Story by Adam Redfern
Staff writer
aredfern@murraystate.edu
The Murray State track and field team returned to action for the first time in the new year, competing at the Illini Open at The Armory.
In a field of eight teams, including multiple Big Ten and Big East squads, along with OVC opponents Southeast Missouri State University and Eastern Illinois University, the Racers finished fourth.
Head Coach Adam Kiesler was pleased with his team’s performance in the Illini Open this weekend.
“Overall I think we did really well; we had a lot of kids do their off-event,” Kiesler said. “We had three individual wins and a bunch of PRs.”
Senior Aubrey Main was the first winner of the day for the Racers, placing first in the high jump with a mark of 1.70 meters which tied her personal best.
Sophomore Antoinetta Avant and senior Tamdra Lawrence were next. Avant won the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.83 seconds, placing seventh overall. Lawrence won the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.52.
The Racers saw multiple high-placing performances from the team, including freshman Rachel Hagans, who finished third in the 400m (1:00.07 PR) and eighth in the 60m (7.94).
Senior Daijah White earned a sixth-place finish at (1:01.16) in the 400m dash, while junior Katelyn Gilbert finished seventh and set a new personal record in the mile (5:35.39).
Three Racers finished in the top 10 in the 600m, as junior D’Miya Thornton finished third (1:38.81), Main finished seventh (1:40.65) and junior Norma Abdur-Rafia took ninth (1:43.48).
Junior Hilary McAdam was the only Racer to run in the 800m, managing a second-place finish with a personal-best time of 2:16.46.
Freshman Emma Creviston (10:46.58) and senior Ida Mutai (10:48.81) each ran personal records in the 3000m.
Senior Christina Meinhardt was the top Racer in the shot put, as she put up a distance of 12.19m, while junior Destiny Carey led the Racers in the weight throw with a personal best of 14.58m.
Freshman Brooke Misukonis finished sixth in the pole vault with a vault of 3.46m. Freshman Gabby Kennedy also vaulted 3.46m to finish eighth, while Jessie Kinder set a personal best at (3.31m) in ninth place. Senior Emily Heil rounded out the pole vault for the Racers, finishing tenth with a vault of 3.31m.
Senior Jabreuna Brimlett placed sixth in the long jump with a mark of 5.55m. She also had the top time of 8.78 in the 60m hurdle preliminaries, placing eighth in the finals.
Sophomore Jessikha Ribeiro competed in two jumping events and had a Top-10 finish in both, finishing fifth in the high jump (1.55m) and ninth in the long jump (5.42m).
Freshman Alayna Stalter ran her best in the 60m (8.38), and freshman Shannon Riley surpassed her previous best in the pole vault (3.16m).
The relays ended the day, and saw the 4×400 team of Thornton, McAdam, White and Adbur-Rafia finish second (3:59.08). The 4×800 team of Gilbert, Morgan Vosler, Sophie Grogan and Riley placed fifth (10:24.08).
The Racers’ next meet will be Saturday, Jan. 19, when they travel to the University of Indiana to compete in the Gladstein Invite.