Weekly Notebook - PDF

Male Track
Michael Ward, Sr., Bradley (Cardiff, South Wales)
Senior Michael Ward put up one of the best performances in the 3,000m in Missouri Valley Conference history, running a school-record time of 7:57.88 at the Washington Invitational. His time is not only the top mark in the Valley this season by nearly 17 seconds but is the second-fastest time in conference history and the quickest since the 1999 season (only Illinois State’s Julian Mwangi ran a faster time with 7:55.40). Overall, Ward now ranks 17th nationally with his sub-eight minute mark.
 
Notables: Kevin Kelly, Drake; Jack Anstey, Illinois State; Matthew Lewis-Banks, Indiana State; Regan Todhunter, Loyola; Theo Phipps, Southern Illinois; Ben Sekuloski, Valparaiso
 
Male Field
Luke Nelson, Jr., Illinois State (Oak Park, Ill.)
On the final day of the Illini Invitational, hosted by Illinois, Nelson made Illinois State track & field history, winning the pole vault competition and shattering the ISU school record in the process. Nelson, whose previous personal-record was 5.08m (16-08.00), recorded a monster personal-best, clearing 5.29m (17-04.25) to win the event and take down Chase Pavelonis’ previous school record of 5.28m (17-03.75) that was set in 2015. With the mark, Nelson not only ranks first in the Valley by a margin of over nine inches, but 25th in all of Division I as well.
 
Notables: Dearis Herron, Indiana State; Gift Chinda, Loyola; Adam Kessler, Southern Illinois; TJ Weinzimmer, Valparaiso
 
Female Track
Grace Beattie, Jr., Illinois State (Woodstock, Ill.)
On the second day of the Illini Invitational, hosted by Illinois, Beattie won the mile run with a Valley-leading time of 4:51.04 (converts to 4:48.19). Beattie ran a commanding race, leading for the entirety of the 1,600-meter circuit en route to her third victory of the 2018-19 season. In addition to ranking first in the Valley, Beattie’s time is 75th in all of Division I. Beattie currently leads the Valley in the 3,000-meter run as well.
 
Notables: Brooke Moore, Indiana State; Natajah Simmons, Loyola; Tyjuana Eason, Southern Illinois; Katherine Germann, Valparaiso
 
Female Field
Ariana Cranston, Jr., Illinois State (Angola, Ind.)
On the second day of the Illini Invitational, hosted by Illinois, Cranston won her third pole vault competition of the season after clearing over 13 feet for the first time of her career. Her winning height of 3.97m (13-00.25) is not only a personal best but improves her to third all-time in Illinois State track & field history. Even more impressive, Cranston’s mark is first in the MVC by a gap of nearly seven inches and ranks 61st in the NCAA.
 
Notables: Lexie Chapman, Drake; Cassaundra Roper, Indiana State; Mackenzie Arnold, Loyola; Alexis Roberson; Anne Mou, Valparaiso