Indiana State will host the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships May 10th-12th in Terre Haute, Indiana at the Gibson Track and Field Complex.
Indiana State tabbed top of The Valley for both the men's and women's titles. The men collected a perfect 10 first-place votes from the coaches for a score of 100 points out of 100 (10 first-place votes). The men were followed by Illinois State and Northern Iowa tabbed 11 points apart from each other for second and third at 87 points and 76 points, respectively. For the Women, Indiana State tabbed 141 points with 9 first-place votes followed by Murray State at 129 points from the coaches with the reigning 2023 MVC Outdoor Champions Illinois State in third with 126 points.
As the season concludes, student-athletes look to a final push to secure spots in the NCAA East or West Regional hosted at the University of Kentucky (East) or at the University of Arkansas (West) where they will compete to advance to the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by The University of Oregon. After the 2024 NCAA season, select student-athletes will also qualify for the Olympic Trials that will be held June 21st-30th in Eugene, Oregon.
Currently, The Valley holds 19 top 50 spots, 11 top 25, and 4 top 15 spots in the entire NCAA. In the West Region, 28 individual student-athletes sit in the top 50 of their respective events and are within qualifying standards for the NCAA Preliminary Rounds. In the East Region, 25 individual student-athletes sit in the top 50 of their respective events and are within qualifying standards for the NCAA Preliminary Rounds. The Valley also has 3 relay events in the top 50 in the west region and 2 relays in the top 50 in the east region.
Last year -- At the conclusion of the 2023 Outdoor season, The Valley saw 12 student-athletes compete at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships resulting in one First-Team All-American honors, Three Second-Team All-American honorees, and Eight Honorable Mention All-American honorees. In addition to the post-season recognition, Indiana State's Angela Martin earned USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region Men's Outdoor Head Coach of the Year. The Valley also saw 4 institutions represented at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships along with 5 noteable Alumni.
In the 2024 indoor post-season Valley Student-Athletes William Staggs of Indiana State and Isaac Basten of Drake earned Second-Team All-American honors in the Pole Vault and Mile, respectively, at the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Indoor National Championships held in Boston, Massachusetts. Staggs finished 9th with a mark of 5.40m and Basten finished 13th with a time of 4:10.87.
2024 OUTDOOR PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP POLL
The 2024 MVC women's outdoor track and field preseason poll tabbed Indiana State at the top of The Valley at 141 points and 9 first-place votes. The Murray State Racers tabbed 2 first-place votes and 129 votes from the coaches for second place in the poll. The reigning 2023 MVC Outdoor Champions Illinois State earned 1 first-place vote from the coaches paired with 126 points. Belmont tied Bradley at a calculated 98 points each for fourth place, ahead of UNI's 80 points from the coaches for sixth. Southern Illinois, Drake, and Missouri State tab places 7-9th with 78, 61, and 49 points respectively. Followed by Evansville, UIC, and Valparaiso, 29, 28, and 19 points respectively.
Indiana State collected a perfect 10 first-place votes from the coaches for a score of 100 points out of 100 (10 first-place votes). Illinois State and Northern Iowa tabbed 11 points apart of each other for second and third at 87 points and 76 points respectively. Drake and Southern Illinois also find their positionings 8 points apart of each other with Southern Illinois at 68 and Drake tabbed at 60 points. Belmont and Bradley tab 6th and 7th in the coach's vote two points apart from each other. Valparaiso, UIC, and Evansville round out the coaches poll with 25 points, 22 points, and 14 points respectively.
