Hood Jr., Staggs sweep MVC Men’s Track and Field weekly honors after record-setting weekend

ST. LOUIS – Indiana State sprinter Casey Hood Jr. and pole vaulter Will Staggs were recognized by the Missouri Valley Conference Tuesday afternoon for their record-setting performances at the Clark Wood Invitational, as the duo combined to sweep the MVC Men’s Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors for the second time this season.
 
Hood Jr. was tabbed the MVC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week, while Staggs was named the MVC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week.
 
Hood Jr. broke the school record in the 100m, which was previously held by Sycamore All-American JaVaughn Moore, by running a wind-legal time of 10.08 (w: +1.1) at the Clark Wood Invitational in Louisville. Hood Jr. placed first by more than two-tenths of a second, as Indiana State took three of the top four spots in the event with a trio of Sycamores running top-five times in program history (Hood Jr. 10.08, Terrance O’Bannon 10.30, Daunte Majors 10.39). Hood Jr. also clocked a wind-legal 200m time of 20.94 (w: +1.8), his third time under 21 seconds in the event this season, to earn a top-three finish in the event.
 
Hood Jr. owns the top time in the MVC in both the 100m and 200m, with his 100m time also ranking second in the Great Lakes Region, 12th in NCAA East Qualifying and 18th nationally. He owns the top wind-legal times in the Great Lakes Region, with his 10.08 ranking sixth in the nation among wind-legal 100m times. Hood Jr. also ranks eighth in the Great Lakes Region, 57th in NCAA East Qualifying and 97th nationally in the 200m.
 
Staggs broke his own outdoor school record in the pole vault at the Clark Wood Invitational in Louisville, clearing 5.51m (18-1) to tie for the top mark at the meet. Staggs cleared marks of 5.21m (17-1, first attempt) and 5.36m (17-7, second attempt) before clearing the record-breaking mark of 5.51m (18-1) on his third attempt. He was one of two athletes to clear 5.51m at the meet, which featured five of the top 30 pole vaulters in the nation this season, only finishing second on misses.
 
Staggs owns the top mark in the MVC, Great Lakes Region and NCAA East Qualifying in the pole vault, while his mark ranks sixth nationally. He is the only athlete in the MVC to rank in the top 10 in the nation in any event, while his pole vault clearance of 5.51m was the best by a MVC athlete since 2007.
 
The weekly honor is the sixth of Hood Jr.’s career, having previously been named MVC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week once during the 2025 outdoor season and four times during the 2025 indoor season. Staggs’ weekly honor is the 11th of his career, having previously earned the honor eight times during indoor track and field seasons and twice during outdoor track and field seasons.
 
Indiana State heads east for its next meet, the Jesse Owens Classic, Friday and Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.
 
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