Ten Valley teams took to competition this past weekend at the Friday Knight Lights (UNI), Blue Demon Alumni Classic (UIC, Valparaiso), PNC Lenny Lyles Invite (Evansville), IUPUI Invitational ( Illinois State, SIU, Bradley), Illini Challenge (Illinois State), Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic (SIU), Black and Gold Invite (Drake, UNI), Wendy’s / Pittsburg State Invitational (Missouri State), and Michigan Invitational (Indiana State)The Valley holds 19 national top 50 spots this season, with 8 top 30 performances, and 3 top 15 performances. Valley student-athletes strive to hold top positions to qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championship in March.
Men's Regional Rankings - Week 2
Indiana State leads The Valley men at a statement 6th place ranking in the Great Lakes Region. Northern Iowa ranks 9th in the Midwest followed by Illinois State in 15th and Belmont and Valparaiso tied for 20th in their respective regions. Drake ranks 18th in the midwest followed by Evansville's 22nd ranking in the Great Lakes. Southern Illinois, Bradley, and UIC round out the regional rankings for the conference in the Midwest Region.
Women's Regional Rankings - Week 2
Indiana State sets the highest in the rankings in the MVC at 11th in the Great Lakes in week 1 followed by Murray State in the Southeast at 12th and Belmont in 12th in the South Region. In the Midwest is led by Southern Illinois in 15th and Bradley at 16th, followed by Missouri State 23rd, Northern Iowa in 28th, Illinois State 29th, and Drake in 31st. Evansville ranks 30th in the Great Lakes and UIC in 34th in the Midwest.
TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK HONORS
Men's Track Athlete of the Week
Brandon Ratliff, Illinois St. - Senior Brandon Ratliff breaks the facility record for the men's 60m hurdles with 7.89, Ratliff sits atop the MVC for the 60m hurdles.
Women's Track Athlete of the Week
Rachel Anderson, Gr. Southern Illinois, New Philadelphia, Ohio - Competed in the Women's 3000m. For the second time in three weeks, Rachel broke the Southern Illinois school record time in the women's 3000-meter run. This time around, she broke her previous record by almost 17 seconds with a time of 9:14.73. She's one of three runners who own multiple indoor records. (Pointer, Davis)
Men's Field Athlete of the Week
Will Staggs, Pole Vault, Jr., Indiana State [Vincennes, Ind.] - Events: PV (1st, 5.41m/17-09.00) Staggs tied his own indoor program pole vault record, which he set at last year’s MVC Championships, on his way to a fourth straight first-place finish in the event at the Michigan Invitational. He was the lone athlete in the field to clear five meters, clearing marks of 5.11m (16-09.25) and 5.26m (17-03.00) before tying the Indiana State program record of 5.41m (17-09.00) on his first attempt. Staggs continues to lead the MVC in the pole vault, while his mark of 5.41m also ranks third in the Great Lakes region and 12th in the nation.
Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Centaine Noom-Duckworth, Junior, Auckland, New Zealand - Noom-Duckworth tied her PR and Drake program record with an 18.99m/62’ 3.75” weight throw to finish third at the Black & Gold Invitational on Friday, Jan. 26. That throw ranks third in the MMVC and 65th in the NCAA.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
WOMEN - TRACK
- Janiya Bowman, R-Fr., Indiana State
- Her 200m mark of 24.53 was the best by a Sycamore in two years and ranked sixth in program history, Long jumped 5.81m (3rd in the MVC). In the 200m she is second in the MVC and top 10 in the Great Lakes Region.
- Sonja Inzinger, Fr., Evansville
- Saturday was Inzinger's first time running a collegiate 5K on a track where she excelled, finishing the race in 17:42.43. Ranking her 5th in the MVC.
- Julia Nielsen, Sr., Bradley
- 2x Event Winner (600M 1:31.33 #2 in School History/Mile 4:44.57 #1 time in the MVC/#3 time in school history)
- Jill Bennett, Sr., UNI
- Finished fifth place in the 400-meter dash in a time of 56.60 seconds at the Black & Gold Invitational this past weekend. Marking 5th in the MVC.
WOMEN-FIELD
- Madison Saunders, Jr. Illinois St.
- Took 2nd in the women's triple jump with her season-best leap of 12.19m (40-0.00), Saunders sits atop the MVC for the triple jump with her mark this past weekend at Illinois.
- Kyrsten Fehribach, Fr. Indiana St.
- Cleared 1.71m in the High Jump to sit fourth in the MVC and 15th in the Great Lakes.
nOTABLE PERFORMANCES
MEN- TRACK
- Tinashe Chigudu, UNI
- Finished second place in the men’s 200-meter in a time of 21.37 seconds in Iowa City. Ranking him 84th in the NCAA.
- Daunte Majors, R-Jr., Indiana State
- Finished 2nd in the 60m with a time of 6.77 and raced a 200m time of 21.49 in the 200m for a third place seat in the MVC and in the 200m at 6th in the 60m.
- Jack Crull Sr., Bradley
- Ran a Mile time of 4:03.46 for the top spot in The Valley & third fastest time in Braves history.
MEN - FIELD
- Brendan Safley, Jr., UNI
- In the Pole Vault Safley hit a height of 5.21m for a third-place finish and a second-place spot in the MVC as well as a top 45 spot in the NCAA.
- Anthony Barmes, Jr., Drake
- Set his PR of 21.07m/69’ 1.5” to win the men’s weight throw at the Black & Gold Invitational. That heave currently ranks second in the MVC, 23rd in the NCAA.
- Ariel Atias, Sr., Illinois St.
- Posted a Heptathlon score of 5324 to lead The Valley and hold a 26th-place spot in the NCAA.