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By Jonathon Zenk, Northwestern State Assistant Director of Communications; featured photo courtesy of the Southland Conference

HOUSTON—Is two consecutive Southland Conference outdoor championships and five out of six indoor/outdoor championships a dynasty?

The Northwestern State women’s track and field team dominated the field en route to rolling to the second straight indoor championship after not winning it at all up until that point.

“Each group is special each year,” head coach Mike Heimerman said. “This group bought into everything. There are a lot girls who this is their third, fourth or even fifth championship, which is great, They are all a little different and very special. This one, they worked for it and took directions from day one and didn’t take their foot off the gas. It was phenomenal.”

Despite the team having the win in the bag, the women’s 4×400 relay race was a microcosm of the entire meet. The Lady Demons were in a fight early, but Samari Finney took control of the race in the third leg and Maygan Shaw took it home, defeating the field by more than six seconds, as the Northwestern State rolled to 180.5 points, winning the meet by 63, the largest point difference between Nos. 1 and 2 since 2019 when Stephen F. Austin won by 72 points.

The 4×400 relay was one of five gold medals won by the Lady Demons on the final day of competition, four of which involved Shaw, who leaves Natchitoches as one of the most decorated athletes to ever don a Lady Demons uniform.

The senior from Pineville not only was a member of the 4×400 relay team, she also won gold as a member of the 4×100 relay and won individual races in the 200 and 400.

In the 400-meter dash, she and Finney each found the podium, placing first and third, respectively. Shaw was in a dogfight for the title, but ultimately pulled away with an SLC meet-record 52.10, edging out Southeastern Louisiana’s Onyah Onyinye Favour (52.54) for the gold, while Finney ran a 54.05 to capture the bronze.

Margaret Conteh (56.04) and Tranasia Jones (57.19) placed fifth and seventh in the finals, respectively, to earn points for the Lady Demons.

Shaw also collected the gold in the 200, edging out UTRGV’s Jizzale Davis (23.70) with a 23.47. Finney also earned the bronze in the 200 as well (23.98), eeking out a podium spot over SLU’s Marvellous Asemota.

To start the running events, Shaw, along with Finney, Dynia Lewis and Sileena Farrell, won the 4×100 with a 44.88, edging out Stephen F. Austin (45.11).

The other gold on Saturday came from Jaslyn Smith, who not only won gold, but a spot in regionals with a final jump 42-0.5 in the triple jump.

“It was so exciting,” Smith said. “I even cried, and I don’t ever cry. It was a lot to take in. I have so much support from my team and my family, encouraging me to keep my head up high. It is just happy moment in a really happy day.”

While she didn’t win the gold, Shakera Kirk brought home the silver in the women’s discus, leading three Lady Demons who earned points. She was joined by Tahisha Thompson (156-08) in sixth and Shanice Hutson (153-04) in eighth.

Silet Gray (400 hurdles), Farrell (100-meter dash) and Raven-Symone Jarrett (100 hurdles) also found the podium for the Northwestern State women.

Gray (1:01.80) and Farrell (11.58) each grabbed silvers as the lone Lady Demon running in the events.

“There were so many people who stepped up and that is what it takes to win,” Heimerman said. “These girls did just that. Between Coach (Adam) Pennington and myself talking to them in the meetings on what they needed to do, they executed it almost perfectly.”

Jarrett (13.81) collected the bronze in the 100 hurdles with a 13.81. Lewis finished sixth in the finals with a time of 14.25.

On the men’s side, both relays as well as Dishaun Lamb (110 hurdles), William Achee (400-meter dash) and Tavis Wilson (100-meter dash) made the podium.

Each relay lost close battles for the gold. In the 4×100, the Demons clocked a 39.53, only bested by East Texas A&M’s SLC meet record time of 39.36.

ETAMU again edged out the Demons in the 4×400, running a 3:06.86 to Northwestern State’s 3:07.01.

Lamb clocked a 14.14 to earn the silver, while Achee came from way back in the pack to fight to earn the silver with a time of 46.91. Desmond Duncan ran a 48.61 to finish in eighth.

Wilson collected the bronze in the 100 with a time of 10.39.

Elijah Rowe placed eighth in the 200, clocking a 21.41.

Over on the field, Randy Kelly finished fourth in the high jump (6-8.25), while Justin Craft placed eighth in the discus (154-05).

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CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field hardware is staying where it belongs.
 
Indiana State swept the conference championships for the second straight season, totaling 208 points on the men’s side and 140.5 on the women’s side. The Trees finished 57 points ahead of Illinois State on the men’s side and 20.5 points ahead of the Redbirds on the women’s side. Indiana State’s title sweep gives the Sycamore combined cross country/track and field programs 50 total MVC titles. The Sycamores won back-to-back MVC Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the first time since 1998-99 and recorded the program’s first four-peat as MVC Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Champions since 2011-14.
 
