Melissa Wheeler entered the 2000 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships as the second seed, but the Illinois State senior garnered her first career league title by winning the shot put with a toss of 44 feet, 11 inches, Friday, at Cessna Stadium.
In the shot put the Redbird women scored 22 points led by Wheelers victory, while Sam Serrano added a second-place finish and senior Cara Winchell grabbed fourth. Through seven events, the favored Redbirds lead with 53 points, Wichita State is second with 49, followed by Drake (30), Southern Illinois (26), Indiana State (20), Southwest Missouri State (17), Northern Iowa (12) and Bradley (10).
Wheeler, a native of Mt. Prospect, Ill., posted her winning throw in her first attempt.
It was great, Wheeler said after winning her first conference title. I thought (my mark) would be close to win, but all the girls really gave me a run for my money and the mark managed to hold up. It was a good field and they were all great competitors.
On the mens side, Tom Barrett added yet another chapter to his storied career. The senior from OFallon, Ill., claimed the hammer throw title with a toss of 211 feet, six inches. The title is Barretts tenth of his career and is the most throwing crowns ever won by an individual in league history.
Barrett also became the first athlete in the history of the conference to win the hammer in three consecutive seasons and is the second athlete to win the title three times. Southern Illinois Dan Armentrout won the event in 1994, 1995 and 1997.
Alfie Gordillo added a sixth-place finish in the hammer and through seven events the Redbird men are sixth with 23 points. Northern Iowa leads with 60 points, followed by Indiana State and Southern Illinois (33), Wichita State (31), Drake (30), Illinois State and Southwest Missouri State (7).
In the womens javelin, sophomore Hillary Hyland scored six more points for the Birds with a third-place finish. Hyland entered the event as the fourth seed and recorded a mark of 135 feet, one inches.
Qualifying for Saturday finals for the Redbirds on the womens side was senior Christina Williams in both the 100- and 200-meter-dashes. Williams legged the fastest 100 time in 11.88 seconds, while freshman Alia Hoyle also qualified for the 100 final with a time of 12.03 seconds.
Sophomore Egle Kregzdyte qualified for the 800-meter-run final, clocking a time of two minutes, 15.21 seconds. Kregzdyte will also compete in the 1,500-meter run final on Saturday as well. In the 100-meter-hurdles, Valley heptathlon champion Kathrine Nielsen qualified for the finals with a time of 14.56 seconds.
On the mens side, Mark Walcott will compete in both the 100 and 200 finals. Walcott legged a time of 10.72 seconds in the 100 and 21.48 seconds in the 200. Pierre Woods was a double qualifier in the 110- and 400-meter hurdles. Woods posted times of 14.60 seconds and 54.16 seconds, respectively. Chris Gapastione also qualified for the 400 hurdles with a time of 54.64 seconds.
Like Kregzdyte, Illinois States Christian Goy qualified in the 800, but will also compete in 1,500 on Saturday.
Head coach John Coughlan feels good about where the Redbird women stand.
Every thing happened today that we needed to have happen to win the meet tomorrow, Coughlan said. The shot put was fantastic, and we got a great performance from Hillary in the javelin. On the mens side we need to compete at little harder. Were having an okay meet, but not a great meet.
The meet concludes on Saturday, starting with the womens hammer throw at 9:30 p.m.
