Indoor Track: RSC Indoor Championships Day 1 Recap

MARIETTA, Ohio – The Indiana University East track and field teams came away with three champions and a lot of new records during the first day of the 2025 River States Conference Indoor Championships on Friday, Feb. 14.

The day began with the women's 3,200-meter relay team of Emily Fleming, Savanna Smith, Makenzee Kahn and Samantha Fowler finishing first with a new school and meet record of 10:16.37. Later in the afternoon, Brody Puckett grabbed the top spot in the men's 600 meters with an IU East freshman record of 1:23.64.

The night was capped by the men's Distance Medley squad of Denis Kale, DeAndre Hall, Akot Tong and Teagen Rodriguez breaking the meet record with a 10:36.35. The old mark was established by the Red Wolves in 2023 as that group included Rodriguez.

As a team, the Red Wolves are third with 44 points in the men's meet behind the University of Rio Grande (85 points) and Shawnee State University (46 points). On the women's side, IU East is fourth with 30 points trailing IU Kokomo (54), Rio Grande (54) and Midway University (51).

Earning an all-conference designation by finishing in the top three in an event were Connor Nease who was second in the men's pole vault at 3.95 as the men's 3,200 relay team of Kale, Hall, Connor Walser and Tong as also in second place. The women's Distance Medley team of Fleming, Hannah Best, Smith and Fowler was third in an IU East record time of 13:27.16.

Several athletes qualified for finals on Saturday. Tristan Thomas posted the second fastest time in the 55-meter dash prelims with a school record of 6.52. Although he didn't advance, Evan Manix was 16th with a freshman record time of 6.85.

In the 55-meter hurdle events a pair of freshmen broke school records. Owen Beachler was fourth in the men's prelims with an 8.08, while Julia Smith was fifth with a 9.40. Kaleah Louden was right behind Smith in sixth at 9.46. India Benton has the third best time of 27.10 heading into the finals of the women's 200 meters.

Others to score by finishing in the top eight of an event were:
Naleya Kinney (fourth, women's long jump, 4.89)
Vanessa Temple (fifth, men's pole vault, 3.15)
Sarah Marshall (sixth, women's 600, 1:46.72)
Mylan Nocton (sixth, men's 5,000, 15:16.17, school record)
Devin Nease (sixth, men's pole vault, 3.65)
Axton Fosnaugh (seventh, men's 5,000, 15:22.23, freshman record)
Best (eighth, women's 600, 1:49.08)
Evelyn Hasenour (eighth, women's 5,000, 20:03.98)

The final day of the championships at the Dyson Baudo Rec Center on the campus of Marietta College begins with the field events starting at 9 a.m. The activity on the track gets underway with the women's mile starting at 10 a.m.