TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – After a two-year drought, the Coughlan-Malloy Cup is returning to Normal. Illinois State track & field took down Missouri Valley Conference rival Indiana State, 153-147, in the 21st edition of the Coughlan-Malloy Cup on Saturday.
The Redbirds won 15 events and several individuals set personal, meet and program records.
The Redbirds won the men's side, 79-70, while the women narrowly lost, 77-74.
"We're all pretty satisfied right now," said Jeff Bovee, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. "I told the team it's about focusing on the process and giving their best effort. All the event groups gave it their all and were fighting for their spots. The staff also did a great job getting everyone ready. Everyone handled the pressure of the first meet well."
Mid-Distance/Distance
The distance group proved to be the difference in Saturday's competition, winning six events.
"I'm really proud of how the distance group performed today," said assistant coach Claire Fuhlhage. "Walking away from the meet with six wins in the distance events is a great confidence builder for the athletes going into some competitive meets in the weeks ahead, but they're all definitely hungry for more.
In her first race as a Redbird, sophomore transfer Becca Heitzig won the mile run with a meet-record time of 4:49.23. That mark stands as the 55th best in DI and eighth best in program history. Freshman Brooke Zeibert followed in second in 4:57.63, and senior Viviana Sanfilipo rounded out the top five, crossing the finish line in 5:04.81.
For the men, two 'Birds finished in the top three. Junior Kane Shields won the mile with a personal-record mark of 4:17.68, and sophomore Luke Barham earned bronze with a time of 4:21.47.
Freshman Pauline Schedler set a new facility and meet record and moved into third place in the ISU record books with a time of 2:50.77 in the 1000m run. Junior Colleen Zeibert earned runner-up with a personal-record time of 2:52.37, which also broke the meet record and is good for fifth in program history.
Transfer Cayde de Waal and freshman Logan Scott represented the Redbird men well in the 1000m run. With a winning mark of 2:27.27, de Waal set a facility and meet record and moved into 10th place in school history. Scott finished right behind him in 2:27.47, also beating the previous meet record.
Senior Mattison Plummer set a new facility record in the 3000m run with a winning time of 9:42.57, good for 87th in DI. Senior Maggie Reed took bronze in 9:52.35, while freshman Cameron Crump earned seventh with a new personal-record time of 10:37.24.
Sophomores Blake Oleson and Will Gelon represented the Redbird men in the 3000m run. Oleson won the race in 8:35.87, while Gelon finished fourth in 8:43.98.
"Becca ran really well in her Redbird debut and came away with a meet record," said Fuhlhage. "Two other newcomers on the track, Pauline and Cayde, nabbed meet records in the K, and many more had their most solid openers of their careers so far. Matti really wanted to maintain her undefeated streak at this meet, and she did, and Kane ran one of the smartest mile races we've seen. Blake battled through some chaos and confusion with lap counting errors in the 3K but kept his head screwed on right to come away with the win."
Sprints
Senior Lindsey Miller earned a runner-up finish in the 60m dash with a time of 7.47,ranking 98th in Division I this season, while junior Chavi Flowers followed in 7.67 to place fourth. Sophomore Zach Paul
The Illinois State men occupied three of the top five spots in the 60m dash. Sophomore Zach Paul took second with a personal record time of 6.67, moving him from seventh to second in program history. That mark also ranks 25th in DI this year. Sophomore Reece Curtis crossed the finish line in third in 6.77, tied for eighth in the Redbird record books. Junior Jaiden Reed earned fourth, finishing in 6.79.
Miller competed again in the 300m dash and finished runner-up with a time of 39.38. Junior Immaculate Daniel earned third place in 40.36. Sophomore Kristyn Johnson took sixth in 42.02, a new personal record.
The Redbird men held the top two spots in the 300m dash. Senior Enyinnaya Nwagwu broke the meet record with a time of 34.88, and sophomore Reece Curtis followed with a personal-record mark of 35.32. Junior Jaiden Reed finished fifth in 36.04.
Senior Star Mpama and sophomore Harmony Brown clinched the top two spots in the 500m dash. Mpama won the race in 1:19.43, while Brown notched a personal-record time of 1:20.39.
