Michigan State University
Indiana University Relays
Track & Field Heads to Louisville, Bloomington for Two-Meet Weekend
1/26/2023 3:48:00 PM | Track and Field
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State track & field heads to Bloomington, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky this Friday and Saturday for its first two-meet weekend of the indoor season. The Spartans are set to compete at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center, hosted by Louisville, and Indiana's IU Relays at the Gladstein Field House.Â
The Spartans' sprints, hurdles, jumps and throws squads will compete in Louisville, while MSU's distance contingent will take the track in Bloomington. MSU returns to action after an impressive showing at last week's Simmons-Harvey Invitational in Ann Arbor, posting three individual event wins. Sophomores Valadian Pallett and Opal Jackson took the top spots in the women's throwing events, with Pallett capturing the weight throw title (18.65m) and Jackson making her season debut with a 15.83m toss to win the shot put. Fifth year Trevor Stephenson took the top honors in the men's pole vault with a clearance of 5.20m to remain undefeated on the event this season.Â
In Kentucky, MSU's sprinting contingent will be headlined by Amani Nuels (women's 60m) and Noah Sage (men's 400m) with both sprinters having placed second in their respective events at last weekend's Simmons-Harvey Invitational. Several Spartans will also make their event debuts in sprinting, including three in the 200m. Junior Antonio Postell and sophomore Trey Searles will take their mark on the men's side, while Nuels will make her debut on the women's side. In the men's 400m, sophomore Terrence Muex will make his event debut racing alongside Sage and Kendel Hammock, while Lexy Alston will look to improve upon last weekend's fifth-place finish in the women's 400m.
Spartan hurdler's will be back in action looking to improve from last weekend's performance. Kaia Scheffler will race on the women's side having set a personal-record last weekend, finishing third with an 8.57 mark. Sophomore Logan Allen will make his 60m hurdles debut this season, taking the track with freshman Regan Lawrence. Lawrence finished in sixth-place last weekend, running a personal-record 8.65.
In jumps, The Spartans have 13 entries among six events. MSU will field familiar faces in high jump with Tylor Leedom and Brady Schultz on the men's side, while Korin Whitcomb and Elizabeth Knoll will participate in the women's high jump. The Spartans will send four members in the men's and women's long jump event, while Stephenson and Sophia Mettes will look to continue their recent success in pole vault.
Spartan throwers will compete across the two-day meet with weight throw taking place on Friday, Jan. 27 and shot put beginning on Saturday, Jan. 28. Pallett will throw alongside freshman Janan Khalil in women's weight throw, while three Spartans, including junior Joshua DeVries will compete in men's weight throw after setting a personal-record last weekend with a mark of 18.16m. In shot put, Colby Morlock will be the lone Spartan on the men's side, while Jackson and Pallett will compete on the women's side.
On Friday, The Indiana University Relays will mark the first time the Spartans will race in the distance medley this season, fielding four relays split amongst the men's and women's sides. Among the 16 individuals running that day, two additional men's distance runners will race with freshman Jack Pennewell competing in the mile, while senior Jalen Smith will run the 600m.
Saturday will be a busy day for MSU's distance cohort with numerous runners competing in six total events throughout the day. In the women's mile, four Spartans will make their season event debut, while on the men's side, senior John Petruno will race the mile for the first time this season with three other Spartans slated for the event.
Among a field of eight Spartans Katelyn Stewart-Barnett and Katie Osika headline the women's 800m for MSU. On the men's side, Timothy Cherry looks to improve from his first-place finish at the Michigan Invitational, having ran a personal-best 1:51.96 unattached. MSU concludes Saturday's events in Indiana with the men's and women's 3000m. Emily Bardwell will lead the Spartans on the women's side and CarLee Stimpfel will cap off the racing on the men's side.
Up next, the Spartans will head to South Bend, Indiana for Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational hosted by Notre Dame on Feb. 3-4.
Players Mentioned
