After a very successful run last year, which saw the men’s team taking home the gold as National Champions and the women’s finishing third overall in the country, the Gorillas track and field team look poised to continue their reign as the team to beat in the country this year. A dominant showing by the Gorillas at the Rumble in the Jungle Invitational has shown that Pitt State is looking to keep the title they earned last season.
The Gorillas ended up taking first place in both the men’s and women’s competitions, handily beating the second-place teams. The men’s team was good for 205 points overall, with nine individual victories, while Missouri Southern came in a distant second place with 122 points. Washburn University came in third with 67.5 points. The women’s side ended up with 221.5 points, along with eight individual victories. Second-place Missouri Southern had only 79 points, while third place Washburn ended with 78 points.
Redshirt junior Dylan Sprecker and juniors Paige Mullen and Caden Williams each established new Pitt State records. Sprecker sprinted to a winning time of 1 minute, 49.68 seconds in the men’s 800 meters, while Mullen clocked a winning time of 9:35.76 in the women’s 3,000 meters. Williams registered a fast time of 1:10.00 in the men’s 600-yard run.
Senior Jack Haukap set a new meet record in winning the men’s weight throw (65-1), while both Pitt State 4x400m relay squads also clocked meet record times. The men’s relay of all juniors, Logan Davis, Kevar Williams, Caden Williams, and Nate Watson, won their race in 3:08.95. Meanwhile, the women’s relay of junior Ala’Jah Brooks, freshman Piper Hula, senior Kinleigh Hall, and senior Isabel Abdouch posted a winning time of 3:45.03.
Additional men’s event winners included: freshman Xavier Byers, high jump (7-0.75); sophomore Isaiah Webster, triple jump (49-8.5); junior Tyrone Jackson, 60-meter hurdles (7.93); and redshirt freshman Griouard Weddington, 60 meters (6.69) & 200 meters (21.39).
Additional women’s event winners included: sophomore Bethany Umbarger, high jump (5-8.5); redshirt senior Isabelle Peters, pole vault (13-9.75); redshirt senior Blakelee Winn, long jump (19-7.75) & 60m hurdles (8.55); sophomore Lily Brown, triple jump (40-3.5); freshmen Jakayla Morgan, 600y (1:23.75).
The Pitt State men also got second place finishes by junior Albert House in the 60m hurdles (8.07) and junior Nate Watson in the 400 meters (47.28). The Pitt State women registered six second-place marks: senior Rachel Wilson, high jump (5-8.5); junior Jazmine Williamson, long jump (19-4); freshman Alexa Binkley, triple jump (37-6.5); sophomore Kayvon Nubine, 60m hurdles (8.55); Hula, 600y (1:23.75); and sophomore Phoebe Fletcher, 800m (2:19.49).
With this dominant performance by both the men’s and womens teams, it’s safe to say that the Gorillas are focused and ready to defend their national title and strive for the national championships. Pitt State has been dominant, with the men having won six titles in the last seven seasons. The women’s team took home first place last year in the indoor championship, and third in the outdoor competition, so both teams have experience on the biggest stages of competitions. Both teams will return to action this Saturday when the Gorillas host the Pittsburg State Invitational.