Trailblazer Track and Field ends indoor regular season with big day at ISU Open

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The No. 19-ranked VU men's and No. 25-ranked VU women's indoor track and field teams took part in their final meet of the 2023 season before Nationals Saturday in the ISU Open hosted by Indiana State University.

The VU men's team got off to a good start Saturday with freshman Justin Emmanuel (Jamaica) and sophomore Yamar Lyons (Kalamazoo, Mich.) both placing in the top five in the 200 meters.

Emmanuel took home a third-place finish with at time of 22.92 seconds and Lyons finished fifth at 23.84 seconds.

Emmanuel and Lyons would later team up with sophomore Trent Faulkner (Wheatland, Ind.) and Desroy Jordan (Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) to take the top spot in the 4x400 meter relay. The team finished with a time of 3:33.20.

Jordan and Faulkner then took part in the 400 meter dash with Jordan placing first at 49.04 and Faulkner placing fourth after winning his heat with a time of 52.91 seconds.

Sophomore Ernest Momodu (Indianapolis, Ind.) and freshman Matthew Gray (Washington, Ind.) each placed in the 800 meters with Momodu placing eighth at 2:02.43 and Gray finishing close behind in ninth at 2:02.51.

Momodu would also place fifth in the 3000 meters with a final time of 9:41.87.

Sophomore Ian Boit (Kimilili, Kenya) placed 10th in the men's mile with a time of 4:34.57.

The VU men's field events were led by freshman Olegs Kozjakovs (Riga, Latvia) who placed in the high jump, long jump and shot put events.

Kozjakovs placed fourth in the long jump at 6.22 meters, fifth in the high jump at 1.83 meters and ninth in the shot put with a throw of 13.57 meters.

Sophomore David Beadle (Jamaica) placed 10th in the shot put with a longest throw of 11.75 meters and ninth in the weight throw with a distance of 14.46 meters.

Freshman Cody Dawson (Monroe City, Ind.) rounded out the VU men's results with a 10th place finish in the weight throw with a final throw of 11.30 meters.

"We finished our regular indoor season with another busy and productive weekend," VU Head Track and Field Coach Marty Rogier said. "We increased our number of national qualifying marks to 16 and just missed out on another three. I am very proud of what this group has accomplished and the effort by the coaches to put us in such a good position heading to the National Championships in Topeka."

"Isaac and Mathew went to Eastern Illinois on Friday night to get in a fast mile," VU Assistant Track and Field Coach Tyler Steigenga said. "Isaac ran a great race to improve on his time from last week. He also moved up to 13th overall in the NJCAA mile list."

"On Saturday, Ian dropped down in distance to race in the mile after focusing on the 3000m and 5000m all season," Steigenga added. "He ran a solid race and ended up with a big PR. Ian has been running great this indoor season. He opened up the first race of the year only four seconds off his PR in the 3000m. In the next five races he ran PRs in all of them."

"Trent ran a PR in the 400 to win his heat by one-hundredth of a second," Steigenga said. "In the 800, Matthew and Ernest ran well. Ernest got an indoor PR by half a second and Matthew ran over two seconds faster than his PR from three weeks ago."

"Desroy easily won the 400, hitting the national qualifier while also setting a meet and facility record," Rogier added. "That's a pretty impressive feat considering who has run in that facility. Paketo competed unattached today as well and set a meet record while winning the long jump with a 7.27-meter jump."

"Olegs had another good day competing in three events to try and get ready for the Heptathlon at Nationals," Rogier said. "He is currently ranked 10th but with his recent improvements, I believe he will compete for a top spot. David had a PR in the weight throw to end the regular season on a good note."

The VU women's team cracked the USTFCCCA Top-25 rankings for the first time this season and did not disappoint this weekend, led by freshman Haley Kohlhouse (Bruceville, Ind.) who took home a ninth place finish in the 60 meter sprint at 8.78 seconds and seventh place in the 200 meters at 28.84 seconds.

Kohlhouse was followed by freshman Gwen Weaver (Hebron, Ind.) who placed ninth in the 200 meters at 32.23 seconds.

Sophomore Brittany Page (Freelandville, Ind.) placed fourth in the 800 meters crossing the finish line at 2:28.74.

Sophomore Hope Laughlin (Olney, Ill.) placed 13th in the women's mile at 6:03.51 and sophomore Daisie Kinnett (Wheatland, Ind.) had the best finish of the day with a second-place finish in the 3000 meters at 11:14.33.

The Trailblazer women's field events were led by a fifth-place finish by freshman Julia Do Armaral Salvi (Sao Paulo, Brazil) after reaching a height of 3.30 meters.

The day was ended on a high note with freshman Madison Davis (Chesterton, Ind.) placing third in the shot put with a throw of 12.17 meters.

"Brittany ran an indoor PR in the 800 and Daisie PRed in the 3000m with a very evenly paced race, running half a second faster than last week," Steigenga said.

"Madison had another nice day in the shot, just missing National Qualifier by an inch," Rogier said. "She moved up to ninth overall on the VU All-Time list in the shot put as well. Haley and Gwen both had PR's in the 200 with their best efforts of the season."

"We had a tough day in the pole vault with Julia and Ysnaira due to mostly the coaching," Rogier added. "I tried to change almost everything they know. But I believe for them to jump what they are capable of it is necessary. They are both ranked high nationally and have a chance to do very well at the big meet."

The Trailblazers will now head to the NJCAA Division I Indoor Nationals Friday, March 3 and Saturday, March 4 in Topeka, Kan.

"It was a great weekend overall," Steigenga said. "For the athletes that finished their indoor season, they did so on a high note as almost everyone PRed. For those moving onto Nationals, we were able to improve a few National Qualifying marks and build confidence in their fitness. We have some big goals to accomplish in two weeks at Nationals as we look to improve on our position from last year."

VINCENNES RESULTS

MEN'S RESULTS

200m

Justin Emmanuel – 3, 22.92

Yamar Lyons – 5, 23.84

400m

Desroy Jordan – 1, 49.04

Trent Faulkner – 4, 52.91

800m

Ernest Momodu – 8, 2:02.43

Matthew Gray – 9, 2:02.51

Mile

Ian Boit – 10, 4:34.57

3000m

Ernest Momodu – 5, 9:41.87

4x400 Relay

Lyons, Faulkner, Jordan, Emmanuel – 1, 3:33.20

High Jump

Olegs Kozjakovs – 5, 1.83m

Long Jump

Olegs Kozjakovs – 4, 6.22m

Shot Put

Olegs Kozjakovs – 9, 13.57m

David Beadle – 10, 11.75m

Weight Throw

David Beadle – 9, 14.46m

Cody Dawson – 10, 11.30m

WOMEN'S RESULTS

60m

Haley Kohlhouse – 9, 8.78

200m

Haley Kohlhouse – 7, 28.84

Gwen Weaver – 9, 32.23

800m

Brittany Page – 4, 2:28.74

Mile

Hope Laughlin – 13, 6:03.51

3000m

Daisie Kinnett – 2, 11:14.33

Pole Vault

Julia Do Armaral Salvi – 5, 3.30m

Shot Put

Madison Davis – 3, 12.17m