Junior Garrett Slack was the lone Redbird to score points in the 500m dash, finishing third in 1:06.74.
Hurdles
The Redbird women swept the top three spots in the 60m hurdles, as transfer Nya Browne and seniors Macee Rivers and Erin Starks each recorded program top 10 marks in the event. Browne took the crown with a mark of 8.47, good for fifth in Illinois State history and 69th in Division I this season. Starks followed with a time of 8.49, ranking 84th in DI and sixth in the school record book, while Rivers earned bronze with an 8.55 finish, besting her previous seventh-fastest mark in program history.
On the men's side, junior Ryan Schaefer took fifth with a time of 8.77, while sophomore Trey Thomas earned seventh, crossing the finish line in 9.04.
Jumps
Senior Abby Milott and junior Ava Lawless led the Redbird women in the long jump. Milott's best jump measured 5.51m to finish third, while Lawless earned fourth with a mark of 5.37m.
Senior Rob Pulliam won the men's long jump with a personal-record mark of 7.43m, which ranks fourth in school history, 34th in Division I and 36th in the NCAA.
The Redbird men swept the top three spots in the high jump. Pulliam and senior Voldy Makabu each cleared 2.06m, but Pulliam won the event based on fewer attempts. The mark ranks 57th in DI and 74th in the NCAA. Sophomore Trey Thomas and junior Kaden Stewart tied for bronze with a jump of 2.01m.
"He takes his role as a leader seriously and is a very consistent performer for us," Bovee said about Pulliam. "He showed leadership today, not just through his performance but also vocally. I'm happy to see him start off his season strong."
Senior Isabelle Hemmen finished runner-up in the pole vault and is now tied for 10th place in school history with a mark of 3.71m.
Transfer Seth Nelson led the Redbird men in the pole vault with a clearance of 5.01m, good for ninth in program history, 66th in DI and 76th in the NCAA.
Sophomore Astor Snaider posted a strong showing in the triple jump with a personal-record mark of 15.04m, ranking 10th in ISU history, 55th in Division I and 60th in the NCAA.
Throws
Three Redbird women set personal records in the weight throw on Saturday, led by sophomore Brianna Brodie in fifth place with a throw of 16.09m. Sophomores Morgan Foes and Carmyn Huston followed with throws of 15.69m and 13.27m, respectively.
Junior Cole Stevens won the weight throw on the men's side with a launch of 17.70m.
In her first collegiate outing, freshman Kiera Fax finished runner-up in the shot put with a throw of 13.96m.
On the men's side, the Redbirds took four of the top five spots. Junior Jacob Kink won the shot put with a throw of 17.86m, followed by Zach Cowper with a mark of 16.88m. Freshman Jo Atkins and junior Garrett Taylor earned fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Relays
The ISU women took home the 4x400m relay title. Flowers, Starks, Mpama and Cambria Geyer recorded a time of 3:50.63, ranking 63rd in DI and 70th in the NCAA.
The men's team, comprised of Paul, Slack, Nwagwu and Loris Tonella, registered the 90th best time in DI at 3:20.10.
Event Winners
Women
60m hurdles - Nya Browne, 8.47
500m dash - Star Mpama, 1:19.43
1000m run - Pauline Schedler, 2:50.77
1 mile run - Becca Heitzig, 4:49.23
3000m run - Mattison Plummer, 9:42.57
4x400m relay - Chavi Flowers, Erin Starks, Cambria Geyer, Star Mpama, 3:50.63
Men
300m dash - Enyinnaya Nwagwu, 34.88
1000m run - Cayde de Waal, 2:27.27
1 mile run - Kane Shields, 4:17.68
3000m run - Blake Oleson, 8:35.87
High jump - Rob Pulliam, 2.06m
Long jump - Rob Pulliam, 7.43m
Pole vault - Seth Nelson, 5.01m
Shot put - Jacob Klink, 17.86m
Weight throw - Cole Stevens, 17.70m
Up Next
The Redbirds travel to Iowa City, Iowa, for the Larry Wieczorek Invitational on Jan. 23-24.
