Five Indiana State track and field athletes picked up first-place finishes against top competition at the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational inside the Hearnes Center.
Sprinters Casey Hood Jr. (60m) and Daunte Majors (200m), hurdler Rachel Mehringer (60m hurdles), high jumper Kevin Krutsch and thrower Niesha Anderson (weight throw) all took home top spot in their respective events.
Indiana State also produced program top-10 marks across all of its event groups during their time in the Show-Me State. Hood Jr. (60m and 200m), Majors (200m), Ivan Weaver (400m), Emma Gresham (3000m), Hadley Gradolf (5000m), Peyton Smith (5000m), Jahnel Bowman (triple jump), Wyatt Puff (shot put) and Jake Ottersbach (heptathlon) all rose up the program ranks over the course of the weekend.
Event Winners
- Casey Hood Jr. – 60m (6.61, third in program history)
- Daunte Majors – 200m (21.20, third in program history)
- Rachel Mehringer – 60m hurdles (8.39)
- Kevin Krutsch – high jump (2.08m/6-9.75)
- Niesha Anderson – weight throw (20.71m/67-11.5)
Top-Three Finishes
- Terrance O’Bannon – 60m (second, 6.77)
- Daunte Majors – 60m (third, 6.77)
- Casey Hood Jr. – 200m (second, 21.22, fourth in program history)
- Halle Miller – mile (third, 5:06.22)
- Hadley Gradolf – 5000m (third, 17:16.72, eighth in program history)
Other Notable Marks
- Ivan Weaver – 400m (48.00, fourth in program history)
- Emma Gresham – 3000m (9:27.10, third in program history)
- Peyton Smith – 5000m (17:20.67, ninth in program history)
- Jahnel Bowman – triple jump (12.21m/40-0.75, seventh in program history)
- Wyatt Puff – shot put (18.48m/60-7.75, second in program history)
- Jake Ottersbach – heptathlon (4816, ninth in program history)
Sprints/Hurdles
Indiana State’s sprinters had another banner weekend, with Casey Hood Jr. and Daunte Majors leading the way. Hood Jr. won the 60m with a time of 6.61 and was second in the 200m at 21.22, both of which were program top-five times, while Majors won the 200m in 21.20 and was third in the 60m at 6.77. Terrance O’Bannon completed the sweep of the 60m podium, also running a time of 6.77 to finish second. Indiana State also had a strong showing in the women’s 200m, as Janiya Bowman (24.48) and Michelle McDonald (24.53) both placed in the top 10.
The Sycamores also picked up an event win from 60m hurdles program record holder Rachel Mehringer, whose time of 8.39 was nearly two-tenths of a second faster than anyone in the field. On the men’s side, Parker Doyle continued his strong season with a career-best 8.08 to finish in the top five. Mehringer also ran a time of 7.65 in the 60m, with Bowman clocking a time of 7.63 in her 60m debut.
Indiana State’s 400m group also had a strong showing in the Show-Me State, as Tahj Johnson clocked a season-best 47.91 to place in the top five and Ivan Weaver ran a career-best 48.00 to move into the top five in program history in the event. Johnson and Weaver teamed with Trent Jones and Deangelo Hughey to run the Sycamores’ second-fastest 4x400m relay of the season at 3:16.78.
Mid-Distance/Distance
Indiana State’s distance crew featured a trio of program top-10 times in Columbia, headlined by Emma Gresham moving up to third in school history in the 3000m with a time of 9:27.10.
Gresham was joined in the program top-10 marks by Hadley Gradolf and Peyton Smith, with both cracking the charts in the 5000m. Gradolf jumped up to eighth in program history with a time of 17:176.72, while Smith’s time of 17:20.67 moved her to ninth in program history in the event.
The Blue and White also picked up a top-three finish from Halle Miller in 5:06.22, while Jason Dworak led the Sycamores’ contingent in the men’s 3000m with a time of 8:23.62. Brandon Mueller was the lone Sycamore in the men’s 5000m and finished with a time of 15:26.09.
