NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State men's track & field team completed the Redbird sweep of the ISU Invite, winning with 178 points on Senior Day.
A pair of Redbirds posted ISU top-10 performances on day two with one coming on the track and one in the field. Redshirt-junior Logan Calvin surpassed the 19-meters milestone, throwing a personal-best 19.13 meters (62-9.25 ft.) to take second in the shot put. That mark improves his No. 2 mark in school history and moves him up to No. 2 in the Missouri Valley Conference and No. 12 in the NCAA West Region.
Hurdler Brandon Ratliff also reached a major milestone, running the first sub-14 seconds 110-meter hurdles race of his career. Winning with a time of 13.94 seconds, Ratliff is the only hurdler in the Valley to run a wind-legal sub-14 time. With that time, the freshman from Grand Rapids, Michigan is No. 1 in the Valley, No. 4 in school history and tied for No. 22 in the NCAA West Region.
In addition to Ratliff's first-place finish, the 'Birds had two other event wins. Zach Fiser won the javelin for the second time this year, finishing with a best throw of 50.83 meters (166-9 ft.), while Matt Blanco picked up his first career event win in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:34.56, just two seconds off of his personal best.
Following the second day of the ISU Invite, the Redbirds had three new athletes with regional qualifying marks/times, including Ratliff, Riley Wells and Kimathi Johnson. Wells and Johnson both ran personal bests in the 800-meter run to move into the NCAA West Region top-48. The duo ran 1:50.22 and 1:50.33 with Wells taking third and Johnson following in fifth.
ISU TOP-10 PERFORMANCES FROM THE ISU INVITE
Men
2. Logan Calvin – shot put, 19.13 meters (62-9.25 ft.)
4. Brandon Ratliff – 110m hurdles, 13.94
Women
2. Grace Beattie – 1,500-meter run, 4:23.32
2. Jordyn Bruce – 400-meter hurdles, 59.09
4. Mya Robinson – 100-meter hurdles, 13.83
4. Tayler Weaver – shot put, 16.39 meters (53-9.25 ft.)
5. Maddi Exline – 1,500-meter run, 4:25.99
5. Nicole Bagwell – pole vault, 3.89 meters (12-9 ft.)
6. Seven Hicks – 100-meter dash, 11.65
6. Jaclyn Greci – 400-meter dash, 54.39
6. Whitney Ward – 400-meter hurdles, 1:00.77
6. Maddie Wright – pole vault, 3.74 meters (12-3.25 ft.)
10. Destiny White – 400-meter dash, 54.98
10. Zofia LeHew – javelin, 42.39 meters (139-1 ft.)
CURRENT REDBIRDS IN REGIONAL QUALIFYING POSITION (TOP-48 IN THE WEST REGION)
6. Jack Anstey, 1,500m
12. Grace Beattie, 3,000-meter steeplechase
12. Logan Calvin, shot put
15. Sydney Laufenberg, discus
18. Tayler Weaver, shot put
19. Mye'Joi Williams, shot put
19. Jordyn Bruce, 400-meter hurdles
T-21. Grace Daun, high jump
22. Grace Beattie, 5,000-meter run
T-22. Brandon Ratliff, 110m hurdles
23. Kellen Kravik, pole vault
24. Julia Bourke, hammer throw
T-32. Kristin Higgins, high jump
40. Logan Calvin, hammer throw
45. Riley Wells, 800m
T-46. Seven Hicks, 100-meter dash
47. Jaclyn Greci, 400-meter dash
47. Whitney Ward, 400-meter hurdles
T-48. Kimathi Johnson, 800m
UP NEXT
On May 7, the Redbirds will head to Indiana State for the Pacesetter Invite for one final tune-up before the MVC Championships.
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