Courtesy: The Valley Release: 03/09/2010Led by five qualifiers from the Southern Illinois women’s team and two qualifiers from the Wichita State men’s team, the Missouri Valley Conference will be represented by 13 athletes in this weekend’s NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship in Fayetteville, Arkansas, hosted by the University of Arkansas. The NCAA released the list of qualifiers late Monday evening (March 8).
On the men’s side, The Valley is represented by Wichita State’s Tyler Simmons and Chris Dickman in the long jump and heptathlon, respectively. Major Clay of Indiana State joins the group competing in the high jump as well as Southern Illinois’ J.C. Lambert in the weight throw.
Simmons enters this year’s competition ranked 14th nationally with a long jump of 7.78m (25′ 6.25″) and Dickman was this year’s pick for the MVC Outstanding Men’s Field Athlete. Dickman’s score of 5608.00 points in the heptathlon ranks him 14th in the nation. Major Clay won the high jump at the MVC Indoor Track & Field Championship and starts the competition ranked 11th in the nation. The Salukis’ top weight thrower is looking to medal as he currently sits ninth on the national rankings with his throw of 21.08m (69′ 2″).
The women’s entrants are headlined by Southern Illinois’ Jeneva McCall and Gwen Berry, who have qualified to compete in two events at the 2010 NCAA Championships and Kylie Hutson of Indiana State who is looking for her second straight gold in the pole vault.
McCall goes into the 2010 NCAA Championship competing in the weight throw and shot put. She is ranked third and sixth in the nation in the weight throw and shot put, respectively. Her automatic qualifications came in the weight throw with her toss of 21.34m (70′ 0.25″) at the Indiana Gladstein Invitational and at the SIU McDonalds Invitational where she threw 17.06m (55′ 11.75″) in the shot put. Teammate, Gwen Berry, also will be competing in the weight throw and shot put after her provisional qualification throws of 20.48m (67′ 2.25″) in the weight throw, earning her tenth in the nation, and 16.30m (53′ 5.75″) in the shot put.
Hutson is making her fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Indoor Championships pole vault competition, after becoming the NCAA Champion and earning All-American honors in 2009 with her vault of 4.35m (14′ 3.25″), finishing 11th and earning All-American status in 2008 with a clearance of 4.09m (13′ 5.25″), and tying for 15th in 2007 with a vault of 4.00m (13′ 1.50″). Hutson is currently ranked first in the nation entering the 2010 NCAA Championships. She automatically qualified for the event after winning her fourth-straight MVC Indoor Championship title, setting an Indiana State, all-time MVC and Valley Championship meet record with a vault of 4.48m (14′ 8.25″).
Hutson is joined by teammates Erica Moore, Lauren Martin and Kelsey Hanley, who will compete in the 800-meter run, triple jump and weight throw, respectively.
Moore is making her third-straight appearance at the Indoor Championships. She provisionally qualified for the 800-meter run after competing in the event at the Notre Dame Meyo Invitational, clocking a time of 2:05.20. Her time is currently 11th in the nation.
Indiana State senior Lauren Martin will be going to the NCAA Indoor Championships for the second time in her career. Martin was named an All-American last year and this year has automatically qualified for the women’s triple jump after winning her third-straight MVC Indoor title with a leap of 13.30m (43′ 7.75″), setting a new Valley all-time and MVC Championship meet record. She enters this weekend’s NCAA Championship currently ranking seventh in the event.
Sycamore junior Kelsey Hanley, a provisional qualifier in the women’s weight throw, currently ranks fourth nationally with a toss of 20.96m (66′ 9.25″). Hanley qualified for the NCAA Championships after competing in the 2010 MVC Indoor Championship.
Also competing in the women’s weight throw is Southern Illinois’ Sasha Leeth and Rickael Roach. Leeth provisionally qualified at the 2010 MVC Indoor Championship with her throw of 20.78m (68′ 2.25″) which ranking her fifth nationally. Roach earned her provisional qualification in early February at the GVSU Big Meet with her 20.27m (66′ 6″) toss.
Southern Illinois sophomore Malaikah Love’s provisional qualification in the indoor pentathlon came at the Indiana Gladstein Invitational in late January when she earned 3953.00 points.
The NCAA Championships will begin on Friday, March 12 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and will conclude on the evening of Saturday, March 13.
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