Indiana State also had a pair of athletes compete in the 800m, with Xavier Wills clocking a career-best time of 1:52.61 and Nick Burns running a time of 1:54.91.
Jumps
Jahnel Bowman and Justice Boston continued their strong debut seasons in Sycamore Blue, with both registering career-best marks in the triple jump. Bowman had a top mark of 12.21m (40-0.75), moving up to seventh in program history, while Boston had a top mark of 11.97m (39-3.25). Indiana State also got a strong performance on the men’s side from Jaden Smith with a top mark of 14.55m (47-9).
Kevin Krutsch matched his season-best clearance of 2.08m (6-9.75) to win the high jump, with Ethan Widenhoefer also placing in the top five with a clearance of 1.98m (6-6). Ellie Irwin cleared 1.65m (5-5) to lead the Trees on the women’s side.
Indiana State’s pole vaulters continued their trend of top performances, led by Will Staggs placing fourth with his clearance of 5.27m (17-3.5). Brooklyn Pfaff cleared 3.92m (12-10.25) on the women’s side, her second-best mark of the season.
In the long jump, Kilan Macklin registered his second-best mark of the season at 7.17m (23-6.25) to place in the top 10. Boston had the top mark on the women’s side with a career-best attempt of 5.51m (18-1).
Throws
Niesha Anderson continued her dominant form, winning the weight throw with a mark of 20.71m (67-11.5). Anderson surpassed the 20-meter mark for the third straight weekend. Noah Bolt also continued his strong run of form in the men’s weight throw with a mark of 20.23m (66-4.5), his second-best this season.
Wyatt Puff had the best weekend of his career in the shot put, with his mark of 18.48m (60-7.75) moving him up to second in program history in the event. Puff’s mark was the best mark for a Sycamore since 1985 and placed him in the top five in a deep field. Sloan Cox also placed in the top 10 with a mark of 16.92m (55-6.25), while Aliseonna Garnett and Olivia Marshall finished in the top 10 on the women’s side with marks of 14.70m (48-2.75) and 13.78m (45-2.5), respectively.
Multis
Indiana State competed in the heptathlon and pentathlon for the first time this season in Columbia, with Jake Ottersbach posting a program top-10 score in the hep. Ottersbach’s total of 4816 put him ninth in program history in the event, with strong marks in the 60m (7.19), 60m hurdles (8.44), high jump (1.87m/6-1.5) and pole vault (3.85m/12-7.5).
Kamille Gaskin-Griffith placed in the top 10 in the pentathlon with 3298 points, with her best marks of the day coming in the 60m hurdles (8.88) and shot put (10.37m/34-0.25). Gaskin-Griffith’s score was the second-best of her career in the pentathlon.
Friday Night Spikes
Indiana State also had entries in the Friday Night Spikes meet at Rose-Hulman, with the Trees putting up multiple top-five results in Terre Haute.
Graham West (60m hurdles, 8.41), Amare Draughn (high jump, 1.95m/6-4.75), Elijah McCauley (long jump, 6.50m/21-4) and Emma Yoder (weight throw, 15.73m/51-7.25) all recorded first-place finishes for the Blue and White.
Additional top-three results for the Sycamores came from Dusty Welker (60m, 7.96), Cannen Wolf (mile, 4:34.92), Kamilla Gibson (mile, 5:19.21), Xander Fackler (5000m, 15:41.60), Taylor Jackson (60m hurdles, 9.09), Xavier Sherrell (high jump, 1.90m/6-2.75), Essence Johnson (high jump, 1.63m/5-4.25), McCauley (triple jump, 12.93m/42-5.25), Jaecy Nelson (shot put, 12.64m/41-5.75) and Mitchel Myers (weight throw, 16.15m/53-0).
Up Next
Indiana State makes its second trip to the Windy City this season when the Sycamores compete in the DePaul Alumni Classic February 8 at Gately Park in Chicago.
