KEARNEY, Neb. (May 6, 2018) – Central Missouri Track and Field had a record day at the final day of the 2018 conference championships. Sunday's competition saw UCM win nine medals, including two event champions. At the conclusion of the three day meet, the Mules won second place with 103.5 points and the Jennies tallied 93.5 points for a third place finish. 
 
Throws
Central Missouri couldn't be caught in the men's and women's hammer throw as Nathan Liby and Amy Dorge became conference champions. All four Mules throwers finished in the top-six, led by Liby's first place throw of 211-01, which was a new personal-best. Jace Kaleikau was close behind throwing 208-11 and earning the silver medal. Nathan Cummings (194-08) and John Berry (188-05) finished fifth and sixth.

Dorge won the hammer throw for the Jennies with a big 188-05 toss. Ashlan Burton made the top-five with the fifth farthest throw at 160-09. Baylie Bellin (139-01) finished 15th and Alisha Straws (125-01) was 24th.
 
Jumps
Hannah VanBuskirk reached the podium in the high jump. She cleared 5-06 for third place. Haley Lindenbusch finished sixth jumping 5-5. For the Mules, Jesse Miller tied for fourth after clearing the bar at 6-09.75.
 
In the triple jump, Audrey Fisher provisionally qualified for nationals with her personal-record jump of 38-11. She finished 10^th in the event, but moved up to eighth on the Jennies all-time record list. Shay Babcock also had a personal-best jump, reaching 37-09.25 and taking 13^th place.
 
On the men's side, Brad Jenkins was the top-finisher for the Mules jumping a big personal-best 50-07.25 for fourth place. Jesse Miller had a 48-08 leap and finished in 10^th and Chris Goodwin took 15^th with a jump of 45-00.25.
 
Relays/Sprints/Hurdles
The Mules won bronze medals in both of the relay races. The 4x100 team of Andre Williams, Franklin Hunt, Deric Purnell, and Akeemo Minott got the day started running 40.83 for a third place finish. Minott joined Jacob Weber, Noah Larsen, and Jacob Randle in the 4x400, where they turned in a time of 3:14.40 for third.

For the Jennies, Alliah McClendon, Emily Thole, Destiney Nash, and Kymmalett Ross ran the 4x100 in 46.83 and finished sixth, beating their own record set earlier this season for the second fastest time in UCM history. The 4x400 was the final race of the championships and Sanikee Gardner and Laia Gonzalez joined Nash and Thole in turning in a second place finish with a season-best time of 3:45.79.

In the men's 100m dash, Akeemo Minott tied the school record that was set in 2006. He ran a speedy 10.36 and finished fourth. For the Jennies, Alliah McClendon took eighth place running 12.06.
 
More records were broken in the 400m. Emily Thole broke her own record for the event's fastest time in Jennies history. She ran 54.89 and placed fifth in the 400m final. Sanikee Gardner was close behind at the 56.62 mark and took seventh. For the Mules, Jacob Randle beat his PR time from yesterday running 47.93 and placing fourth.
 
Maria Elmore achieved All-MIAA status after finishing third in the 800m. She finished the race with a time of 2:14.91. For the men, Noah Larsen crossed the line in 1:52.55 for fifth place.
 
In the 400m hurdles, Destiney Nash set a big personal-record of 1:02.34 for fourth place. Laia Gonzalez finished seventh with her time of 1:03.65. Matt Scaletty represented the Mules in the final round. He ran 57.44 and took eighth place.
 
Gonzalez returned for the 100m hurdles finale. She ran 14.83 and finished in seventh again. Alliah McClendon had the fastest time in the preliminaries yesterday, but was unfortunately disqualified after touching one of the other hurdles during the final round.
 
Distance
In the 3000m steeplechase, Amy Marx won another bronze medal for the Jennies with her time of 11:41.32. Competing for the Mules, Isaac Calvert finished in 10:05.35 and took 12^th place.
 
Kimberlee Sewester was the only UCM representative in the 1500m run. She ran 5:18.72 and finished in 23^rd place.
 
The Mules had three runners in the 5000m run. Ronald Ayabei was the team's top-finisher as he crossed the line in 15:39.49 and took ninth place. Nick Victor ran 16:07.02 for 20^th and Tyler Musgrave finished 29^th in 16:48.76.
 
The Jennies sent Marx back out to the track with Nicole Svendsen for the 5k. Svendsen came in 12^th running 19:16.13 and Marx was 20^th with a time of 20:13.35.
 
The Mules and Jennies will have another opportunity to qualify for nationals next Friday, May 11, at the Missouri Southern Last Chance Meet in Joplin, Mo.