JaRod Tobler earned a NCAA provisional qualifying and highest Illinois State mark in the long jump since 1977 with a career-best of 25-7 in the second day of the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He earned the mark on his final jump of the event, which also was the best mark ever at the UNI Outdoor Complex.
It is always everyones goal to win, said Tobler, following the event. It is nice to be able to put this under my belt, but I dont want to let it get to my head. I still have two more years left to compete. It really feels great to have a (NCAA) provisional mark. I dont want to have another indoor fiasco where I just miss getting in, hopefully this time I will make it.
It was exciting to be standing there and watch JaRod go from fifth to first in his final jump, said head coach Jeff Pigg. He had nothing to lose and we found out what he was made of. He is a true champion. It doesnt get any better than that.
Freshman Robin Whalen broke an Illinois State outdoor record in the womens pole vault with a 10-11 , which was good enough for fourth place. April Siler set the previous ISU outdoor record with a 10-9 during the 1998 season.
Miklos Konkoly and Gabe Cruz finished 1-2 in the first heat of the 800-meter run prelims to qualify for Saturdays finals scheduled for 2:30 p.m. with times of 1:52.42 and 1:52.95 respectively.
On the womens side, Illinois State had four women (Andrea Black, Lauren Ritt, Jene Klostermann, and Egle Kregzdyte) for the finals, including Egle Kregzdyte, who was the Valley and Drake Relays champion in 2000, but has battled a foot injury (which required surgery) over the last two seasons. Ritt and Klostermann qualified for her first-ever Valley 800 meter run finals.
Egle has been an incredible story, said Pigg, after finding out Kregzdyte made the 800-meter run finals. She has been so frustrated (due to her foot injury) over these last two seasons. There are days when she runs really well and days when she isnt able to run well. She is such a hard worker and intense athlete though and I am so glad she decided to run in the conference meet.
Senior Sam Serrano moved from seventh to second place in her final throw of the womens discus with a season-best mark of 139-11, while Hillary Hyland finished in second place in the womens javelin with a season-best throw of 147-4.
Senior Alfie Gordillo claimed third place in the mens hammer throw with a mark of 185-6, while teammate Joseph Drevlow also was able to score points for the Redbirds with a fifth-place finish and a career-best mark of 176-11.
In the mens discus, Harry Lattimore finished in fourth place with a mark of 161-10, while Bryan Smith qualified for the finals of the 100-meter dash with a season-best time of 10.80 and the 200 meter dash with a career-best time of 21.72.
John Shaffer and Kevin Bailey finished fourth and fifth respectively in the mens 3,000 meter steeplechase with times of 9:21.50 and 9:30.42. Keri Davis qualified for the finals of the womens 400-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 1:02.88.
Heading into the final day of competition, Illinois State sits in second place on the womens side with 42 points. Wichita State leads with 64 points. For the men, the Redbirds are also in second place in a tie with Northern Iowa with 38 points. Wichita State leads in mens competition as well with 69 points.
The meet concludes Saturday, May 18, beginning with the womens hammer throw at 9:30 a.m., while running events start at 1 p.m. with the womens 4x100 meter relay.
