The State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship will take place this weekend, March 1-2, at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  UNI has been tabbed as the favorite on the men’s and women’s side.  This week’s State Farm MVC Athletes of the Week are Dorian Ulrey of UNI, Jennifer Snyder of Wichita State, Alex Straughn of Illinois State and Olimpia Nowak of UNI. 

The ninth-ranked UNI men have won the past eight Valley indoor championships, equaling the longest streak in conference history (Drake; 1968-75).  Last season, the Panthers set the conference meet record with 193 points, winning nine events and earning 27 all-conference honors. 

This year, UNI enters the meet with eight NCAA scoring performances, eight top performances on the MVC best list and top-three performances in 11 events.  They hold the top four times in the 800m, the top three times in the 400m, the top two in the 60m hurdles, high jump and heptathlon.

UNI’s Raven Cepeda set the all-time MVC record in the heptathlon at the UNI Invitational with 5,906 points, which is the top collegiate and the third-best American score this season.  He’ll be looking to claim his fourth MVC heptathlon title and become the eighth four-time event winner in MVC indoor history. 

Other four-time event winners: Carl Brown, West Texas State (50Y HH); Aubrey Herring, Indiana State (55m HH, 60m HH – three times); Mike Franks, Southern Illinois (300m); Lansing Holman, Drake (440y); Bob Becker, Drake (1000y); Stephen Wray, Southern Illinois (HJ); Frankie Young, Indiana State (LJ).

Southern Illinois checked in at No. 2 in the men’s poll with 29 points.

The Salukis hold four top spots in the MVC best lists, including dominating positions in both throwing events.  SIU lays claim to the top-three positions in the weight throw, with three of the conference’s 60-foot-plus throws on the season, and the top two spots in the shot put.

Brenton Siemons is the league’s leader in the shot put and weight throw for Southern Illinois and is the only Valley athlete to pass 56 feet in the shot.  He was the 2007 champion in the shot put. 

Indiana State is the coaches’ third pick with 24 points in the poll.

The Sycamores hold the league’s two best 60m runs and hold title-contending times in the 400m, 3000m and 5000m. 

Indiana State’s Jeramie Gray posted a 6.74 second 60m in January, the Valley’s top time by 0.14 seconds, ranking in the nation’s top 30 times.    

The coaches’ choice in the fourth spot is Wichita State with 17 points. 

Pole vaulter Beau Morris leads the MVC with a 16-8.75 (5.10m) jump and will look to end UNI’s run of three-straight pole vault champions. 

The Shockers have strong point-scoring potential in the jumping, multi and mid-distance events.

Illinois State and Drake round out the poll, with 12 and eight points, respectively.

The Redbirds boast strength in the distance events with Scott Krapf and his MVC-leading 5000m and in the triple jump with Alex Straughn pacing the conference.

Drake’s Marcus Gaines is a dynamic threat, holding the top long jump and a top-four spot in the 200m.

Women's Pre-Championship Poll

Strength and depth in distance, throws, jumps and multi-events is the formula for the UNI, the top pick in the pre-championship poll on the women’s side with seven first place votes and 61 points.

The Panthers will attempt to break the two-year conference championship run of Wichita State on the scoring strength of four MVC-leading performances and top-three spots in 12 events.

Thrower Rachel Jansen holds the fifth-best shot put on the NCAA list and a top-20 weight throw, to boot.  She has won the event in each of the past two seasons and will look become the league’s first three-time shot put winner.

Traci Hawley enters the meet with the top times in the 3000m and 5000m runs, holding a 30-second margin in the 5000m.

Indiana State picked up 52 points and the other first-place vote in the women’s pre-championship poll.

The Sycamores will bring with them the top performers in the 400m, triple jump, pentathlon and the top two in the pole vault.

Kylie Hutson set the all-time MVC record in the pole vault at the Iowa State Classic with her leap of 13-7.75 (4.16m), and will head to Cedar Falls with a 1-7.25 gap over the competition. 

Erica Moore is the Valley leader in the 400m and pentathlon, scoring 3993, more than 300 points better than the next best score.

Southern Illinois with its two automatic NCAA qualifiers is the third pick by the coaches with 46 points.

The 21^st-ranked Salukis have big point potential in American Record holding weight thrower Brittany Riley and long jumper Bianca Stuart.

Riley holds seven of the nine best weight throws by an American this season and is the only athlete to break the 24 meter mark. 

Stuart’s 6.40m long jump ranks third in the nation and is the all-time Valley record. 

Two-time defending champion Wichita State is slotted fourth in the pre-championship poll, with 36 points.

2007 cross country champion Kellyn Johnson is a threat for the title in the mile and 3000m, while Jennifer Snyder holds the top 60m hurdle time by 0.25 seconds.

Illinois State is picked in the middle of the nine team race, just one point behind the Shockers, with 35 points. 

The Redbirds’ Devon Williams comes in as the top sprinter in the conference as she holds the top times in the 60m and 200m.  She will be looking for her third 60m MVC title and her second-straight 200m crown after capturing the league’s Most Outstanding and Most Valuable Athlete of the Meet honors last year.

Missouri State, with 32 points, is the sixth pick in the poll.

Leander Ernest, last season’s 400m champion, will contend for titles in the 400 and 800m events this season. She is the Valley leader in the 800m entering the championship. 

The Bears’ 4x400 relay team will be the top seed in a competitive field. 

Drake and Bradley round out the women’s poll with 18 and 8 points, respectively.