INDIANA STATE
WOMEN - 1st / MEN - 1st
MEN
Indiana State seeks its third straight MVC Outdoor Championship title and third consecutive indoor/outdoor title sweep, and the Sycamores once again have a deep group with 28 top-five marks in the conference. The Trees feature a trio of field athletes ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA East Region in Elias Foor (discus, 59.51m/195-04), Shomari Rogers-Walton (long jump, 7.89m/25-10.75) and Will Staggs (pole vault, 5.50m/18-00.50) while also boasting the top-ranked athletes in the 400m hurdles (Quincy Armstrong, 52.66), high jump (Kevin Krutsch, 2.10m/6-10.75) and triple jump (Rogers-Walton, 15.33m/50-03.50) to go alongside a school record-setting 4x100m relay team of Casey Hood Jr., Daunte Majors, Isiah Thomas and Tahj Johnson (39.64). The Sycamores remain deep with multiple top-five conference marks in seven different events, including three in the 100m, pole vault, long jump and triple jump. 2023 NCAA East First Round qualifiers Lawrence Mitchell (high jump, 2.04m/6-08.25) and Brett Norton (shot put, 18.37m/60-03.25) add to a strong group of field athletes, while Thomas (100m, 10.47), Napoleon Hernandez (800m, 1:50.89), Jason Dworak (1500m, 3:43.69) and Logan Pietrzak (steeplechase, 9:03.70) all cracked the program top-10 charts this season on the track.
WOMEN
Fresh off its second MVC Indoor Championship in the last three years, Indiana State looks to take it one step further and complete an indoor/outdoor title sweep with 20 top-five marks in the conference leading the way. 100m hurdles school record holder Rachel Mehringer (13.38 wind-legal/13.34 all-conditions) leads a deep group of athletes on the track, which also features two of the top four 100m sprinters in the conference in Michelle McDonald (11.65) and Angel Thomas (11.72). The Trees also feature a trio of field athletes in prime position to qualify for the NCAA East First Round in Lillian Gibbs (javelin, 45.32m/148-08), Brooklyn Giertz-Pfaff (pole vault, 4.15m/13-07.25) and Grace Quinlan (high jump, 1.75m/5-08.75), while Faith Frye also tops the conference in the long jump (5.97m/19-07.00). 2023 NCAA East First Round qualifier Selene Weaver (pole vault, 3.92m/12-10.25) has produced her best results of the season in recent weeks, while Rachel Conhoff (1500m, 4:26.72/steeplechase, 11:03.13) and Niesha Anderson (hammer throw, 55.13m/180-10) have added their names to the program top-10 charts this season.
MURRAY STATE
WOMEN 2ND
- The Racers enter the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships after a record-setting outdoor season. Chelby Melvin highlighted some of those big performances after setting the program record in the 400-meter hurdles three separate times. Melvin, along with Simone Joseph, Anouk Krause-Jentsch and Kayla Bell, also set the school record in the 4x400-meter relay. Faith Bostick currently holds the fastest 100-meter dash time in the MVC this outdoor season along with Alyssa Williams cracking the top 10 in the event. Bostick also holds the third-fastest 200-meter time in the conference, and the quartet of Bell, Joseph, Krause-Jentsch and Lucia Hererro Yanez are among the top 10 in the 400-meter. Bell holds the fastest 400-meter time in the MVC with a time of 55.00 seconds and the second-fastest 800-meter time of 2:05.05, with teammate Amirr Evans just behind with the third-fastest 800 at a time of 2:06.90. Among the top three in other outdoor events in The Valley are Melvin (400-meter hurdles, 58.61—1st; 100-meter hurdles, 13.51—2nd), Meghan Fletcher (high jump, 1.79m—1st; heptathlon, 4995—3rd), Brooke Probst (high jump, 1.70m—T-3rd), Jenna Pauly (long jump, 5.90m—3rd; heptathlon, 5174—1st) and Alyssa Williams (triple jump, 12.11m—2nd).
Illinois State
MEN - 2nd / WOMEN - 3rd
MENS
- The men’s track & field team has had a great outdoor season with many top-10 marks and time including two new school records by sophomore Charles Cruse and junior Mathis Chavand. Cruse broke the school record at the annual Drake Relays in the pole vault with his record height of 5.27m (17-3.5). Junior Mathis Chavand broke the 10-year record in the 5,000m with his personal-best time of 13:48.14 at the Bryan Clay Invitational early this year. Senior Raydoffa Braziel cracked into the top-10 list with his 400m time at LSU where he finished top-10 in the race with a time of 46.61 seconds. In the field, junior Devin Turner leapt to a mark of 7.63m (25-.50) at the Gary Wieneke Memorial that put him fourth best in school history. Freshman Jacob Klink etched himself in the program top-10 in the shot put with his toss of 17.80m (58-4.75) at the Redbird Challenge. The Redbirds currently have eight qualifying marks and time in the Midwest Region.
