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Pittsburg State University hosted the PSU–Wendy’s Tune-Up meet for the first time on Friday, April 26.
According to Head Coach Russ Jewett, the team is making some last-minute adjustments to prepare for the MIAA Championships which are right around the corner.
“The teams did fairly well,” Jewett said. “Some really outstanding performances… and some not-so-great ones. Our objective at this time of the season is to get our final preparations done for the conference championships, and I think through this meet and through our training we have done a pretty good job of that.”
On the women’s team, sophomore Haven Lander also broke her own Pitt State record in the pole vault with her second-place finish. Red shirt senior Courtney Nelson placed first in the 100-meter hurdles and the 400-meter relay of Nelson, sophomore Nia Lunn, freshman Christine Williams, and freshman Danyel Newsome won first place. The 4x400–meter relay team of Nelson, freshman Camilla Roy, sophomore Emerson Tice, and freshman Madison Burk also won first place. Lunn finished second overall with a personal best time in the 100 meters, Williams also placed second in the 200 meters with a PR. Junior Hanna Fergason finished second in the long jump, senior Jena Black placed second in the shot put and the hammer throw, and red shirt junior Brianna Cooks placed third in the hammer throw.
On the men’s team, senior Kai Miller broke his own Pitt State school record in the pole vault. Miller is now ranked number one in the country at the Division–II level. Senior Ian Duncan placed first in the high jump, junior Joshua Hudiburg won the Javelin throw, senior Justice Burks won the 110-meter hurdles. The 400-meter relay team of Burks, freshman Damien Close, senior Slade Nordic, and junior Louis Rollins won first place as well. Additionally, red shirt freshman Konner Swenson received a pair of PQ marks with a third-place finish in the shot put and a third-place finish in the discus throw. Red shirt junior Levi Wyrick won second place in the hammer throw. Red shirt freshman Jerod Toogood finished second in the javelin throw and red shirt junior Brett Thompson finished third in the javelin throw.
From the women’s team, several competitors stood out to Jewett including Lander, sophomore Jordyn Schrader who had a lifetime best in the long jump, sophomore Ashlee Beitzinger who had a lifetime best in the javelin, Lunn, Williams, and Nelson.
Competitors on the men’s team also stood out to Jewett including Miller, Burks, Hudiburg, and the 4×100–meter relay team of Burks, Close, Nordic, and Rollins with a season best that was almost an entire second faster than the previous best.
The MIAA Outdoor Championships are from Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 5 in Warrensburg, Missouri. Track and field teams from all over the country will travel to Warrensburg to compete.
“Next competition is MIAA conference championships this weekend at U of Central MO,” Jewett said. “Both teams have a chance to compete for the team titles. Women’s competition there are 3 teams with a legitimate chance to win – MSSU, Lincoln U and Pitt State. Men’s competition, we will have to be at our very best to have a chance to win. 5 teams have a chance to win, with MSSU as a strong favorite and UCM, Lincoln, Northwest MO and Pitt State all having a realistic chance at the title.”
