MSU Indoor Track & Field Opens Action at the B1G Indoor Championships Thursday

Thursday, February 25

Geneva, Ohio

All Day

Michigan State University

Big Ten Championships

MSU Indoor Track & Field Opens Action at the B1G Indoor Championships Thursday

2/23/2021 4:23:00 PM | Track and Field

Live Scoring Championship Central Championship Schedule B1G Championship Program

Streaming: DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3
Streaming coverage from Feb. 25-27 on BTN+ provided by BTN

EAST LANSING , Mich. - Michigan State track & field begins action at the Big Ten Indoor Championships Thursday at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The Championships run from Feb. 25-27.

"I'm proud of our staff and student-athletes for their commitment in getting to this championship meet. Managing their lifestyle and our team culture has played a significant role. Our entire team, even those not competing this weekend, has contributed. There's more to come after this week, but getting to this championship is a milestone this year," Interim Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Lisa Breznau said.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, the championship has been extended to three days. The action will kick off on Thursday with the heptathlon at 10 a.m. The 60m, long jump and shot put events of the heptathlon will get the action going. The early session will all be men's events prior to a break at 4 p.m. for the women's events. Thursday's events will end with the women's distance medley relay, which MSU finished second in last year.

"We have a few individuals who haven't had a traditional path to this championship. Becca Mammel and Brooke Bogan are not only fierce competitors but they are also leaders on the women's side. And the same is true for Jerimiah Evans and Morgan Beadlescomb on the men's side. It's exciting to have them ready to go," Breznau said.

Outside of the heptahlon, the men's and women's events include the semifinals of the 60m hurdles, 200m and 600m. Prelims and finals of the long jump and weight throw will also take place on Thursday. The finals of both the men's and women's 3,000m will end the sessions on Thursday.

Rebecca Mammel enters Thursday seeded first in the weight throw with a season-best throw of 22.19m at the Simmons-Harvey Invitational on Jan. 16. In the women's 3,000m, Jenna Magness has the third-best time (9:20.65), while Lynsie Gram is eighth (9:25.85).

Featured events for the week will be Morgan Beadlescomb looking to defend his title in the men's, 5,000m on Saturday. Sophia Franklin will look to hold on to her pole vault title when the action begins on Saturday.

"Our team captains and upperclassmen will help lead this weekend in their behavior and mindset. But we expect everyone to lead by supporting one another, keeping one another accountable, and focusing on perspective and the process," Breznau added.

Last season, the Spartan women had a pair of Big Ten Champions. Ellen DiPietro earned her first title in the high jump with a winning leap of 1.76m Franklin took the title in pole vault with a championship vault of 4.19m. Magness took second-place in the 5,000m with a PR time of 16:08.74

The men had a successful meet as well last year. After anchoring the second place men's DMR team on day one, Beadlescomb won the Big Ten title in the men's 5,000m in one of the last events of the meet. In a race that came down to the finish, Beadlescomb ran 13:50.25 to earn his first Big Ten title and All-Big Ten accolades. Beadlescomb was the first Spartan to win the men's 5,000m Big Ten indoor title since Jim Jurcevich won the event in 1999 with a time of 14:07.23.