IU track and field competed in its final home meet of the season and its final meet of the regular season Friday.
The Hoosiers played host to the Billy Hayes Invitational at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex. Some Hoosiers that were already in position to qualify for regionals didn’t compete, but some of the athletes that did compete Friday saw positive results.
Senior sprinter Cornelius Strickland won the men’s 100-meter dash in a season-best 10.42 seconds, which moved him into 35th on the NCAA Division I East qualifying list.
Junior jumper Ari Nelson won the women’s long jump with a season-best 6.10 meter jump, which moved her up to 39th on the qualifying list.
Freshman thrower Willie Morrison won the men’s shot put with a season-best 19.17 meter throw. That moved him up to sixth on the qualifying list, and it’s the second highest mark in school history.
Senior thrower Laura Schroeder won the women’s hammer throw. Her teammate, junior Nakel McClinton, didn’t compete Friday. Schroeder is still in sixth on the qualifying list, and McClinton sits in third.
Junior sprinter/jumper Sydney Anderson finished third in the women’s 400-meter dash and had a season-best time of 56.71 seconds.
Senior distance runner Owen Skeete won the fast section of the men’s 1,500-meter run with a season-best 3:45.29 time. He is just five spots outside of qualifying range in 53rd on the list.
IU won all four relays — the men’s and women’s 4x100-meter relays, and the men’s and women’s 4x400-meter relays. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team, the women’s 4x400 relay team and the men’s 4x400 relay team all set season-bests in their victories.
Senior pole vaulters Sophie Gutermuth and Sydney Clute finished first and second, respectively, in the women’s pole vault.
The Hoosiers have 29 people, including injured senior multi-athlete Dylan Anderson, that would qualify for regionals in one or more events by finishing in the top 48 on the qualifying list.
Next weekend, IU will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, to compete in the Big Ten Championships.
Seth Tow
