Royer, Carter lead conference in shot put
The University of Indianapolis track and field team competed at the Boilermaker Invitational on Feb. 18. Junior Matt Royer took third place in the men’s shot put with 16.07 meters.
On Feb. 17, a small group traveled to the Eastern Illinois Invitational where freshman LaTisha Martin took second place in the women’s 200 meter dash.
The Greyhounds earned more conference points as they sent one squad to Indiana University for the Hoosier Hills Invitational and another to Indiana Wesleyan on Feb. 11
The men’s team won the 4×400 meter relay at IU. Senior Jerel Flournoy, juniors Jermel Kindred and Robert Gardner and freshman Kyle Schwartz ran an NCAA provisional time.
“Our men’s four-by-four is doing really well,” said Head Coach Scott Fangman. “Our sprinters are making the move.”
The women’s four-by-four also did its part. Senior Angelique McNeal, juniors Haley Miller and Jordan Vandyke and Martin also ran an NCAA provisional time at the Hoosier Hills Invitational. Greyhound sprinters won individual events as well.
In the 400-meter, Gardner took first, Flournoy third and Kindred finished only a small fraction of a second behind Flournoy.
For the women’s individual sprints, Martin holds the top conference time in the 400-meter, while teammate Miller holds the third best time.
Freshman Camille Edwards won the 60-meter hurdles at Indiana Wesleyan, making her first in the conference in the women’s hurdles. Fangman said she is doing really well and is a new to watch face for this season.
Fangman hopes to see his hurdlers and jumpers hit their stride in the upcoming meets.
“We haven’t peaked yet, but we are coming along,” Fangman said.
Royer continued to lead the Greyhounds on Feb. 4 at the University of Findlay, breaking his own record of 20.98 meters with a 21.53 meter toss. The mark made Royer the Great Lakes Valley Conference Athlete of the Week for the third time this season. His also was third best in all of NCAA Division II. Martin, too, was named GLVC Athlete of the Week for her performance at Taylor on that same day.
“We’ve been a throwing school since well before I got here,” Fangman said. “The University of Indianapolis has had a national caliber thrower nearly every year for 40 years.”
Fangman attributes Royer’s success to his coachable attitude. He said that Royer is willing to take advice from his throwing coach and to work hard.
“I hope that they [his teammates] see me succeeding, and it drives them, gives them the encouragement to really smash it through,” Royer said.
The UIndy weight-throwing program leads the conference in both weight and shot put.
In weight throw, UIndy has the top four spots with Royer first followed by junior Ryan Smith, senior Nikko Peebles and junior Marcus Montgomery. In the shot put the Greyhounds have taken four of the top eight spots with Royer leading in that category as well.
“We’re trying to get four people to nationals for the weight throw,” Peebles said. “We could even get five.”
The women’s throwing program is also leading in the conference, holding the top four marks in shot put led by freshman Carlynn Carter. Carter is followed by teammates freshman Farin Hickam and juniors Katy Watson and Caitlin Gannaway. Carter and Watson also have taken third and fourth in the shot put, respectively.
The Greyhounds will head to Minnesota March 9-10 to participate in the NCAA Indoor Championships.
