NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State track & field team opens up the 2021 indoor campaign at the Jack Jennett Open on Thursday, January 21 and Friday, January 22 at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The heptathlon and pentathlon will begin competition on Thursday with all other events occurring on Friday.
RETURNING TO THE DOME
The Redbirds return to the UNI Dome for the first time since the 2020 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships where the women's team won their third-straight indoor title, while breaking a Valley record with 190.16 points. The men's team tied for second at last year's MVC Indoor Championships but will look to win their third Valley title in four years at the 2021 conference meet. The 'Birds will compete at the UNI Dome twice this season, first at the Jack Jennett Open and then again at the end of the season for the MVC Indoor Championships.
325 DAYS LATER…
The 'Birds are back in action, competing for the first time in 325 days. The 2020 MVC Championships were ISU's last competition before the cancellation of the remainder of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
The ISU women's team will face opponents from six different schools, while the men's team will face competitors from five different schools. The Redbirds will get an early look at Valley foes, Bradley and UNI, while also competing against Dubuque, Wartburg, Concordia (women's team only) and Southeastern Community College.
FRESH FACES
Illinois State has welcomed 32 new student-athletes to the 2020-21 roster. The women's team has 19 newcomers, including six hurdlers/sprinters, four throwers, three distance/middle-distance runners, two pole vaulters, two multi-event athletes, one high jumper and one jumper. The men's squad has 13 total newcomers, including seven distance/mid-distance runners, three throwers, one sprinter, one jumper and one multi-event athlete.
RELYING ON THE RETURNERS
The Redbirds return eight student-athletes with indoor eligibility that have won an indoor conference title in their career. ISU has won three-consecutive conference pole vault titles since 2018 and looks to continue that success with both MVC champions returning for the 2021 season. Eddie Winner won the 2020 crown and Ryan Ashenbremer won back-to-back conference titles in 2018 and 2019 before sitting out the 2020 season. In addition to the men's pole vault, the women's high jump also has a history of success with Kameesha Smith (2020) and Kristin Higgins (2019) winning the last two indoor high jump conference championships. Rachel Hickey is the only returning student-athlete to have won titles in two different events, taking home the gold in the distance medley relay and the mile. Four Redbirds have stood on the top of the podium for helping a relay team win an MVC title, including Audrey Harrod (2020-DMR), Jake Gillum (2019-DMR), Nick Swartzendruber (2019-DMR) and Brandon Gage (2018-4x400m). Illinois State also returns 19 student-athletes with indoor eligibility remaining who have earned All-Valley honors at some point in their careers, including 11 on the men's side and eight on the women's side.
LAST TIME AT THE JACK JENNETT OPEN
Illinois State's multi-event group traveled to the Jack Jennett Open last season where Jordyn Bruce and Caleb Miedema won the pentathlon and heptathlon, respectively. Bruce recorded a then-personal-best 3,638 points, which she broke later that season at the MVC Championships setting a new school record. Miedema also recorded a then-personal-best of 5,007 points that he went onto break at the MVC Championships. He now ranks No. 2 all-time in the heptathlon behind former teammate Jordan Wilkerson.
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow live results here and get live coverage of the meet on Twitter at @redbird_trackxc.
UP NEXT
The cross country team will travel to Nashville, Tennessee for the Lipscomb Winter Classic on Feb. 6 for their first competition of the year after the fall 2020 season was postponed to the spring. After the Jack Jennett Open, the track & field team will be back in action on Feb. 12-13 at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet in Allendale, Michigan.
In accordance with state and local guidelines, fans are currently not allowed to be in attendance at home ISU Athletics events. Game dates, opponents, times and locations are subject to change.
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