WOMENS
- The women’s track & field team has been highlighted by top-10 performances by many athletes. Many include Senior Hassy Fashina-Bombata with her personal-best time in the 400m dash with 59.15, which is third best in school history. Junior Mattison Plummer collected a white flag at the Drake Relays with her time in the 3,000m steeplechase of 10:12.83, which is seventh best in school history. Sophomore Nnnenna Okpara put herself in the top-10 with her performance at LSU in the 200m dash with 23.63 seconds, as she sits third best in program history. The women shuttle hurdle relay squad set a record with a time of 55.72 seconds. The Redbird women have four athletes in the top-48 for the Midwest Region.
BELMONT
WOMEN - 4TH/MEN - 6TH
WOMEN
Belmont looks to improve in its second showing at the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships. Thrower Logan Gray has had phenomenal seasons so far, setting records and claiming event wins in each shot put, hammer, and discus throw. Gray holds the program record in the shot put at 16.42m and ranks atop the conference headed into that event. Stucker holds the top three marks in all three throwing events. As a returning bronze medalist in the javelin throw, Maddie Quinn ranks atop the conference in her event headed into this year’s championship season. Tyra Finkeldey enters championship season with a top three pole vault mark in conference at 3,90m. Returning gold medalist in the 10,000m, Kaitlyn Vanderkolk holds the top spot in that event and the 5,000m in the conference. She holds the program record in both events. Alexa Fortman holds the program record in the 800m at 2:10.11 and also holds a top 10 time in the conference. Michella Diebenow will be a medal contender in both hurdle events as she holds top 10 times in both categories.
MEN
Heading for its second round of competition at the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships, Belmont’s top athletes had several record-breaking performances in the outdoor season. Freshman Austin Belle holds program records in the 100m at 10.47 and is atop the conference in the 200m with a time of 20.67. He also ranks No.2 in the conference in the 400m. Sprinter Jayce Gray will also be a medal contender as he holds a top-five time in the conference in the 200m. Vince Flegeance (110m) and Morgan Lewis (400m) will both be medal contenders in hurdle events as they hold the top five marks in their respective categories. Distance runner Carter Cheeseman holds a program record in the 5000m and sits at the N0.2 spot in the conference heading into the championship race. Returning 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist Kevin Vanderkolk enters the championship season atop the conference standings with a program record time of 8:48.42.
BRADLEY
WOMEN - 4TH/MEN - 7TH
Bradley's outdoor team is led by Senior Julia Nielsen, who was awarded MVC Athlete of the Week four times, holds two of the top 15 times in the NCAA in the 800m and the 1500m, the 11th fastest time in Swedish history, and broke Bradley's school record in the 800m. Nielsen currently sits 6th in the 800m in the NCAA with her MVC record time of 2:00.99. In the 1500m, she sits 24th in the NCAA with a time of 4:12.18. Another strong competitor is Trixie Wraith, who currently holds the 2nd fastest time in the conference in the 1500m, and sprinter Amiyah Davis, who holds the 5th fastest time in the MVC in the 400m. Fellow sprinter, Eli Rieker, set a new school record in the 100m race with a time of 10.55, and his teammate, Jack Crull, did the same in the 1500m with a time of 3:40.83. Crull currently sits 46th in the NCAA in the 1500m. Bradley is comprised of many true competitors and has a strong feeling and drive going into the outdoor championships.
