Redbirds Split to Compete in Chicago & Michigan on Friday

THIS WEEK

The Illinois State track & field squad splits up this weekend, as five 5k runners head to Allendale, Mich., for the GVSU Big Meet inside the Kelly Family Sports Center, and 54 other Redbirds return to Chicago for the Blue Demon Alumni Classic at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center hosted by DePaul University on Feb. 13. Competition in Michigan will begin at 7:30 a.m., while events kick off at noon CT in Chicago.

REGIONAL RANKINGS

The men's squad moved up eight spots and now ranks 12th in USTFCCCA's Midwest Regional rankings, while the women's team sits in 13th.

Midwest Region Top-20 Performers (TFRRS)

Men

60m: Zach Paul (6th), Reece Curtis (8th), Jaiden Reed (16th) 

200m: Paul (6th), Enyinnaya Nwagwu (8th), Curtis (20th)

4x400m Relay: Jake Welch, Nwagwu, Paul, Curtis (1st)

High Jump: Voldy Makabu (14th)

Pole Vault: Seth Nelson (10th)

Long Jump: Rob Pulliam (17th)

Triple Jump: Astor Snaider (18th), Victor Byaundaombe (19th)

Shot Put: Jacob Klink (13th), Zach Cowper (19th)

Heptathlon: Ryan Schaefer (19th)

Women

60m: Immaculate Daniel (8th), Lindsey Miller (12th)

60m Hurdles: Erin Starks (4th), Macee Rivers (6th), Nya Browe (10th)

4x400m Relay: Miller, Chavi Flowers, Temi-Tope Olusesan, Star Mpama (14th)

800m: Becca Heitzig (13th)

Mile: Heitzig (11th), Pauline Schedler (17th), Mattison Plummer (18th)

5000m: Plummer (17th)

USTFCCCA #EVENTSQUAD RANKINGS

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released its third checkpoint of #EventSquad rankings for the 2025-26 indoor season on Feb. 10, and multiple Redbird event groups were featured among the nation's best.

• The ISU men's shot put group, with freshmen Zach Cowper and Jo Atkins and juniors Jacob Klink and Garrett Taylor, is ranked eighth in the nation (69.22m, 17.30m avg).

• The ISU men's high jump group comprised of freshman Voldy Makabu, senior Rob Pulliam, junior Kaden Stewart and sophomore Trey Thomas is rated 11th in the country (8.29m, 2.07m avg).

• The ISU women's 60m hurdles group, including seniors Macee Rivers and Erin Starks and juniors Nya Browne and Cambria Geyer, is ranked 19th nationally (33.88, 8.47 avg).

UPDATING THE ALL-TIME LISTS

Several Redbirds either etched their names into the program record books or moved up in the top 10 lists for their performances at the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational and the Windy City Invite.

• The men's 4x400m relay squad, featuring sophomores Zach Paul and Reece Curtis and seniors Jake Welch and Enyinnaya Nwagwu, smashed the school record by over a second and broke the facility record with a time of 3:09.18 to close out the Windy City Invite.

• Nya Browne moved from sixth to fifth in ISU history in the women's 60m hurdles with a time of 8.45.

• Paul improved his seventh-place time in school history from 21.62 to 21.42 in the 200m.

• Becca Heitzig jumped from sixth to second place in the 800m with a time of 2:07.81, while Pauline Schedler moved into 10th (2:10.48). Heitzig also surged from ninth to third in school history in the mile with a time of 4:42.55.

• Julian Baker moved from sixth to fifth in program history in the men's 3000m (8:06.13).  

• On the field side, Heath Hawkins took over 10th place in the program record books in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.97m.

• Ryan Schaefer improved his sixth-place mark in school history from 5,034 to 5,127 points in the heptathlon at the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational.