WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The No. 2 ranked Missouri Southern women’s track and field team narrowly missed out on an MIAA Championship as the Lions battled to the closest-ever finish in MIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship history today.
The Lions finished with 144 points for the meet, but Pittsburg State won the team title with 144.20 points. Lincoln was third, followed by Southwest Baptist, Central Missouri, Northwest Missouri, Washburn, Northwest Missouri, Lindenwood, Emporia State, Missouri Western, Fort Hays State, Nebraska-Kearney and Central Oklahoma to round out the team standings.
The Lions were 1.2 points behind Pittsburg State going into the final race of the event, the 4x400m relay, and despite the Lions finishing in front of PSU, Southern finished just shy by the narrowest of margins in the final team standings.
“I’m incredibly proud of the way our women competed this weekend,” said head coach Bryan Schiding. “We had multiple school records, NCAA qualifying marks and personal bests. The Ladies fourght all the way to the end. It came down to the 4x400m relays and we ended up on the short end of the stick by the lowest margin in MIAA history. I can’t say enough about this team.”
Southern finished the day with four All-MIAA performances to bring the total to ten All-MIAA performances and three event champions at the meet.
Wynter Nekola started things off with an All-MIAA finish in the high jump, finishing third with a height of 5-06.50. Kirsten Leisinger was third in the hammer with an NCAA provisional and All-MIAA distance of 183-06. Alexandra Rodriguez was fifth.
Morgan Ash was one of four Lions in the top-six of the javelin today, finishing second with a distance of 159-03 to earn All-MIAA honors. Elizabeth Pomatto was third, earning All-MIAA honors for a distance of 154-05, while Katelyn Mooney wsa fifth and Alexis Kuhel was sixth.
Kelie Henderson was fourth in the 1,500m with a time of 4:39.50, while Mady Gepford was 14th. Julianna Determan was fifth in the 5k with a time of 18:14.29, while Henderson placed 17th.
Morgan Smith was third in the 100m hurdles, earning All-MIAA honors with a time of 13.82, while Elizabeth Adeoye was fifth. Adeoye was fourth in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:01.09, while Rachel Ray finished seventh and Smith was eighth.
Janna Hautala and Danielle Prince finished sixth and seventh in the 3k steeple, while the 4x400m relay team of Ray, Adeoye, Deiajuane Watts and Smith placed sixth in a time of 3:50.52.
A complete list of the All-MIAA performances from this weekend is listed below. The Lions will have one final meet at Emporia State on May 11, prior to the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.
All-MIAA Performances
Desirea Buerge – Shot Put (Champion), Discus (Champion)
Payton Roberts – Discus
Claire Luallen – Heptathlon
Emily Presley – Pole Vault (Champion)
Jordan Banker – Pole Vault
Wynter Nekola – High Jump
Morgan Ash – Javelin
Elizabeth Pommato – Javelin
Morgan Smith – 100m hurdles