DRAKE
WOMEN - 8TH / MEN - 5TH
Drake tabbed 5th and 8th in the coach's poll with notable returners in the field for the women Centaine Noom-Duckworth and Chinemerem Iwuagu. Noom-Duckworth took 3rd in the 2023 MVC Outdoor Championship with a mark of 56.27m and built upon that mark with a distance of 62.21m set at the Drake Relays this season. Noom-Duckworth owns the Drake track and field program record and currently sits 36th in the NCAA and 19th in the West region. Iwuagu returns in the hammer with a season-best mark of 48.91m last year as a freshman, while making strides this year for a season-best best mark of 60.11m set at the Drake Relays, moving Iwuagu to second place in the MVC. Anthony Barmes leads the Bulldogs in the men's field. The Bulldogs saw Anthony Barmes finish 12th in the Hammer at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor National Championships. Barmes finished last season with his best mark of 70.53m set at the Jim Duncan Invite last year. This season Barmes reset the MVC and Drake Hammer throw record at a mark of 71.07m becoming the first men's Hammer thrower in MVC history to break 71 meters. Barmes currently sits 13th in the NCAA and 10th in the west region with this mark.
On the track, the Bulldogs return All-American runner Isaac Basten after finishing 5th in the 2023 NCAA Outdoor National Championships in the 1500. Basten set a personal best time of 3:36.99 at the 2023 Bryan Clay Invitational last April. Basten currently sits 17th in the nation in the 800m at a time of 1:46.89 set at the Drake Relays and 21st in the NCAA in the 1500m this season at a time of 3:40.11. Aziz Jdai also returns for the Bulldogs at 63rd in the NCAA in the 3000m Steeple Chase with a time of 8:50.14 at the ISU Alumni Invitational. The Bulldogs also return Emilie Meyer to the track in the 800 after finishing 4th in the 2023 MVC Outdoor championships with a time of 2:08.93. The Junior set a personal best at the ISU Alumni Invitational in the 800m with a time of 2:07.85 where she currently sits 5th in the conference. Carmen Krawczynski Gonzalez set a season's best time in the 5000 at the Bryan Clay Invitational with a time of 16:43.25, for a 5th place conference standing. The Junior also set a personal best time in the 10,000m at the Drake Relays with a time of 35:37.79 where she currently sits second in the conference.
EVANSVILLE
WOMEN - 10TH / MEN - 10TH
- The Purple Aces head into their final tune-up before the MVC Outdoor Championships this Friday starting at 11 a.m. Throughout six meets during the outdoor season, UE has set 14 new program records along with dozens of PRs from its young roster. Almost two-thirds of Evansville’s roster during the outdoor season are student-athletes in their first year of collegiate athletics, including standouts Nicole Prauchner (Neuhofen an der Ybbs, Austria), Eilén Brenne (Skein, Norway), Rafael Rodriguez (Segovia, Spain), and Samuel Lea (Worchester, England). The Aces leadership comes in the field as graduate throwers Zach Dove (Princeton, Ind. / Princeton Community HS) and Jaden Hayes (Huntingberg, Ind. / Southridge HS) continue to top podiums and set outdoor throwing records. UE will hope to improve on its 10th place finish in the MVC Indoor Championship in February.
UIC
WOMEN 11TH / MEN - 9TH
The UIC track and field teams have hit their stride during the 2024 outdoor season. The Flames have had the opportunity to compete against some of the nation's top athletes, including several Olympians, at events like the historic Drake Relays. At that invitational, UIC student-athletes broke three school records (women's mile relay, women's sprint medley relay, men's sprint medley relay) while achieving top-10 finishes. Additionally, the team had the chance to assess their progress against members of the Missouri Valley Conference in preparation for the MVC Championships next month, while at Illinois' Gary Wieneke Memorial.