The Blue and White entered the championships as the favorites and delivered under pressure throughout a sun-filled weekend in southern Illinois. Six different Sycamores – the men’s 4x100m relay team, Jahnel Bowman, Collin Forrest, Casey Hood Jr., Rachel Mehringer and Terrance O’Bannon – won individual titles Sunday afternoon, while Mehringer broke a conference championship record in the 100m hurdles and Sloan Cox broke the school record in the shot put.
 
In addition to the conference titles, the Sycamores also picked up a plethora of MVC specialty awards. Justice Boston and Emma Yoder were named Co-Freshmen of the Year on the women’s side, while Casey Hood Jr. was the MVC Most Valuable Men’s Athlete of the Championships. Rachel Mehringer was the MVC Most Outstanding Women’s Track Athlete, while Will Staggs was the MVC Elite 18 recipient for having the highest GPA among medalists.
 
TEAM SCORES
MEN
1. Indiana State – 208
2. Illinois State – 151
3. Northern Iowa – 124
4. Drake – 85
5. Southern Illinois – 79
6. Belmont – 64
7. Bradley – 54
8. Evansville – 26
9. Valparaiso – 17
10. UIC – 10
 
WOMEN
1. Indiana State – 140.5
2. Illinois State – 119
3. Northern Iowa – 110
4. Missouri State – 90
5. Bradley – 76
6. Southern Illinois – 75
7. Belmont – 73
8. Murray State – 64.5
9. Drake – 63
10. UIC – 8
T11. Evansville – 0
T12. Valparaiso – 0

 Sunday MVC Champions

 
Sunday All-Conference

• Casey Hood Jr. – 100m (second, 10.38)
• Parker Doyle – 110m hurdles (third, 14.26)
• Noah Gilmore – high jump (second, 2.02m/6-7.5)
• Jaden Smith – triple jump (third, 14.89m/48-10.25)
• Justice Boston – triple jump (third, 12.18m/39-11.5)
• Sloan Cox – shot put (second, 18.62m/61-1.25, school record)
• Aliseonna Garnett – shot put (third, 15.30m/50-2.5)
• Noah Bolt – hammer throw (second, 61.65m/202-3)
• Niesha Anderson – hammer throw (second, 58.51m/191-11, sixth in program history)
• Jake Ottersbach – decathlon (third, 6881, fourth in program history)

 
Sunday Scorers

• Daunte Majors – 100m (sixth, 10.61), 200m (fourth, 21.15)
• Janiya Bowman – 100m (sixth, 11.90)
• Michelle McDonald – 100m (eighth, 12.02), 200m (seventh, 24.47)
• Trent Jones – 400m (fourth, 47.39)
• Emerson Fayman – 1500m (fourth, 3:48.26)
• Jason Dworak – 1500m (fifth, 3:49.11)
• Emma Gresham – 1500m (sixth, 4:21.62, second in program history), 5000m (fifth, 16:55.36)
• Ryan Handy – 5000m (fifth, 14:27.97)
• David Carnell – 110m hurdles (fifth, 14.33)
• Luigi Rivas – 110m hurdles (eighth, 16.91)
• Janiya Bowman, Michelle McDonald, Krystian Dilosa, Rachel Mehringer – 4x100m relay (fifth, 45.38, eighth in program history)
• Parker Doyle – 400m hurdles (sixth, 53.70)
• Noelle Dilosa – 400m hurdles (fifth, 1:01.91, prelims time of 1:01.36 is eighth in program history)
• Ethan Widenhoefer – high jump (fourth, 1.99m/6-6.25)
• Kilan Macklin – high jump (sixth, 1.96m/6-5)
• Amare Draughn – high jump (seventh, 1.96m/6-5)
• Ellie Irwin – high jump (fourth, 1.69m/5-6.5)
• Aaliyah Thurman – triple jump (sixth, 11.62m/38-1.5)
• Wyatt Puff – shot put (seventh, 17.80m/58-4.75)
• Niesha Anderson – shot put (eighth, 14.54m/47-8.5)
• Emma Yoder – hammer throw (seventh, 51.10m/167-8)
• Kathryn Ison – heptathlon (sixth, 4604, ninth in program history)
• Ty Newsom – decathlon (sixth, 6407)
• Zenon Rule – decathlon (eighth, 6181)

 
Saturday Recap
 
Sprints/Hurdles
Indiana State’s sprinters and hurdlers made significant contributions on Championship Sunday with five conference champions and a conference championship record broken. The Sycamores swept the 100 and 110 hurdles titles, with Rachel Mehringer running an MVC Championship record 13.07 to win the 100 hurdles and Collin Forrest repeating as 110m hurdles champion with a time of 14.09. Parker Doyle (14.26) earned all-conference in the 110m hurdles and also placed sixth in the 400m hurdles (53.70), while David Carnell (14.33) and Luigi Rivas (16.91) also scored in the 110m hurdles.
 
