ALLENDALE, Mich.-The University of Southern Indiana men’s and women’s indoor track & field teams recorded seven NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks this weekend at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet.
Sophomore Emily Roberts (Fredericktown, Ohio) paced the women’s squad with a third-place finish in the 5,000 meters. Roberts finished with an NCAA II provisional mark of 16 minutes, 40.32 seconds, good enough for third-place all-time at USI in the event.
Roberts was joined with a provisional mark by senior Jessica Reeves (Midland, Michigan), who finished ninth in the 5,000 meters with a time of 17:18.14.
Sophomore Jenna Martin (Evansville, Indiana) led the Screaming Eagles’ contingent that competed at the University of Indianapolis Tom Hathaway Distance Carnival. Martin finished first in the long jump with a season-best mark of 17 feet, 6.25 inches. She also was fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.26 seconds.
USI’s men, ranked No. 21 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association Top 25 Computer Rankings, had five provisional marks at the GVSU Big Meet.
The Eagles finished second in the distance medley relay with a school-record time of 10:01.17. USI’s DMR team consisted of senior Johnnie Guy (Palmyra, Indiana), junior Chase Broughton (Marengo, Indiana), sophomore Jesse Stanley (Chandler, Indiana), and freshman Darius Payne (Louisville, Kentucky).
Guy and Broughton also finished fifith and ninth, respectively, in the mile with NCAA II provisional times of 4:08.74 and 4:10.14, respectively. Juniors Josh Guy (Palmyra, Indiana) and Noah Lutz (Evansville, Indiana) also posted provisional marks in the 5,000 meters with times of 14:27.13 and 14:38.89, respectively.
Freshman DeAvion Sullivan (Evansville, Indiana) and junior Micheal Hammonds (Evansville, Indiana) also had strong weekends. Sullivan ran the second-fastest 400-meter time in program history when he crossed the tape in 51.14 seconds, while Hammonds was second in the weight throw and ninth in the shot put at the Tom Hathaway Distance Carnival.
Senior Marius Ulrich (Wesseling, Germany) and junior Cain Parker (Petersburg, Indiana) finished second and fourth, respectively, in the mile to aid the Eagles at UIndy.
USI returns to action February 27-28 when it competes at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Indoor Championships in Somers, Wisconsin.
