women's 4x100-meter relay team of Trinity Cleaver, Thames, Courtney McDonald and KeyAnn Wilson placed second with a season-best time of 45.58 seconds.
Jamison Love posted a personal-best time of 14.87 in the 100-meter hurdles. Kelsey Pacha added a season-best mark of 15.38, narrowly missing her lifetime best.
On the men's side, Xavier Preston finished ninth in the 100 meters with a time of 10.63 seconds, while Mason Watts placed ninth in the high jump with a clearance of 1.92 meters.
The men's 4x100 relay team of Luke Leverett, Donte Long, Preston and Kwame Smith finished third in 40.50 seconds. Marius Coleman placed 11th in the 400 meters with a time of 48.43s, finishing just 0.2 seconds off his personal best.
Director Richard Jones said the meet served as a strong final tuneup before the Missouri Valley Conference Championships. "The last meet of the season has prepared the team for the championship," Jones said. "This was a great dress rehearsal, and I'm pleased with most of the results. We will spend time getting healthy and sharpening the knife."
UP NEXT
The MVC Outdoor Championship will be May 16-17 in Terra Haute, Indiana at the Gibson Track & FIeld Complex.
Thames won the event against strong Southeastern Conference competition with a school-record time of 52.46 seconds. Layla Watson also impressed in the event, placing fourth and setting a personal record with a time of 54.37.
Kyla Engel and Eislee Moore each posted personal bests in the 800 meters. Engel finished second in her heat with a time of 2 minutes, 16.79 seconds, while Moore clocked 2:21.69. Savanna Franzen won her heat in the same event and recorded a season-best time of 2:20.13.
In the field events, Mali Thornton posted a personal-best mark of 42.37 meters in the discus. Na'Kyrah Cooks placed fifth in the triple jump with a mark of 11.55 meters, just shy of her personal best, while Mackenzie Fodrey finished seventh with a personal-best mark of 11.06 meters. Hannah Meiser recorded a personal-best time of 17:24.93 in the women's 5,000 meters, finishing seventh in the event and improving her previous best by 25 seconds. On the men's side, Ben Chance and Calen George both set personal records in the 5k, clocking 14:42 and 14:44, respectively.
Southern Illinois' women's 4x100-meter relay team of Trinity Cleaver, Thames, Courtney McDonald and KeyAnn Wilson placed second with a season-best time of 45.58 seconds.
Jamison Love posted a personal-best time of 14.87 in the 100-meter hurdles. Kelsey Pacha added a season-best mark of 15.38, narrowly missing her lifetime best.
On the men's side, Xavier Preston finished ninth in the 100 meters with a time of 10.63 seconds, while Mason Watts placed ninth in the high jump with a clearance of 1.92 meters.
The men's 4x100 relay team of Luke Leverett, Donte Long, Preston and Kwame Smith finished third in 40.50 seconds. Marius Coleman placed 11th in the 400 meters with a time of 48.43s, finishing just 0.2 seconds off his personal best.
Director Richard Jones said the meet served as a strong final tuneup before the Missouri Valley Conference Championships. "The last meet of the season has prepared the team for the championship," Jones said. "This was a great dress rehearsal, and I'm pleased with most of the results. We will spend time getting healthy and sharpening the knife."
UP NEXT
The MVC Outdoor Championship will be May 16-17 in Terra Haute, Indiana at the Gibson Track & FIeld Complex.
Players Mentioned
/ Track and Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field4.30.26 | Saluki Baseball Weekend Preview- Indiana State
Thursday, April 30
Saluki Radio Baseball Broadcast - Murray State Game 3 (Audio Only)
Monday, April 27
4.23.26 | Saluki Baseball Weekend Preview - Murray State
Thursday, April 23
Saluki Radio Baseball Broadcast - at Bradley Game Three (Audio Only)
Sunday, April 19