SPRINGFIELD - The track and field Bears meet the midway point of their indoor season at this weekend's Indiana Relays in Bloomington, Ind. The two-day meet will run Friday, Jan. 28 to Saturday, Jan. 29 and will feature the Bears' biggest travel squad of the season.
Host school Indiana, the nation's 16th-ranked squad in this week's USTFCCCA top 25, Big Ten power Michigan and Notre Dame are among 19 schools waiting for the Bears in what should be a highly-competitive meet. Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Ronald Boyce and his squad are eager to compete after a week off.
Their last time out was a successful one. At the Saluki Open, Jan. 15, the Bears excelled in the distance and field events. Terry Phillips (Jr., Kansas City, Mo.) made a triumphant return to the track with two events wins in the mile and the 3,000-meter run. Phillips (Kansas City, Mo.), who missed the 2010 outdoor season with an injury, won the mile run in 4:59.47 minutes and the 3,000-meter run in 10:05.43 minutes.
Her toughest competition came from her teammates. Emily Beaver (So., Diamond, Mo.) finished third in the mile with a 5:07.57-minute time, while Leah Nichols (Fr., Orlando, Fla.) and Beaver finished two-three in the 3,000-meter run to combine with Phillips to sweep the podium. Nichols clocked in at 10:17.55 minutes and Beaver finished in 10:25.79 minutes.
Nicole Thate (Fr., Darien, Ill.) closed the high distance showings with a fourth-place, 2:21.97-minute finish in the 800-meter run.
The field group was nearly as impressive. Kimsue Grant (So., Arlington, Va.) and Jordan Bond (So., Normal, Ill.) went two-three in the triple jump. Grant remained steady with a 39-04.00 feet leap, while Bond set a personal best of 38-11.00 feet.
Jeláni Kelly (Jr., St. Louis, Mo.) broke her own school record in the weight throw by throwing 58-01.00 feet, beating the previous mark of 55-05.00 she set at this season's Bob Timmons Challenge Meet.
The freshmen class has also impressed in the season's first half. Of the Bears' 13 event bests this season, five are held by first-year indoor competitors.
The women's 60-meter hurdles will start Friday's action at 3 p.m. with the last meet of the day scheduled to go off at 8:55. Saturday's events will take off at 10:20 a.m. and will continue until 4:55 p.m. Live results will be available through MissouriStateBears.com.
