GENEVA, Ohio – The Purdue track & field team competes at the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships from Feb. 25-27, at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio.
The championship begins on Thursday, Feb. 25, with the men competing from 10 a.m – 2 p.m. ET, and the women from 4-6:15 p.m. On Friday, Feb. 26, the men are on the track from 10:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., and the women from 4-6 p.m. The meet concludes on Saturday, Feb. 27, with the men from 11 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., and the women from 4-6:30 p.m.
Fans can follow all the action with live results, a BTN+ live stream (Thursday | Friday | Saturday) and the event schedule, available on the track & field schedule page on PurdueSports.com/TrackField. Additional meet information can be found at BigTen.org/ITFChamps.
"We're looking forward to competing this weekend, I think tomorrow is an important day for us," Purdue coach Norbert Elliott said. "We have some of the kids that we feel can make the finals and score competing tomorrow, so we're looking forward to seeing their performances. It's a key day for us. We don't have a lot of people in a lot of events, but in the hurdles and the 200 in particular, those two events are really important to us."
Three Boilermakers return to the Spire to defend their 2020 indoor Big Ten titles. Now-senior Waseem Williams won the 60-meter dash a year ago in 6.58 seconds to break the school, Big Ten and facility record, while sophomore Saran Kouyeth and senior Samara Miller were on the winning 4x400 relay team that finished in 3:37.68, the ninth-fastest time in Purdue history. Additionally, junior Jessica Bray is back after taking silver in the pole vault in 2020 and senior Brain Faust (400m), junior Isaiah Martin (heptathlon) and sophomores Marcellus Moore (60m) and Kerris Roberts (200m) all won bronze last season and return to compete in those events in 2021.
In total, 18 men and 17 women will represent the Boilermakers in 13 women's events and 11 men's events. The Spire Institute hosts the meet for the eighth time in the last nine years.
A LOOK BACK AT THE 2020 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At the 2020 Big Ten Championships, the Boilermaker men were sixth, with 54 points, while the women were seventh, with 53 points. It was the men's second consecutive top-six finish and third in the last 10 years, while the women were seventh after a 10th-place showing in 2019.
Williams, the women's 4x400 relay and then-senior high jumper Janae' Moffitt won Big Ten titles, while Bray joined them as All-Big Ten honorees. Senior Samson Colebrooke claimed bronze in the 200 to join Faust, Martin, Moore and Roberts as third-place finishers. Purdue totaled 24 top-eight podium finishes.
Additionally, three program records were set, highlighted by Williams' Big Ten-record-breaking mark. Martin broke a 17-year-old school record in the heptathlon with 5,631 points and Faust toppled his own 400 record for the third time in 2020 with a time of 46.15 seconds.
Recaps from day one and day two can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
PURDUE'S BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY
The Purdue women won the Big Ten indoor team championship in 2001 and have placed second five times, most recently in 2018. The men have earned three runner-up finishes, in 1989, 2001 and 2008. The Boilermaker men have won 83 individual Big Ten titles indoors, while the women have claimed 48 individual crowns.
TOP-25 BOILERMAKERS
In this week's team rankings by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the Purdue men are No. 6 and the women are No. 7 in the Great Lakes Region, while the men are No. 6 and the women No. 10 in the Big Ten.
Individually, six Boilermakers have marks that rank in the top-25 in the NCAA this season. Senior Tamar Greene and junior Alexis Zatta are both No. 16 in the country, Greene in the triple jump after a 15.80 to win the event on Feb. 6, and Zatta in the high jump with a meet-winning mark of 1.78 to open the year. Senior Jalil Brewer checks in at No. 20 in the shot put thanks to a throw of 19.07 meters on Feb. 12. Williams and Moore are both No. 24 in the 60-meter dash. They each posted a time of 6.70 seconds, Williams on Feb. 6 and Moore in a win on Feb. 12. Senior Curt Eckstein is ranked No. 25 in the 3,000 after his school-record time of 7:59.30 on Jan. 16.
In the Big Ten and Great Lakes Region rankings, 14 men and nine women are in the top-10 in the Big Ten, while 13 men and 11 women boast top-10 regional marks. Zatta's high jump is the best in the Big Ten and Brewer, Greene, Moore and Williams' nationally-ranked marks also are No. 2 in the conference or region.
Additionally, the men's cross country team is ranked No. 23 nationally in this week's USTFCCCA Coaches' Poll.
LAST TIME OUT: BIG TEN OPEN
Last weekend, Purdue earned five first-place finishes and set six personal-best marks at the Big Ten Open. Three Boilermakers recorded marks that ranked in the top-10 in their events in the country last week. Moore's 60-dash time of 6.71 seconds was No. 3 in the NCAA, while Brewer and junior Camille Christopher were fourth in the shot put (18.84 meters) and 200 (24.16), respectively. Ten men and eight women competed for Purdue against Indiana in seven men's and seven women's events.
A complete recap can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
UP NEXT: NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
A pair of NCAA championships are up next, as qualifying student-athletes will compete at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships and the NCAA Cross Country Championships. The indoor track & field meet is set for March 12-13 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, while the cross country championships will be contested on March 15 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Qualifying teams and individuals are expected to be announced on March 2 for track & field and March 7 for cross country.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The championship begins on Thursday, Feb. 25, with the men competing from 10 a.m – 2 p.m. ET, and the women from 4-6:15 p.m. On Friday, Feb. 26, the men are on the track from 10:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., and the women from 4-6 p.m. The meet concludes on Saturday, Feb. 27, with the men from 11 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., and the women from 4-6:30 p.m.
