Indiana State track and field prospering these days
These are prosperous times for Indiana State track and field, and not just because the Sycamores are coming off another sweep of Missouri Valley Conference indoor championships. The school broke ground last spring for a $4.3 million outdoor facility on the Wabash riverfront along North First Street in Terre Haute.
Moreover, at least three former Indiana State athletes are aiming at the 2016 Olympics:
• Felisha Johnson, 25, a Lawrence North graduate. It can be hard to make ends meet as a pro in this sport, but last week she earned $15,000. The USA Track & Field Foundation awarded her a $10,000 grant, and then she won $5,000 in the 20-pound weight at the USA Indoor Championships in Boston. Johnson was first at 76 feet, 111/4 inches, beating six-time national champion Amber Campbell, a Pike graduate. Johnson was fifth in the shot put, an event in which she ranked No. 2 among Americans and No. 9 in the world in 2014.
• Greggmar Swift, 24. The 2012 Olympian has lowered Barbados' national record to 7.54 in the 60-meter hurdles, ranking 10th in the world in 2015.
• Kylie Hutson, 27, Terre Haute. Hutson, awarded a $7,000 grant, is a pole vaulter training in Phoenix. She recently had treatment for a back injury at St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis.
In the MVC meet at Cedar Falls, Iowa, junior Adarius Washington (Warren Central) was the outstanding track performer. He led the Sycamores' 1-2-3 finish in the 60-meter hurdles, clocking a career-best 7.77 seconds and qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
Indiana State's women edged Southern Illinois 112-119. Champions included Katie Wise (Indian Creek) in the 200 (24.26) and Alethia Marrero (Ben Davis) in the 400 (54.50). Wise, a junior bidding for a third 60-meter title, finished second.
Conference track roundup
Highlights from last weekend's conference indoor meets:
• Big Ten men: Indiana sophomore Tre'Tez Kinnaird won the 800 meters (1:48.89). Purdue's Chukwuebuka Enekwechi was second in the shot put (61-9 3/4) and weight throw (77-51/2). Wisconsin sophomore Ryan Davis (Hamilton Southeastern) was fifth in the 400 (46.95). The Hoosiers finished seventh and Purdue 11th.
• Big Ten women: Purdue tied for third with 69 points, one behind second place, for its best finish since 2001. Bahamian sophomore Devynne Charlton was second in the 60 meters (7.38) and 60 hurdles (8.18), and Symone Black (Fort Wayne Concordia) was second in the 400 in a school record of 53.47 to become Freshman of the Year. Indiana was 11th. IU pole vaulter Sophie Guterman was second at 14-2 3/4, a school record.
• Big East: Butler's Mara Olson was second in the women's 3,000 in a school record of 9:06.04. Nicole Hudec won the triple jump (39-8). The Bulldogs' women were sixth and men seventh.
• Big Sky: Northern Arizona's Futsum Zienasellassie (North Central) was chosen most valuable after leading the Lumberjacks to a fourth successive men's title. He was first in the 3,000 and 5,000 and second in the mile.
• Big 12: Texas senior Ashley Spencer (Lawrence North) couldn't repeat as 400 champion but helped Texas secure the women's title in the closing 1,600 relay. She was second in the 400 (52.27) and fourth in the 200 (23.47).
• Ivy League: Columbia's Connor Claflin (Lawrence Central) won the men's 800 in 1:50.83. Luke Brahm (Ben Davis) was second in the 1,000 in 2:26.10, helping Princeton to the team championship.
• Southern: Furman freshman Troy Reeder (HSE) won the mile (4:08.21).
Indiana: State of diving
Although USA Diving no longer has its training center in Indianapolis, this state's influence in the sport was underscored at last week's Big Ten Championships.
James Connor, a freshman who represented Australia at the 2012 Olympics, won platform and 3-meter with IU records of 532.45 and 494.60, respectively. The Hoosiers' Michael Hixon was fourth on 3-meter Friday after being up until 5 a.m. taking intravenous fluids for the stomach flu. He set a Big Ten record of 474.45 in Thursday's 1-meter, breaking a mark held by Olympic gold medalist David Boudia.
Purdue's Steele Johnson, a freshman from Carmel, was second in all three events. His platform score of 510.20 is second in school history to Boudia's 557.90.
Conference swim roundup
• Big Ten: Indiana's Blake Pieroni was co-Freshman of the Meet. He set school records in the 100- and 200-yard freestyles, and his time of 1:33.10 in the latter ranks No. 1 in the NCAA. The Hoosiers' new sprint strength was reflected in IU records in the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle relays, placing second, second and third, respectively. Canadian senior Lyam Dias won the 200 breaststroke in 1:53.92, becoming the first Purdue swimmer to win a Big Ten title since 2009. The Hoosiers were third and Purdue fourth, tying the Boilers' best finish ever.
• Ivy League: Princeton senior Harrison Wagner (Brebeuf Jesuit) won his second 50 freestyle title (19.39) and swam on three winning relays to help the Tigers to the team championship.
Call Star reporter David Woods at (317) 444-6195. Follow him on Twitter at @DavidWoods007.