Meet Results (PDF)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Missouri State track and field team wrapped up its fifth meet of the outdoor season here Friday evening with several athletes earning lifetime and season bests at the John McDonnell Invitational.  

Brooke Jenkins' season best went hand-in-hand with a second-place finish at the annual meet hosted by the University of Arkansas. The senior's jump of 5.85 meters was competitive against the stout long jump competition, only .04 meters off the winning distance.  

"It was a very productive day for us," said head coach Jordan Fife. "So many people up and down the roster took advantage of a great opportunity. The weather, competition, and facility were perfect and it was exciting to see so many people perform at a new level." 

While not a lifetime best, Cheyenne White still turned out a competitive performance in the javelin throw for the Bears, earning a top-three finish. Her throw of 42.66m landed her in third place, while teammate Rachel Lacey threw to a personal best of 40.68m to finish in seventh. Reagan Reedy was just behind her, finishing in eighth place (39.10m). 

On the track, Manuela Ngo Tonye Nyemeck sprinted to a lifetime best of her own. In the 400-meter dash the senior sprinter beat her former personal best of 58.10, racing a time of 57.88 seconds. 

In the 100-meter, Nakaja Weaver earned a season best for the Bears, finishing 17th with a time of 12.51 seconds. Hayden Gray also competed in the event for the Bears, ending with a time of 13.04. 

Four Bears competed in the 800-meter run Friday, racing against a field of 31 athletes. Claudrice McKoy finished the race in 16th place with a time of 2:15.01 while Ashley Rolewicz was close behind finishing 18th (2:16.49). Victory Ifah turned out a lifetime best in the event with a time of 2:20.52 while Katie Griffin did the same, recording a time of 2:25.22.  

On the distance side of things, Shelby Palmer helped lead the Bears efforts, placing sixth in the 3,000-meter run (10:28.28). Just three spots behind Palmer, freshman Grace Buschling ran a lifetime best of 10:38.57 to finish in ninth place while teammate Natalie Clayton's lifetime best of 10:48.67 landed her in 11th. Mihane Nambara rounded things out for MSU racing a time of 11:21.98.  

Margo Nea narrowly missed the podium in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the invitational, finishing fourth with a time of 11:36.60. 

Edna Dar turned out a strong performance in the 1,500-meter run finishing 14th out of 29 athletes. Adrien Martens and Shelby Palmer also found success in the event with the former recording a lifetime best and the latter a season best. Martens' time of 4:56.62 eclipsed her former personal best in the event by one second while Palmer's time of 4:57.10 was her top time of the 2023 outdoor season. 

In the 100-meter hurdles, DaeLin Switzer raced a lifetime best while Kate Anderson earned a season best. Switzer's time of 14.77 seconds beat her former top time of 14.88 to finish in 13th place, while Anderson finished with her own top time on the season (15.09). 

In the 4x400-meter relay, the Bears recorded a huge season best as the team of Charity Obazughanmwen, Calandra Henry, Ngo Tonye Nyemeck and Meghan Halstead raced a time of 3:45.33 to finish third. 

"This is what you like to see at this stage of the season," continued Fife. "We need to focus on keeping the momentum going." 

The Bears will be back in action next weekend when they travel to the Rock Chalk Classic on Saturday, April 29. 

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