TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – For the first time in Illinois State track & field history, the Coughlan-Malloy Cup will return to Normal, Illinois, for the second-consecutive year after the Redbirds defeated Indiana State by a score of 173-150 in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Saturday afternoon.
Today's Redbird victory was a total team effort, with both the men and women emerging victorious over the Sycamores for the first time in Coughlan-Malloy Cup history. The Illinois State men took down Indiana State by a score of 88-73, with the women winning by a score of 85-77.
"We got off to a slow start today after a long bus ride due to weather, but we got our legs underneath us as the meet progressed," said Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Jeff Bovee. "We really started to hit our stride with the 400-meter and 800-meter runs and separated ourselves from the rest of the field. To win this meet for the second-straight year on the road is not an easy task, and I am really proud of how our men and women competed today."
MULTIPLE-EVENT WINNERS
Logan Calvin, Rachel Hickey, and Kelsie Prear came up big in today's victory, each capturing multiple wins in their individual events. Calvin had arguably one of the best meets of his young career, winning the weight throw (17.47m/57-03.75) and shot put (17.74m/58-02.50) with personal-record marks in both events. Calvin's shot put mark was particularly impressive, as it ranks third all-time in Redbird track & field history.
In her collegiate track & field debut, Hickey ran with confidence, posting wins in the mile run (5:07.01) and 600-meter (1:36.83). Prear opened her 2018-19 campaign with a bang, winning both the 60-meter (7.59) and 200-meter (25.12) dashes. In total, the Redbirds won 18 of the possible 30 individual events.
MEET RECORDS
In addition to numerous individual event wins, the Redbirds broke two meet records Saturday. Jack Anstey set a new 800-meter meet record, winning the event in 1:53.49 and surpassing the previous record of 1:54.11 that was set in 2010 by Indiana State's Jeremiah Vaughn.
After being named the MVC's Female Track Athlete of the Week following the Jimmy Grant Invite, Grace Beattie had another solid performance this weekend, placing first in the 3,000-meter run with a meet record time of 9:46.21. Her mark bests Redbird standout Rachael Brewer's time of 9:49.74 that was set in 2013.
ADDITIONAL ISU ALL-TIME TOP-10 PERFORMANCES
Tayler Weaver engraved her name on the ISU all-time top-10 list in the weight throw Saturday, recording a monster personal-best of 18.21m (59-09.00) to place third. Not only does this distance rank sixth in Illinois State track & field history, but it surpasses her previous personal-record of 16.32m (53-06.50) by nearly two meters!
OTHER EVENT WINNERS
In addition to the student-athletes that were already mentioned, the following Redbirds won their individual events:
Ryan Ashenbremer – Men's Pole Vault – 5.01m (16-05.25)
Ariana Cranston – Women's Pole Vault – 3.66m (12-00.00)
Francis Ehigbai – Men's High Jump – 2.07m (6-09.50)
Charde Golliday – Women's Triple Jump – 11.92m (39-01.25)
Avery Lyons – Men's 400-meter – 50.25
Ben Montgomery – Men's 200-meter – 22.11
Kameesha Smith – Women's High Jump – 1.66m (5-05.25)
Nick Swartzendruber – Men's 600-meter – 1:22.53
Tori Ortiz, Destiny White, Whitney Ward, Ashleigh Wilson – 4x400-meter Relay – 3:52.62
Swartzendruber, Brandon Gage, Lyons, Montgomery – 4x400-meter Relay – 3:22.06
NEXT UP
The Illinois State men's and women's track & field team will be back in action next weekend when they travel to South Bend, Indiana, to compete in the Notre Dame Invitational on January 19.
For all the latest on Redbird track & field and cross country, visit GoRedbirds.com and follow the 'Birds on Twitter (@Redbird_TrackXC) and Facebook (@redbirdsTF).
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