The competition is heating up as the season approaches the 2010 State Farm MVC Outdoor Track & Field Championship. The student-athletes have been battling through wind and rain all season but it's been the student-athletes, not mother nature, who has had the last laugh by continuing to win events despite the weather. Wichita State's Marius Sava ran his way into Wichita State's record book after his performance in the 3,000-meter steeplechase this weekend. Tim Glover of Illinois State continues his impressive freshman campaign winning his fourth event of the season. Northern Iowa's Holli Hosch ranks first in the Valley and 26th in the nation in the 800-meter run. Kylie Hutson of Indiana State continually improves each week as she now sits at second in the nation in the women's pole vault. For their efforts, they are named MVC Men's Track Athlete of the Week, MVC Men's Field Athlete of the Week, MVC Women's Track Athlete of the Week, and MVC Women's Field Athlete of the Week, respectively.

State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Track Athlete of the Week
Marius Sava, Wichita State, Jr., Tulcea, Romania
In the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase, junior Marius Sava set a new personal-record and in the process moved into sixth on the WSU all-time record list as the Tulcea, Romania native came across the line in a time of 8:57.11, ranking him 47th in the nation and second in the Missouri Valley Conference. Sava also ranks 25th in the Midwest Region.

State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Field Athlete of the Week
Tim Glover, Illinois State, Fr., Normal, Ill.
Freshman Tim Glover continued his strong season in the javelin with another victory over the weekend at the highly-competitive Jesse Owens Classic in Columbus, Ohio. The Normal, Ill., native topped the field with a toss of 219' 6" to record his fourth win of the spring season. He currently sits second in the Valley standings with a season-best toss of 226' 6".

State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Women's Track Athlete of the Week
Holli Hosch, Northern Iowa, Jr., Walker, Iowa
Holli Hosch ran to a UNI school record and University of Iowa facility record Saturday evening in the women's 800-meter run, clocking in a career-best time of 2:06.84. Hosch cut two full seconds off her previous career-best in the 800-meters, breaking the UNI school record set in 1995 by Emily Montgomery. Her time also took down the 23-year old record at Iowa's Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track, set in 1987 by Suzy Favor. The junior's time currently puts her atop the Valley standings, 12th in the West Region and 26th nationally.

State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Kylie Hutson, Indiana State, Sr., Terre Haute, Ind.
Kylie Hutson moved up to second in the nation and improved her Missouri Valley Conference leading height by winning the pole vault competition in her final home meet of her career. Despite a steady drizzle on Saturday at the Pacesetter Invitational, Hutson cleared 14' 3.25" (4.35m) to win the event. The Sycamore senior defeated former Notre Dame vaulter Mary Saxer for the second-straight week and former Indiana athlete Vera Neuenswander, who she defeated to win the 2009 NCAA Outdoor title. Hutson ranks second in the nation, is the top pole vaulter in the East, and leads the MVC.

Other notable performers:
Andrew Lepkowski, Indiana State
Indiana State junior Andrew Lepkowski recorded the tenth-fastest time in school history to win the 1,500-meter run at the Pacesetter Invitational at Indiana State.  Lepkowski won by almost five seconds over the second-place finisher, posting a time of 3:52.17. 

Mat Smoody, Illinois State
Mat Smoody ran his best-ever 800-meter race over the weekend at the Jesse Owens Classic to place seventh overall in a talented field.  Smoody shaved nearly two seconds off his previous personal-best and finished Saturday's race with a time of 1:51.36. 

Mohamed Mohamed, Southern Illinois
Saluki distance runner Mohamed Mohamed ran 14:21.87 in the 5,000-meter run at the Jesse Owens Classic Friday to finish fourth in the race.

Brandon Pounds, Indiana State
Indiana State sophomore Brandon Pounds picked up a pair of victories at the Pacesetter Invitational on Saturday, winning the shot put with a toss of 55' 4.75" (16.88m) and also winning the discus with a throw of 166' 2" (50.65m). He also finished fourth in the hammer throw with a distance of 174' 3" (53.12m).

Bryan Tapia, Wichita State
Bryan Tapia added to the medal count as the senior thrower was the top athlete in the men's shot put, reaching a distance of 53' 3.75" in his sixth and final attempt of the day. 

Cody Doerflein, Southern Illinois
Saluki vaulter Cody Doerflein won his fifth meet title in six weeks, finishing in the top-three at the Drake Relays a week earlier. The sophomore cleared 16' 6.75" to win the Jesse Owens Track Classic pole vault.

Erica Moore, Indiana State
Indiana State senior Erica Moore ran in her final home meet of an outstanding career at Indiana State University on Saturday, winning both the 100-meter hurdles and 800-meter run.  She also finished second in the high jump.

Michelle Brunk, Illinois State
Junior Michelle Brunk took over the top spot on the Valley best list in the 1,500-meters Saturday with a strong race at the Jesse Owens Classic.  Brunk posted a personal-best time of 4:27.62 to place eighth overall in the highly-competitive field. 

Tonya Nero, Wichita State
Tonya Nero finished fifth overall in the 5,000-meter run as she was in at 16:21.72, putting her third in WSU history.

Emily Toennies, Southern Illinois
Saluki distance runner Emily Tonnies ran 17:24.16 in the women's 5,000-meter run at the Jesse Owens Track Classic to finish fifth.

Staci Nelson, Missouri State
At this weekend's Arkansas Twilight, senior Staci Nelson finished fifth in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:29.73, a personal best by nearly eight seconds. Nelson now owns the fourth-fastest 1,500-meter time of any MVC runner this season.

Brittany Smith, Illinois State
Freshman Brittany Smith continued her progression as one of the best throwers in the Missouri Valley Conference on Saturday at the Jesse Owens Classic.  Smith recorded a personal-best effort of 170' 2" in the discus to place seventh overall in the event and move up to second on the Valley best list. 

Malaikah Love, Southern Illinois
Saluki jumper Malaikah Love won the women's triple jump and finished fourth in the long jump at the Jesse Owens Track Classic over the weekend. The sophomore jumped 41' 4.50" (12.61m) for the triple jump win and jumped 19' 7" (5.97m) in the long jump.

Kimsue Grant, Missouri State
A week after earning her first two career wins, Kimsue Grant's gave the Bears one of their three top-three field finishes at the Arkansas Twilight, finishing second in the triple jump (38' 1.50").