Indiana State track and field athletes Will Staggs, Rachel Mehringer and Niesha Anderson earned MVC Athlete of the Week honors Tuesday afternoon following standout showings at the Crossroads of America Invitational.
Staggs was named the MVC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week, Mehringer was tabbed MVC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week and Anderson picked up MVC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors.
Staggs cleared a season-best 5.39m (17-8.25) to place second in the pole vault at the Crossroads of America Invitational. He cleared marks of 5.04m (16-6.4), 5.19m (17-0.25), 5.29m (17-4.25) and 5.39m (17-8.25), with his final attempts of the meet coming at a mark which would have broken his own school record (5.53m/18-1.75). Staggs owns the top mark in the MVC in the pole vault, an event in which he also ranks second in the Great Lakes Region and 23rd in the nation.
Mehringer shattered the school and MVC record in the 60m hurdles at the Crossroads of America Invitational, clocking a time of 8.19 in prelims to break both marks. She followed that with a time of 8.30 in finals to place third in the event. In addition, Mehringer also ran a career-best 60m time of 7.62 in prelims and followed with a time of 7.66 in finals to place fifth. Mehringer owns the top time in the MVC in the 60m hurdles, with her record-setting time also ranking fourth in the Great Lakes Region and 19th in the nation. She also ranks eighth in the MVC and 33rd in the Great Lakes Region in the 60m.
Anderson recorded a season-best mark of 21.28m (69-9.75) in the weight throw, earning a top-five finish at the Crossroads of America Invitational. Her mark was second among the collegiate athletes in the field, with four of her six throws going beyond 20 meters and two going more than 21 meters. In addition, Anderson also placed 14th in the shot put with a mark of 13.43m (44-0.75). Anderson is the MVC leader in the weight throw, an event in which she also ranks fourth in the Great Lakes Region and 14th in the nation. Her top shot put mark this season ranks eighth in the MVC and 27th in the Great Lakes Region.
Staggs’ week honor is his first this season and the eighth of his career (seven indoor, one outdoor). Mehringer earned her second weekly honor this season and the fourth of her career (three indoor, one outdoor), while Anderson picked up her second weekly honor of the season and the fourth of her career (all indoor).
Indiana State travels west for its next meet, the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational Friday and Saturday in Columbia, Missouri.
