Weekly Notebook (PDF)

Male Track
Akis Medrano, Sr., Indiana State (Boswell, Ind.)
Adding on to his stellar senior campaign at the Drake Relays, Akis Medrano put together the best 5K race of his career on Thursday at the distance carnival. The distance standout crossed the finish line with the second-fastest time in school history of 14:10.96, just .16 away from John Mascari’s school record, which was good enough for a seventh-place finish. Medrano now owns the top time in the Missouri Valley Conference by seven seconds.
 
Notables: Greg King, Evansville; Cole Maguire, Illinois State; Adam Clayton, Loyola; Cole Phillips, UNI; Josh Maier, Southern Illinois; Connor Hickey, Valparaiso
 
Male Field
Francis Ehigbai, Sr., Illinois State (Fishers, Ind.)
At Saturday’s Lenny Lyles-Clark Wood Invitational, hosted by Louisville, Ehigbai made up for lost time, winning the high jump competition in his first meet of the 2019 outdoor campaign. Using a short approach, Ehigbai cleared 2.06m (6-09.00) to claim the victory in the men’s seeded high jump. With the jump, Ehigbai not only finds himself atop the MVC standings, but 48th in the NCAA West Region as well.
 
Notables: Michael Boots, Evansville; Nathan Kiger, Indiana State; Constantine Beniaris, Loyola; Austin Heitland, UNI; Adam Kessler, Southern Illinois; T.J. Weinzimmer, Valparaiso
 
Female Track
Bri’Anna Branch, Sr., Southern Illinois (Chicago, Ill.)
Branch won the 100-meter dash at the Lenny Lyles Invitational with a personal-best time of 11.51. The Chicago, Ill. native clocked the second-fastest time in school history to win the event and also helped SIU win both the 4x100 and the 4x400 relays. SIU’s 4x100 relay team clocked the third-best time in program history at 44.89. Branch now leads the Valley in both the 100m and 200m dashes.
 
Notables: McKenzie Altmayer, Bradley; Anna Lowry, Evansville; Ashleigh Wilson, Illinois State; DeAndra Greer, Indiana State; Rita Maurais, Loyola; Grace Breiten, Missouri State; Patrice Watson, UNI; Sierra Fischer, Valparaiso
 
Female Field
Charde Golliday, Jr., Illinois State (Mount Vernon, Ill.)
On the first day of the Lenny Lyles-Clark Wood Invitational, hosted by Louisville, Golliday shattered ISU’s long jump school record that had stood for 32 years and set a new meet record. Golliday seized the moment, winning the long jump competition with a jump of 6.30m (20-08.00) and breaking the ISU school record in the process. With the leap, Golliday took down Angie Taylor’s previous school record of 6.24m (20-05.75) that had stood since 1987. Golliday’s jump, which sits her atop the Valley standings, places her in prime position to qualify for the NCAA West Preliminary round, as it ranks 14th in the region. As if this wasn’t enough, Golliday came back on Saturday and leaped a lifetime personal-best 12.26m (40-02.75) in the triple jump to finish fourth. Not only does her jump rank eighth all-time in Redbird history, but it sits third in the MVC and 61st in the NCAA West Region.
 
Notables: Taiza Alexander, Evansville; Erin Reese, Indiana State; Sarah Olojo, Loyola; Jamilah James, Missouri State; A’veun Moore-Jones, Southern Illinois; Sydney Bronner, Valparaiso