Five Valley teams opened competition this past weekend at the Saluki Fast Start hosted by Southern Illinois and the John Coughlin Invite hosted by Illinois State. The Valley saw 22 national Top 20 performances between these two meets with 8 top 10 performance. The Valley also saw 2 national leaders in the women's 400m and the women's 200m. While still very early in the season, Valley student-athletes strive to hold top positions to qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championship in March of 2024.
Men's Preseason Poll
For the men, Indiana State tabbed first in the preseason as they compete for their 7th MVC indoor title with 5 first-place votes. Illinois State tabbed second with 89 points by the coaches with three first-place votes, after finishing second in last year's MVC Indoor Championship. Northern Iowa tabbed third in the poll with 81 points by the coaches with two first-place votes after finishing third in the MVC Indoor Championship in 2023. Southern Illinois tabbed fourth at 68 points, followed by Drake's 59, Bradley's 52, and Belmont's 45. Valparaiso polled 28 points for eighth ahead of UIC's 23, and Evansville's 10, rounding out the MVC Poll.
Women's Preseason Poll
For the women, Illinois State tabbed the top spot by the coaches with 141 points and 10 first-place votes. The Redbirds shoot for their x indoor program title and their second MVC title in a row. Indiana State received votes for second place with 128 points and 1 first-place vote. The Racers of Murray State tabbed third by 5 points behind the Sycamores after finishing runner-ups in the 2023 indoor and outdoor championships. Southern Illinois tabbed 91 points for fourth. 2023 MVC Cross Country Champions Belmont tabbed in fifth with 89 points, 3 points ahead of Bradley tabbed at sixth with 86 points, 3 points ahead of Northern Iowa. Missouri State (64 points), Drake (61 points), and UIC (35 points) tabbed 8th, 9th, and 10th respectively. Valparaiso and Evansville round out the poll in 11th and 12th.
TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK HONORS
Men's Track Athlete of the Week
Raydoffa Braziel, Sr. Illinois State [Flint, Mich.]- Senior Raydoffa Braziel won the men’s 600m with a time of 1:22.00, he was also part of the winning 4x400m relay team where he was the anchor and produced a time of 3:25.81. The 4x400 relay team currently leads the MVC for the best time.
Women's Co-Track Athlete of the Week
Iaunia Pointer, Sr., Southern Illinois [Louisville, Ky.] - Finished first in the women's 60m dash with a time of 7.42, and then first in the 200m dash with a time of 24.08 at the Saluki Fast Start. Pointer finished ahead of schools such as Murray State, UT Martin, and Maryville (Mo.). Pointer currently sits first in the nation in the 200m and second in the 60m.
Women's Co-Track Athlete of the Week
Kayla Bell, Sr., Murray State [Lynwood, Ill.] - With a time of 55.32 seconds in the 400-meter dash at the Saluki Fast Start, finishing first. Kayla Bell had the fastest time in the country of all the Division I qualifying athletes that competed this week in the 400m.
Men's Field Athlete of the Week
Ariel Atias, Sr., Illinois State [Haifa, Israel] - Ariel Atias won the men’s heptathlon with a win in the 60m dash, shot put, high jump, and the pole vault with a total score of 5,266. Atias set a personal best in the pole vault with a height of 4.75m. Atias also set a personal best time in the 60m with a time of 7.19 seconds. He currently sits in second with the most points in the entire NCAA and leads the MVC as well.
Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Windsor Roberts, Jr, Illinois State [Downs, Ill.]- Junior Windsor Roberts wins the women's pole vault with 3.85m (12” 7.50”), which is the current Horton Field House record. Roberts currently sits in first in the MVC for the pole vault and 24th in the nation.
NOTEABLE PERFORMANCES
WOMEN
- Madison Saunders, Jr., Illinois State
- Junior Madison Saunders wins the women's 60m dash with a personal-best time of 7.65. Saunders also won the women’s triple jump with 11.60m (38” 0.75’). Saunders currently sits in first with the longest leap in the MVC and sixth in the 60m dash.
- Jalynn Wood, So., Southern Illinois
- Finished third in the pole vault at the Saluki Fast Start with a mark of 3.50m.
nOTEABLE PERFORMANCES
MEN
- Dallas Hodge, Fr., Southern Illinois
- Finished first in the shot put with a mark of 13.61m, and then second in the weight throw after posting a 15.78m at the Saluki Fast Start
- Micah Mullings, So., Valparaiso
- Mullings' mark of 7.11 meters (23-4) represented an indoor personal best at the John Coughlan Invite and the second-best mark in program history. This represented Valpo's best indoor long jump since Jarrett Mickens set the program record at 24-2.25 in 2011.
- Jadon Robertson, So., Southern Illinois
- Finished first in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.16, and then tallied a first-place finish in the men's high jump. Other schools that competed were Murray State, UT Martin, and Maryville (Mo.).
- Eli Rieker, So., Bradley
- Ran a 6.83 in the 60m, claiming Bradley’s 60m school record.