MISSOURI STATE
Women - 9TH
- Missouri State started the season strong and kept the ball rolling. At the Springfield Showdown, the Bears recorded 11 first-place finishes in 15 events. The following weekend they finished second out of 16 teams at the SBU Bearcat Invitational. Bears have consistently set personal records in each meet they’ve competed in. MoState’s freshmen have hit their stride with Olivia Rogers and Riley Bryan leading the charge. Roger’s has three individual first-place finishes and was a part of four relay wins this season. Bryan won three straight 5000-meter races. Grad students Brooke Jenkins and Cheyenne White have also led the team this season. Jenkins’ has placed second in the triple jump in three meets this season while White has led the Bears in javelin at each meet. She has one win with three top-10 finishes.
nORTHERN IOWA
WOMEN - 6TH / MEN - 3RD
- Northern Iowa enters the MVC Outdoor Championships on the backs of a strong set of performances in the final weeks of the season. In the field events, freshman Spencer Kessel seeks to double up with an outdoor shot put title after winning the MVC indoor shot put crown in February after a Drake Relays title in late April, while Katy Stephens returns in the multi-events after a conference pentathlon title in the indoor season. Stephens sits second in The Valley with a score of 5006 set at the Drake Relays. 2023 MVC 110m hurdles champion Jack Sumners also sits second in the MVC with a season-best time of 13.89. Other notable Panthers to watch include distance runner Emma Hoins, who set a new school record in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase late in the season, decathlete Zack Butcher, and men’s pole vaulter Brendan Safley, 2023 MVC Champions in each event.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
WOMEN - 7TH / MEN - 4TH
- The Southern Illinois men's and women's track and field teams competed in some of the country's top events during the 2024 Outdoor Season. The Salukis hosted one outdoor meet and traveled to competitions hosted by Baylor, Indiana State, Murray State, Penn, South Florida, Southeast Missouri State, and Vanderbilt.
MEN
- The men's team is led by sophomore Xavier Preston, seniors Ethan Senti and Darrione Williams, and freshman Dallas Hodge. Preston has already cemented himself as one of the all-time great sprinters in Saluki history, taking over the record books in the 100-meter dash, and is always key in the 4x100 and 4x400 races. The Salukis won the College 4x100 at the Penn Relays, largely due to his effort. Senti has held strong as the Salukis' top distance runner. He holds the sixth-best mark in Saluki history in the 5000-meter, running 14:01.29. Williams' efforts in the long jump earned him Missouri Valley Conference Men's Field Athlete of the Week honors when he leaped 7.27 meters at the Joey Haines Invite on March 30. Hodge has taken the reigns as SIU's best male thrower, leading the team in both the discus and hammer throws.
WOMEN
- The women's team features many athletes just now getting the shine they deserve. Sophomore Leah Thames and juniors Ansley Bailey and Christine Nosike lead them into the MVC Championships. Thames leads the team with the best 200 (24.43) and 400 (56.39) in front of the home fans at the Bill Cornell Invite. Bailey began her good streak of runs at the MVC Indoor Championships and had a solid outdoor season. She racked up three second-place finishes during the season and one victory in the 800-meter at the Margaret Simmons Invite. She has set PRs in the 800 and 1500-meter runs and seems to be peaking at the right time. Nosike made history at the Bill Cornell Invite when she threw 167'-05" in the discus throw, a mark that ranks tenth in Saluki history.
VALPARAISO
WOMEN - 12TH/ MEN- 8TH
MEN
Valpo sophomore jumper Micah Mullings will attempt to build on his strong performance from the MVC Indoor Championships when he posted two podium finishes. He was the runner-up in the long jump and placed third in the triple jump, earning All-MVC honors in both events. Mullings also earned Outdoor All-MVC honors a year ago, placing third in the triple jump. Another Beacon to watch is Evan Walda in the distance events, as he has shattered several program records this season, most recently setting a new program standard in the outdoor 5000 on April 25 at GVSU.
WOMEN
Tori Gerhardt leads the Valpo women in the throws, pacing the team in the discus, shot put, and hammer. Gerhardt enters the championship with top 20 marks in all three events with her best in the hammer at 42.27m set at the Jack Shaw Invitational. Senior Lena Luebbering holds top 25 spots in the discus and hammer with respective marks of 37.70m and 43.70m. Grace Aurand is the team's top distance runner and became the first Valpo woman to crack the program's all-time top 5 in the 6K since 2014 during the cross country season. Aurand's best time in the 5000m was set earlier this season at the Raliegh Relays with a time of 18:03.04.