NORMAL, Ill. – Anderson Devonish led the way for the Illinois State men's track and field team during the final day of competition at the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, as the Redbird men finished in seventh place with 76 points. The Redbird women took eighth place with 54 total points at the Redbird Track and Field Complex Sunday.
Devonish finished the championships with 22 points, tying for the most by a men's competitor. For his performance, Devonish was named a co-recipient of the Men's Most Valuable Athlete. Devonish was at the top of the podium twice during the final day of championships and made the podium in all of his events Sunday.
He won the 400-meter dash with a time of 46.68, which set a Redbird Track and Field Complex record, breaking the previous best of 46.77. Devonish was once again on the podium for his second-place performance in the 200-meter dash, finishing in 20.64. The Redbird men ended the day strong on the track, winning the men's 400-meter relay with Devonish as the anchor. Antonio Farley, CJ Hamilton, Jalen Lewis and Devonish ran to a first-place finish with a time of 3:14.24.
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"We certainly did not have the team finish we expected to have coming into the championship, which is disappointing," director of track and field Jeff Bovee said. "I am however proud of the men's group and how they competed, especially on the track. We had a lot of great things happen on the track during the final day. Anderson had a great day in all of his events. He carried a lot of the work this weekend and really came through. I was proud of several of our men, but we just don't have enough people placing and that is what hurt us today."
Women's Track
The Redbirds found success in the 100-meter relay, as Emily Cowan, Jalynn Roberts-Lewis, Sarah Mussallem and LaDaisha Steen-Yates teamed up for a third-place finish with a time of 46.07. Mussallem's second appearance of three on the day came in the 400-meter dash, where she made the podium with a second-place finish in 54.98.
Ashley Kamin toed the line in the 1500-meter run, ending with a time of 4:51.80 for sixth place, while Roberts-Lewis finished the 100-meter dash in eighth place with a time of 11.68. Jackie Mink qualified for her first finals appearance in the 800-meter run and crossed the finish line in sixth place with a time of 2:14.90. Eight Redbirds competed in the 5,000-meter run, but Haley Goers was the only ISU runner to finish in the top 10, as she finished the race in eighth place with a time of 17:35.87. Ariel Michalek, Kim Christensen, Kamin and Ashley England took 17th through 20th place, respectively in the 5,000-meter run.
In the 400-meter relay, the combo of DeAsia Garrett, Katelyn Hill, Rayanne Wright and Mussallem crossed the finish line in seventh place with a time of 3:50.55.
"On the women's side, Sarah Mussallem had a really good day, but we just didn't have enough women in finals and that hurt us," Bovee continued. "Another area that hurt us was the distance events, which is usually a strong suit of ours. We just weren't in the team race, and the teams that were had individuals come out of nowhere and surprise people."
Men's Track
The Redbird men began their day on the track like the women, as Dante Hutton, Raimon Clay, Devonish and Lewis worked together for a third-place finish with a time of 40.82 in the 100-meter relay. In the 1500-meter run, Aidan Askin took eighth with a time of 4:03.85. With Devonish leading the way in the 400-meter dash, Hamilton (47.98) and Farley (48.43) crossed the finish line in fifth and sixth, respectively. In the 100-meter dash, Clay was seventh, crossing the finish line in 10.75.
In the 800-meter run, JD LaFayette just missed the podium, taking fourth place with a time of 1:53.81, while Kyle Hatton was eighth in 1:57.54. Lewis (53.61) and Javar Cruz (53.37) took fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 400-meter hurdles, while Tyler Morse (15:10.62) and Dave Eckhart (15:14.76) crossed the finish line in eighth and 10th place, respectively in the 5,000-meter run.
Women's Field
Shelby Allen took sixth in the triple jump with a leap of 12.11 meters, while Morgan Keller recorded a toss of 48.57 in the discus, finishing in sixth place.
Men's Field
Chase Pavelonis started the day for the Redbirds in the pole vault, as he cleared 4.89 meters, finishing in sixth place, while Kevin Fisch was close behind in seventh place. In the triple jump, Aaron Kennebrew III leaped 14.03 meters for 11th place, while Kyle Lombardino took fifth in the discus throw with a mark of 50.53 meters followed by Evan Garretson in 12th place with a toss of 45.14 meters.
"We have our work cut out for us to get better," Bovee added. "We have a great nucleus of men and women coming back and a strong recruiting class coming in, but we have to get to work this summer."
On the men's side, Southern Illinois took first place with 159 total points, while Wichita State took the title on the women's side with 179 points.
Select Redbirds will compete in the NCAA West Regional meet in Austin, Texas, May 28-30.
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