NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State track & field teams will return to Ole Miss this weekend, April 9-10, for the Joe Walker Invitational in Oxford, Mississippi. The heptathlon and decathlon will kick things off at 12 p.m. and 12:15 p.m. on Friday, April 9, followed by field events at 1 p.m. and running events at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, April 10, the final heptathlon and decathlon events will begin at 9:45 a.m. and 10 a.m., followed by field events at 12 p.m. and running events at 2 p.m. A full schedule and heat sheets are available by clicking the red buttons featured in this release.
FAN INFORMATION
Fans are permitted to attend the Joe Walker Invite and will be required to follow the spectator guidelines attached to this release. Those who can't make the trip to Oxford can follow live results here or on Twitter @redbird_trackxc for both days of the Joe Walker Invite.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Illinois State will face competitors from 26 different schools, including three teams from the SEC, two teams from the ACC and two teams from the Big 12. In addition to Illinois State and Ole Miss, the following teams will have athletes competing at the Joe Walker Invite:
- Auburn
- Belmont
- Bradley
- Eastern Kentucky
- Florida St.
- Furman
- Georgetown
- Iowa State
- Kentucky
- Lamar
- Lipscomb
- Miami (Ohio)
- Middle Tennessee St.
- Mississippi Valley
- New Orleans
- Notre Dame
- Oklahoma St.
- South Dakota St.
- Southeastern Louisiana
- Southern Miss.
- Stephen F. Austin
- Toledo
- Tulsa
- Villanova
- Western Illinois
LAST TIME OUT
At last weekend's Redbird Invite, both the men's and women's teams took first and nine student-athletes posted a top-10 performance in school history. Senior Grace Beattie highlighted the day's performances by running a facility record and the No. 2 time in school history in the 5,000-meter run (16:06.28).
The hurdle trio of Mya Robinson (No. 5/100-meter hurdles), Brandon Ratliff (No. 6/110-meter hurdles) and Jaden Johnson (No. 7/110-meter hurdles) all moved up the top-10 ranks with Robinson and Ratliff making their first appearance on the outdoor list. Continuing to build on her stellar indoor season, freshman Seven Hicks clocked the ninth-fastest 100-meter dash time in school history with her time of 11.77 seconds last weekend.
In the field events, four student-athletes recorded ISU top-10 marks, including three that are competing in their first collegiate outdoor season. Freshman Macy Byer launched a huge personal-best throw and the eighth-best throw in ISU history in the discus, with her mark of 49.29 meters (161-8 ft.), while Mye'Joi Williams added her name to the history books in the shot put with an outdoor personal-best of 14.66 meters (48-1.25 ft.). Her mark is the 10th-best in school history.
Senior pole vaulter Nicole Bagwell and outdoor freshman high jumper Grace Daun each notched an outdoor personal best in their respective events to move them up the top-10 list. Bagwell distanced herself even further from the No. 6 spot, improving her No. 5 spot with a clearance of 3.82 meters (12-6.25 ft.), while Daun entered the outdoor top-10 list for the first time in the high jump, clearing 1.73 meters (5-8 ft.) for the No. 10 spot in school history.
'BIRDS IN THE NCAA WEST REGION TOP-32
In order to advance to the NCAA West Preliminary Round on May 27-29 in College Station, Texas, a student-athlete must finish the season ranked among the top-32 athletes in their region. Illinois State is in the NCAA West Region and currently has six qualifying athletes based on these standards.
11. Sydney Laufenberg, Discus
14. Grace Beattie, 5,000m
14. Logan Calvin, Shot Put
21. Julia Bourke, Hammer Throw
25. Kristin Higgins, High Jump
32. Grace Daun, High Jump
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