Indoor Track: IU East at RSC Championships Day 1 Recap

MARIETTA, Ohio – The Indiana University East track and field teams won four events with several new records along the way on the first day of the 2026 River States Conference Indoor Championships in the Dyson Baudo Rec Center on the campus of Marietta College on Friday, Feb. 20.

Brody Puckett had a highlight of the day as he repeated as the men's 600 meters champion by setting a new mark for the RSC meet and IU East with a time of 1:21.76.

Also establishing a new school record was the men's 3,200-meter relay squad of Conner Walser, Max Kline, Hunter Allen and Akot Tong as they grabbed the top spot with a time of 8:03.57.

On the women's side of the 3,200-meter relay, the Red Wolves group of Casey Gifford, Hunter Gardner, Aliecia Brooks and Mylee Shatto finished second with a time of 10:31.70. The top three in each event earn all-conference honors.

The Red Wolves capped the opening day of the affair by sweeping the distance medley relays to win conference titles. Emily Fleming, Gardner, Shatto and Kayci Hill posted a time of 13:00.58 for the IU East women, while Tong, DeAndre Hall, Walser and Allen had a 10:37.76 for the men.

Defending champ Tristan Thomas led the way in the prelims of the 55 meters with a 6.47 as Antaviyon Reed (6.61, sixth) and Jaiden Crowell (freshman record of 6.66, eighth) also advanced to Saturday's finals.

Esther George qualified for the finals in the 55-meter hurdles (8.92) and 55-meter dash (7.62) as she broke IU East records in both events. She has the third fastest time in both races.

Mackenzie Rohde finished second in the prelims for the 200 meters with a 26.60 as George (27.16, fourth) and Vanessa Temple (27.51, sixth) also made the finals in that event.

Naleya Kinney, who was fourth in women's long jump, also set a new IU East standard with a leap of 5.08 meters.

Others to score by finishing in the top eight of an event were:
Temple (fourth, women's 600 meters, 1:41.89)
Emilee Earl (fifth, women's weight throw, 13.96)
Chloe Scales (sixth, women's 5,000 meters, 19:14.81)
Thomas Hogan (sixth, men's 5,000 meters, 15:34.85)
Alyssa Allen (sixth, women's high jump, 1.40)
Kinney (seventh, women's high jump, 1.40)
Hall (eighth, men's 600 meters, 1.24.75)
Samantha Fowler (eighth, women's 5,000 meters, 19:28.79)
Allen (eighth, women's long jump, 4.81)

Both of IU East's squads are currently in fourth place in the team standings. IU Kokomo leads the women's event with the University of Rio Grande on top for the men.

The Red Wolves wrap up the indoor championships on Saturday with the field events starting at 9 a.m. The races on the track begin with the women's mile at 10 a.m.