The men’s 100m continued to be a success story for the Sycamores, with Terrance O’Bannon (10.36) repeating as champion in the event and Casey Hood Jr. (10.38) right behind in second. Daunte Majors (10.61) added a sixth-place finish, and the trio combined with Matthew Wray to win the 4x100m relay in 39.73. Janiya Bowman (11.90) and Michelle McDonald (12.02) both scored in the women’s 100m, and also teamed up with Krystian Dilosa and Mehringer to run the eighth-fastest 4x100m relay at 45.38.
 
Hood Jr. also added a 200m conference title to his record-setting season with a time of 20.71, while Majors placed fourth at 21.15. McDonald finished seventh in the women’s 200m at 24.47, while Noelle Dilosa (400m hurdles, 1:01.91) and Trent Jones (400m, 47.39) both carded top-five finishes for the Sycamores.
 
Indiana State finished fifth in the men’s 4x400m relay, with the team of Weaver, Wray, Jason Dworak and Jones going 3:15.33. The Sycamores ran an all-distance crew women’s 4x400m relay, as Halle Miller, Hadley Gradolf, Erica Barker and Emma Gresham clocked a time of 4:12.92.
 
Mid-Distance/Distance
Indiana State scored points in every distance event it fielded entries in Sunday, including a pair in the men’s 1500 with Emerson Fayman (3:48.26) and Jason Dworak (3:49.11) both finishing in the top five. Emma Gresham ran the second-fastest 1500m time in program history on the women’s side, with her 4:21.62 putting her sixth in the field.
 
Gresham also ran a 5000m time of 16:55.36 to earn a fifth-place finish, with Ryan Handy also placing in the top five in the men’s 5000m with his time of 14:27.97.
 
Jumps
Indiana State had significant scoring in the jumps events Sunday, led by Jahnel Bowman’s indoor-outdoor triple jump sweep. Bowman had a career-best jump of 12.38m (40-7.5), with Justice Boston (12.18/39-11.5) earning all-conference honors and Aaliyah Thurman (11.62m/38-1.5) finishing sixth. The Sycamores also got an all-conference performance from Jaden Smith in the triple jump, courtesy of a season-best mark of 14.89m (48-10.25).
 
Indiana State’s high jumpers also had a strong day, with four Sycamores finishing in the top seven on the men’s side. Noah Gilmore cleared 2.02m (6-7.5) to earn all-conference honors, while Ethan Widenhoefer (1.99m/6-6.25), Kilan Macklin (1.96m/6-5) and Amare Draughn (1.96m/6-5) all scoring for the Trees. Ellie Irwin cleared 1.69m (5-6.5) on her first attempt to finish fourth on the women’s side.
 
Throws
Indiana State’s throwers had another strong Championship Sunday, led by Sloan Cox breaking the school record in the shot put. Cox had a mark of 18.62m (61-1.25) to finish second, with Wyatt Puff (17.80m/58-4.75) finishing seventh. Aliseonna Garnett (15.30m/50-2.5) earned a third-place finish on the women’s side, with Niesha Andeson (14.54m/47-8.5) also scoring points for the Sycamores in the shot put.
 
Anderson also had a career-best performance in the hammer throw, with her mark of 58.51m (191-11) ranking sixth in program history and giving her a runner-up finish in the conference championship. Emma Yoder also scored for the Sycamores with a mark of 51.10m (167-8). On the men’s side, Noah Bolt had a season-best hammer throw of 61.65m (202-3) to earn a second-place finish
 
Multis
Indiana State had four multi athletes score points, including all three decathlon entries. Jake Ottersbach continued his strong weekend, placing third with 6881 points, a top-five total in program history. Ottersbach had top performances in the 110m hurdles (14.61) pole vault (4.20m/13-9.25) and javelin (47.29m/155-2) on Championship Sunday. Ty Newsom finished sixth with a career-best 6407 points, bolstered by strong performances in the 1500m (4:48.17) and 110m hurdles (15.89). Zenon Rule placed eighth with a career-best 6181 points, with his strong performances in the pole vault (4.30m/14-1.25) and 110m hurdles (15.31) helping him secure a scoring position.
 
Kathryn Ison cracked the top 10 in program history in the heptathlon, with her 4604 points placing sixth at the championships and ninth in program history. Ison’s long jump of 5.26m (17-3.25) and performance in the 800m (2:29.34) helped her cause after a strong opening day. Chloe Rolen also recorded a career-best performance with 4427 points, with a strong 200m (2:28.17) finishing off her best-ever heptathlon.
 
Up Next
Indiana State turns its attention to the NCAA East First Round May 28-31 in Jacksonville, Florida, with qualifying athletes being announced in the coming days.
 
Follow the Sycamores

For the latest information on the Sycamore Track & Field and Cross Country teams, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from the both the App Store and the Google Play Store.
 

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