Fans can follow all the action with live results, a BTN+ live stream (Thursday | Friday | Saturday) and the event schedule, available on the track & field schedule page on PurdueSports.com/TrackField. Additional meet information can be found at BigTen.org/ITFChamps.
"We're looking forward to competing this weekend, I think tomorrow is an important day for us," Purdue coach Norbert Elliott said. "We have some of the kids that we feel can make the finals and score competing tomorrow, so we're looking forward to seeing their performances. It's a key day for us. We don't have a lot of people in a lot of events, but in the hurdles and the 200 in particular, those two events are really important to us."
Three Boilermakers return to the Spire to defend their 2020 indoor Big Ten titles. Now-senior Waseem Williams won the 60-meter dash a year ago in 6.58 seconds to break the school, Big Ten and facility record, while sophomore Saran Kouyeth and senior Samara Miller were on the winning 4x400 relay team that finished in 3:37.68, the ninth-fastest time in Purdue history. Additionally, junior Jessica Bray is back after taking silver in the pole vault in 2020 and senior Brain Faust (400m), junior Isaiah Martin (heptathlon) and sophomores Marcellus Moore (60m) and Kerris Roberts (200m) all won bronze last season and return to compete in those events in 2021.
In total, 18 men and 17 women will represent the Boilermakers in 13 women's events and 11 men's events. The Spire Institute hosts the meet for the eighth time in the last nine years.
A LOOK BACK AT THE 2020 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At the 2020 Big Ten Championships, the Boilermaker men were sixth, with 54 points, while the women were seventh, with 53 points. It was the men's second consecutive top-six finish and third in the last 10 years, while the women were seventh after a 10th-place showing in 2019.
Williams, the women's 4x400 relay and then-senior high jumper Janae' Moffitt won Big Ten titles, while Bray joined them as All-Big Ten honorees. Senior Samson Colebrooke claimed bronze in the 200 to join Faust, Martin, Moore and Roberts as third-place finishers. Purdue totaled 24 top-eight podium finishes.
Additionally, three program records were set, highlighted by Williams' Big Ten-record-breaking mark. Martin broke a 17-year-old school record in the heptathlon with 5,631 points and Faust toppled his own 400 record for the third time in 2020 with a time of 46.15 seconds.
Recaps from day one and day two can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
🗣 "I'm getting a lot faster, he's getting a lot faster, we're both definitely making some noise. I'm excited"
— Purdue Track & Field / Cross Country (@PurdueTrackXC) February 24, 2021
- Marcellus Moore, who took bronze 🥉 last year, and Waseem Williams, who won gold 🥇 in record time, are ready to go in the 60.#BoilerUp 🚂 x #B1GTF pic.twitter.com/FZfMlLPKpZ
PURDUE'S BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY
The Purdue women won the Big Ten indoor team championship in 2001 and have placed second five times, most recently in 2018. The men have earned three runner-up finishes, in 1989, 2001 and 2008. The Boilermaker men have won 83 individual Big Ten titles indoors, while the women have claimed 48 individual crowns.
TOP-25 BOILERMAKERS
In this week's team rankings by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the Purdue men are No. 6 and the women are No. 7 in the Great Lakes Region, while the men are No. 6 and the women No. 10 in the Big Ten.
Individually, six Boilermakers have marks that rank in the top-25 in the NCAA this season. Senior Tamar Greene and junior Alexis Zatta are both No. 16 in the country, Greene in the triple jump after a 15.80 to win the event on Feb. 6, and Zatta in the high jump with a meet-winning mark of 1.78 to open the year. Senior Jalil Brewer checks in at No. 20 in the shot put thanks to a throw of 19.07 meters on Feb. 12. Williams and Moore are both No. 24 in the 60-meter dash. They each posted a time of 6.70 seconds, Williams on Feb. 6 and Moore in a win on Feb. 12. Senior Curt Eckstein is ranked No. 25 in the 3,000 after his school-record time of 7:59.30 on Jan. 16.
In the Big Ten and Great Lakes Region rankings, 14 men and nine women are in the top-10 in the Big Ten, while 13 men and 11 women boast top-10 regional marks. Zatta's high jump is the best in the Big Ten and Brewer, Greene, Moore and Williams' nationally-ranked marks also are No. 2 in the conference or region.
Additionally, the men's cross country team is ranked No. 23 nationally in this week's USTFCCCA Coaches' Poll.
🗣 "That's what I expect you guys to see when you watch me throw, is that confidence, and the rest will follow."
— Purdue Track & Field / Cross Country (@PurdueTrackXC) February 24, 2021
- Amaya King#BoilerUp 🚂 x #B1GTF pic.twitter.com/n1dvANsEwX
LAST TIME OUT: BIG TEN OPEN
Last weekend, Purdue earned five first-place finishes and set six personal-best marks at the Big Ten Open. Three Boilermakers recorded marks that ranked in the top-10 in their events in the country last week. Moore's 60-dash time of 6.71 seconds was No. 3 in the NCAA, while Brewer and junior Camille Christopher were fourth in the shot put (18.84 meters) and 200 (24.16), respectively. Ten men and eight women competed for Purdue against Indiana in seven men's and seven women's events.
A complete recap can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
UP NEXT: NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
A pair of NCAA championships are up next, as qualifying student-athletes will compete at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships and the NCAA Cross Country Championships. The indoor track & field meet is set for March 12-13 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, while the cross country championships will be contested on March 15 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Qualifying teams and individuals are expected to be announced on March 2 for track & field and March 7 for cross country.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.