CHICAGO, Ill. – Four Redbirds captured individual Missouri Valley Conference titles, as Illinois State also swept the men's and women's 4x400m relays to close out the 2022 MVC Championships.
Junior Riley Wells won his second-straight championship in the men's 800m run, clocking a time of 1:49.86. With the win, the Redbirds won their fifth-straight 800m indoor title and seventh-consecutive title overall in the event.
Brandon Gage defended his crown in the men's 400m dash, becoming the seventh Redbird ever to clock below 48 seconds with his time of 47.92. Gage continues to hold the seventh-fastest time in program history.
Becoming just the second person to ever three-peat in the MVC women's high jump, Kameesha Smith jumped to gold for the third straight indoor season. Smith cleared 1.75m (5-8.75 ft.) on her first attempt to take first.
In his first MVC championship appearance, sophomore Ariel Atias won the men's heptathlon with a total score of 5,352 points. In the process of setting five new personal bests, Atias reset his own school record in the event. With his victory, Illinois State has now won the men's heptathlon event for five seasons in a row.
In addition to sweeping both the men's and women's DMR in Sunday's competition, the Redbirds won both the men's and women's 4x400m relays on Monday. The women's team of San'Toria Harris, Destiny White, Audrey Harrod and Jaclyn Greci clocked a time of 3:44.44 to take the gold medal. Their time ranks ninth in school history.
The Redbird men's 4x400m relay team of Avery Lyons, Cecil Brownridge III, Michael Marrs and Brandon Gage finished in a time of 3:14.17 to win the event for the first time since 2018. That time also ranks sixth in school history.
Both the Illinois State men and women finished as the runner-up in the team standings. With 164 total points, the men finished second to Indiana State's 171 points. On the women's side, the Redbirds finished behind the Sycamores with 117 points.
ALL-VALLEY
In addition to the four Redbirds who captured individual championships, 11 'Birds finished on the podium in their respective events.
Running the second-fastest 200m dash time in school history, freshman Arianna Walker had a strong debut at her first MVC championships. With a time of 23.98, Walker finished second in the 200m and now sits only behind D'Jenne Egharevba on the ISU all-time top-10 list. Walker also contributed to the team score with a sixth-place finish in the 60m dash.
After running a leg of Sunday night's DMR team that won gold, Rachel Hickey finished second in the mile run, clocking a time of 4:50.46. It was her highest finish in the mile since she won the event in 2020.
In his final MVC indoor appearance, fifth-year senior Jake Gillum earned a silver medal in the men's mile, finishing in a time of 4:06.47. Gillum also received the men's Elite 17 award for his outstanding performance in the classroom and on the track.
Earning All-Valley honors for the third straight year, junior Brandon Ratliff placed second in the men's 60m hurdles, finishing in a time of 8.08 seconds. In the women's 60m hurdles, Mya Robinson clocked a season best time of 8.64 seconds to finish third.
Making his MVC debut, Cecil Brownridge III won the silver medal in the men's 400m dash, finishing second to his teammate in a time of 48.12 to earn All-Valley honors. Brownridge would go onto run a leg of the championship-winning 4x400m relay team.
Completing the 1-2 finish for the 'Birds in the men's 800m run, Joe Morrison clocked a time of 1:50.02 to finish in second behind Wells. Morrison's time earned him All-Conference honors, as he now holds the sixth-fastest time in school history.
On the women's side, senior Maddi Exline earned the bronze medal in the 800m race. Exline clocked an indoor personal best time of 2:10.25, as she still holds the eighth-fastest time in school history.
Two Redbirds finished on the podium in the men's shot put, as redshirt senior Logan Calvin and junior Amiri Buchanan finished second and third, respectively. Calvin and Buchanan each threw personal bests of 19.29m (63-3.5 ft.) and 17.84m (58-6.5 ft.) to bring home All-Valley honors.
In the men's heptathlon, senior Caleb Miedema joined Atias on the podium with a third-place finish. Miedema scored a total of 5,085 points, as he has now earned All-Valley honors for the third indoor season in a row.
OTHER MVC POINT SCORERS
4th – Audrey Harrod, 800m – 2:11.27
4th – Jake Gillum, 3000m – 8:17.11
4th – Danielle Taets, triple jump – 11.64m (38-2.25 ft.)
4th – Kenzie Klink, high jump – 1.69m (5-6.5 ft.)
5th – Charles Murphy, mile run – 4:11.63
5th – Jaden Johnson, 60m hurdles – 8.23
5th – Devin Turner, 200m dash – 21.93
5th – Jaclyn Greci, 400m dash – 56.04
6th – Destiny White, 400m dash – 56.51
6th – Nick Swartzendruber, 400m dash – 49.48
6th – Arianna Walker, 60m dash – 7.61
7th – Sa'Mone Winters, 60m dash – 7.61
7th – Devin Turner, 60m dash – 7.01
7th – Hannah Johnson, shot put – 14.00m (45-11.25)
7th – Chase Knoblett, heptathlon – 4,529 points
8th – Junias Holmes Jr., 200m dash – 22.17
8th – Carly Tucker, high jump – 1.66m (5-5.25 ft.)
8th – Cameron Getz, high jump – 1.95m (6-4.75 ft.)
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