Hoosier track and field set to compete at Texas Relays

At last year’s Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, IU sophomore Sarah Maxson stood out from the other competitors.

As a last-minute entrant in the women’s high jump open, she lacked the traditional bib that distinguishes an athlete’s name, year and number.

Underneath the typed list of official entries, her name was scratched in pencil.
All outward signs pointed to Maxson as an afterthought.

“I definitely felt like the underdog, and I like being the underdog.” she said. “Then I always feel like I have something to prove.”

When Maxson arrived at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, she received word from Associate Head Coach Jeff Huntoon that the selections committee had bumped her in order to make room for other athletes.

After some friendly persuasion, Huntoon secured a spot for Maxson — allowing her the one chance she needed.

She proved herself to everyone — leaping 1.68 meters to win one of the most elite track meets in the NCAA.

Now, Maxson will contend for back-to-back high jump titles at the 87th
installment of the Texas Relays.

She is one of eight IU student-athletes and one of two returning champions competing for the Hoosiers during the next four days.

Senior Kyla Buckley, the other returning champion, will make her outdoor debut in the women’s shot put on Friday evening.

For the men’s team, sophomores Dylan Anderson and Stephen Keller will compete today and Thursday in the men’s decathlon.

Sophomore pole-vaulter Drew Volz will also compete on Thursday, in addition to senior Kelsie Ahbe and

sophomore Sophie Gutermuth, who will vault for the women on Friday.

Long-jumper Ari Nelson is the lone freshman traveling to Austin. She said the invitation is a privilege, and an indication of the success she has had thus far.

“Being able to qualify shows that I’m improving as an athlete,” she said. “I really enjoy traveling because of the great competition.”

The Texas Relays committee chooses which athletes are accepted to the meet. The field features numerous national qualifiers, All-Americas and Olympic
competitors.

Huntoon said his athletes belong right alongside them.

“It’s not like we begged and pleaded to get them in,” he said. “They’ve gotten in on their own merits. The kids that are going are flat-out some of the best in the
country.”

But the selections process is a double-edged sword.

Despite achieving a new personal-best mark of 1.78 meters, Maxson was relegated to the open — rather than the more prestigious invitational — section of the meet.
The shortchange did nothing to deter her mentality.

“I’m still thinking of myself as the underdog,” she said. “I’m going to mentally put myself in the invite, even if I can’t physically be in it. I can PR and compete against the invite girls, even if I’m in a different flight. It’s just a matter of where I’m placed.”