All Valley track and field team tooks to competition this past weekend at the 2024 96th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, After this weekend, Raleigh Relays,Bobcat Invitational, 2024 Joey Haines Invite, Wash U Distance Carnival, 2024 Wartburg Good Friday Challenge, 2024 Eastern Illinois Big Blue, Southwest Baptist Invitational, and the Redbird Challenge.
The Valley holds 23 national top 50 spots this season, with 10 top 30 performances, and 6 top 15 performances. Valley student-athletes look to secure qualifying marks in their respective East or West region to qualify for the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Regional Preliminary Rounds, held May 22nd-25th, 2024.
USTFCCCA Regional Rankings
TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK HONORS
Men's Track Athlete of the Week
Jack Crull, Bradley [Jefferson City, MO] - Crull finished 8th at the Raleigh Relays in the 1500m with a personal-best time of 3:40.83 to sit 7th in the NCAA in the event. Crull also reset the Bradley School Record in the men's 800m with a time of 1:49.23 for #2 in program history and #50 NCAA.
Women's Track Athlete of the Week
Julia Nielsen, Senior, Bradley [Gothenberg, Sweeden] - Nielsen set two personal bests at the Raleigh Relays at a time of 2:02.65 in the 800M to sit 5th in the NCAA and #2 Bradley History. Nielsen paired it with a 4:16.96 personal best in the 1500m for 19th in the NCAA and second in Bradley History.
Men's Field Athlete of the Week
Elias Foor, Throws, Sr., Indiana State [Boonville, Ind.] - Foor’s career-best outdoor season rolled on with another strong performance at the EIU Big Blue Classic, as he set a personal-best mark in the discus for a second straight meet. His top mark of 59.51m (195-03) vaulted him all the way up to second in program history in the event, and he also added second place finishes in both the hammer throw (55.64m/195-03) and shot put (17.16m/56-03.75). Foor leads the MVC in both the hammer throw and discus, while also ranking in the top five in the shot put. He also ranks among the best in the Great Lakes region this season, as he is currently first in the discus and eighth in both the hammer and shot put among region athletes. Foor has already put himself in strong position to qualify for the NCAA East First Round, as he ranks sixth in the discus, 32nd in the hammer throw and 41st in the shot put in region qualifying. His discus mark also ranks 12th among all Division I athletes.
Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Jenna Pauly, Senior, Murray St. [McHenry, Ill.] - Jenna Pauly saw a top-five finish in the women’s heptathlon at the Bobcat Invitational & Multi over the weekend, setting a new personal best with 5,174 points and a new PR in the javelin throw at 31.32 meters. She saw top-10 finishes in six of the seven events and finished among the top five in four of those six events. Her record in the heptathlon is now the second-highest score recorded in program history.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
WOMEN'S TRACK
- Kaitlyn Vanderkolk, Jr., Belmont
- 4th in the 10,000m at the Raleigh Relays with a personal best time of 33:30.69.
- Rachel Mehringer, Fr. Indiana St.
- Won the 100m Hurdles at at a time of 13.78 at the 2024 Eastern Illinois Big Blue.
WOMEN'S FIELD
- Lillian Gibbs, Fr., Indiana St.
- Placed first in the Javelin at the 2024 Eastern Illinois Big Blue with a mark of 44.39m.
- Centaine Noom-Duckworth, Jr. , Drake
- Won the Hammer at the Wartburg College Good Firday Challenge with a mark of 60.36m.
- Macy Byer, Sr., Illinois St
- Won the discus at the Redbird Challenge with a mark of 49.95m.
- Josey Dunbar, Fr., UNI
- Won the long jump at the Wartburg College Good Friday Challenge with a mark of 5.93m.
nOTABLE PERFORMANCES
MEN'S TRACK
- Tahj Johnson, Sr., Indiana St.
- Took 1st in the 200m with a time of 20.95 at the 2024 Eastern Illinois Big Blue.
- Jack Sumners, Sr., UNI
- Took 1st in the 110 Hurdles at the Good Friday Challenge hosted by Wartburg with a time of 14.20.
- Shane Ashton, So., SIU
- Won the 400m Dash at the Joey Haines Invite with a time of 48.31 and set a personal best in the 200m with a time of 21.90.
MEN'S FIELD
- Amiri Buchanan, Sr., Illinois St.
- Took 1st in the Shot Put with a mark of 18.73m, won the Hammer at a mark of 59.69m and placed third in the Discus with a mark of 47.02m at the Redbird Challenge.
- Darrione Williams, Sr., SIU
- Won the long jump at the Joey Haines Invitational with a mark of 7.27m.