Track & Field

Track & Field Notebook (Jan. 28)

Weekly Notebook (PDF) 

Male Track
Matthew Lewis-Banks, So., Indiana State (Hazel Crest, Ill.)
Matthew Lewis-Banks had an impressive weekend of competition at the John Gartland Invitational. The sophomore hurdler claimed his third win in as many tries in the 60-meter hurdles, clocking a time of 8.01. His time of 7.92 from the Coughlan/Malloy Cup is still first in the Valley and 43rd nationally. In addition to winning the hurdles, he also was victorious in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.92, a personal-best and eighth-best time in the MVC, and was a member of the winning 4X400-meter relay team that finished with a time of 3:21.65, giving him three victories on Saturday.

Noteables: Victor Peka (Drake), Eran Siboni (Loyola), Devin Pringle (Southern Illinois), Brandon Ratliff (Illinois State), Joey Rucinski (Evansville), Dominic Paoletti (Valparaiso), Isaiah Trousil (Northern Iowa) 

Female Track
Imani Davis, Sr., Indiana State (Chicago, Ill.)
Imani Davis led the mid-distance runners for the Sycamore women at the John Gartland Invitational. The senior was victorious for the second time this season in the 800-meter run, clocking a Valley leading time of 2:14.73, which converts to 2:13.20 in the Valley standings. Her time not only puts her atop the conference, but it leads the MVC by over two seconds. She was also the anchor of the MVC-leading 4X400-meter relay team that clocked a time of 3:50.54 which converts to 3:48.91, also a nearly two second lead over the rest of the Valley.

Noteables: Yinka Ajayi (Drake), Claire Hengesbaugh (Loyola), Ty'Juana Eason (Southern Illinois), Hattie Plumb (Illinois State), Anna Lowry (Evansville), Edna Dar (Missouri State), Sierra Fischer (Valparaiso), Rylan Santi (Northern Iowa) 

Male Field
Caleb Miedema, So., Illinois State (Bangor, Wisconsin)
In the first multi-event competition for the Redbirds of the year, Caleb Miedema recorded multiple personal-bests in route to a victory in the heptathlon with a personal-best 5,007 points. At the two-day Jack Jennett Open, Miedema posted personal-bests in the 60-meter dash (7.33 seconds), the shot put (12.86 meters), the high jump (2.00 meters) and tied his personal-best in the pole vault (4.15 meters). Miedema won three of the seven events in the heptathlon competition and his 5,007 points (5,031 points converted) mark the first time in his career that he has totaled over 5,000 points. He is the only Valley heptathlete to total 5,000 points or more this season and currently ranks No. 1 in the MVC, No. 20 in the NCAA and No. 4 all-time on ISU’s indoor top-10 list.

Noteables: Jack Sumners (Northern Iowa), Joey Harkins (Drake), Eric Burns (Loyola), Nathan Kiger (Indiana State), Eddie Juszczak (Valparaiso) 

Female Field 
Kameesha Smith, Jr., Illinois State (South Holland, Illinois)
In her junior season debut at the Notre Dame Invite, high jumper Kameesha Smith not only won the event, but also recorded a personal-best clearance of 1.77 meters (5-09.75 ft.). Her clearance of 1.77 meters ranks No. 1 in the Valley with the next closest MVC high jumper clearing 1.73 meters (5-08 ft.). A native of South Holland, Illinois, Smith is tied for No. 18 in the NCAA this season and is now in sole possession of the No. 5 spot on the ISU indoor top-10 list.

Noteables: Maja Gebauer (Drake), Mackenzie Arnold (Loyola), Kelsey Bowlds (Indiana State), Alexis Roberson (Southern Illinois), Jamilah James (Missouri State), Lauren Mikolajczak (Valparaiso), Brooke Lorenz (Northern Iowa)