The Sycamores mark personal bests from MVC meet

The Sycamore track and field teams may not have walked away with titles at the Missouri Valley Conference championships over the weekend, but there were several ISU athletes who did.

On the women's side there was a trio of seniors that won Conference titles.

Senior Kylie Hutson won the women's pole vault championship for the fourth year ina  row with a vault of 14 feet,08.25" (4.48 meters). Hutson becomes the first vaulter in MVC history to win four straight titles and was also named the field athlete of the meet.

Hutson's vault was a new MVC record, a new leading mark on the NCAA leader board.

The mark moves her up to fourth all time on the collegiate best list.

Hutson has improved her best jump ever meet this season and will enter the NCAA Championships looking to win a third title.

"It was pretty nerve racking but I won it on my first jump and I was able to clear it on my first attempt," Hutson said. "The competition should be great and I'm fired up and ready to go.

Sticking with the field events, senior Lauren Martin won the triple jump for a third time with an MVC meet record and all time record jump of 43'-7.75" (13.30m). Her jump is a new school record and also the hit NCAA auto qualifying mark. Martin also helped the team by placed third in the long jump competition and ran a leg of the 4x400 meter relay team that grabbed the title.

"Hitting the auto mark is a big relief," Martin said. "Now I can plan accordingly and be ready to go at Nationals. Last year when I went I was just happy to be there and managed to get All-American. This year I am prepared and want to go in and make the podium, which is top eight."

Senior Erica Moore was named the track athlete of the meet for her performance in the meet. On day one she placed fourth in the long jump and ran the fastest qualifying time in the 800 trials.

Moore will rest up this weekend and prepare for Nationals. However at this time she is still uncertain which event she wants to concentrate on as she has qualified in the 400 meters, 800 meters and pentathlon.

"The 800 looks to be a good event for me, but that race is stacked with nine girls under 2:05," Moore said. "If I can put together my performances from MVC with the long jump and hurdles the multi could be the way to go."

On the men's side there are three young men walking around campus who won individual championships.

Sophomore Jeremiah Vaughan was the winner in the men's 3000 meter run. He ran a strategic race to win it at the end by outkicking Southern Illinois junior Jeff Shirmer.

Vaughan took the lead with 300 meters to go to and held on for his first MVC title.

Vaughan's last mile was 4:11. He came back on day two to finish second in the mile.

"I feel like my attention to detail has helped me get to the level that I am at," Vaughan said. "The plan heading into the race was to sit back and see what everyone else would do then move hard late. It wasn't the way I like to race, but it was what I had to do to win."

Junior Daryl Truitt won the 60 meter dash title. He helped continue ISU's strangle hold on that event for the fourth year in a row.  Senior Jerome Gray won the previous three but elected not to compete this season.

"Daryl has stepped up this season to become a great leader for our sprinters," sprint coach Geoff Wayton said. "Daryl pulled his hamstring during the 200 pretty bad, but honestly with the strength he has built up it didn't affect him like it would anyone else."

Junior Major Clay won the high jump competition. He came into the meet ranked first in the Valley with a mark of 7'-3". He is currently sitting 11th in the nation. He will rest up and prepare for the national championships.

"Every meet Clay has jumped in, with the exception of one where he no heighted at Wisconsin, he has been over seven feet and has won," men's head coach John McNichols said. "After the meet Clay was disappointed with his performance even though he won the Conference championship. I like that competitiveness in an athlete and I look forward to watching him jump at Nationals."

The next meet on the schedule is the Alex Wilson last chance meet. Most of the top Sycamores will rest up and not compete. But some will compete in hopes of improving there best marks and making it into the NCAA National Championships on March 12- 13.