TOPEKA, Kan. (Jan. 16, 2021) - Central Missouri track and field picked up wins in 19 events as they began their season at the Washburn Rust Buster. UCM lived up to the name of the meet, shaking off the rust in the first full team meet since the MIAA Conference Championships at the end of February, 2020.

Sprints/Hurdles
In the short sprints it was the Antonio Lay show. He won both the 60m and 200m dashes. Lay ran 6.91 in the 60 and 22.32 for 200m. Kyzer Ramer was right behind Lay in both events. Ramey took third running 7.05 in the 60m and was also third in the 200m at 22.89.

Jake Sanders was also a winner for the Mules sprinters. He completed 400m in 50.48. Brett Shaffer (51.70) and Isaak Rasche (51.82) finished sixth and seventh. Shaffer's time was a personal-best in the event.

Shaffer was also the Mules leader in the 60m hurdles. He ran 8.49 in the finals to finish second. Andrew Paster took third in the sprint hurdles running 8.57.

Tanner Skotnicki was another event-winner for the Mules sprinters. He ran 1:13.45 in the 600 yards for the win. Jerald Allen ran 1:15.64 and placed third. 

In the final event of the day, the Mules won the 4x400m relay. The team of Jake Sanders, Derek Nugent, Tanner Skotnicki and Jerald Allen ran 3:22.56 for the win. 

For the Jennies Alex Foote matched Sanders winning the 400m. She ran 1:00.62 to take first and was also fourth in the 60 dash running 8.34. 

Three Jennies finished in the top-four of the 60m hurdles. Hannah VanBuskirk was the winner in the finals running 9.00 after going 9.01 in the prelims. Laia Gonzalez finished second running 9.13 and Libby Brown fourth in 9.43. Gonzalez also led UCM in the 600 yard run taking second in 1:27.93. Hope Thiel was third in the event crossing the line in 1:28.96. 

Central Missouri won every non-hurdle race and culminated that winning the women's 4x400m relay. The quartet of Alex Foote, Laia Gonzalez, Hannah VanBuskirk and Kayla Goodwin ran 3:57.07

Distance
Running in his first race on the track, Denzel Kiptoo won the men's mile finishing in 4:25.04. Aaron Westhoff (4:27.01) and Alex Kirk (4:27.81) finished third and fourth. 

Derek Nugent continued the streak of Mules wins on the track taking first in the 800m. He ran 1:58.26.

Mariah Elmore just missed the Jennies all-time top-10 in the mile. She won the event in 5:09.95 setting a new personal-best. 

It was a nice afternoon for the Jennies 3K runners. Cynthia Togom won the event running 10:34.63.  Four different Jennies ran personal-best times in the event, Kenzie Bergman (5th - 10:59.79), Claire Myers (6th - 11:02.83), Sami Skibell (8th - 11:09.55) and Emma Bassford (15th - 11:34.40).

Both Mules 3K runners set personal-bests. Nick Victor was the winner in 8:44.57 and Zach Adams second running 8:57.44. 

Jumps
Kayla Goodwin had a first-place finish in both the long and triple jumps. She moved into fourth all-time in UCM history in both events and hit NCAA provisional qualifying marks. Goodwin jumped 19-2 in the long jump and 39-3 in the triple. 

The Jennies went 1-3 in the long jump. Camryn Holloman set a PR and moved to 10th all-time jumping 18-5.25 hitting a personal-best by almost 11 inches. Hannah VanBuskirk finished third jumping 18-4.25. 

Audrey Fisher was right behind Goodwin in the triple jump finishing second at 38-1.5 Holloman was fourth in the triple jumping 37-0.5

After missing last season with an injury, Madi Wulfekotter came back to win the pole vault in her first competition. She cleared 12-11.75 and moved into third all-time at UCM. Cassie Jennings tied for second jumping 12-8 and Molly Greene was fifth getting over 11-0.25

Jesse Miller led the Mules horizontal jumpers. He finished second in the long jump with a mark of 23-6.25 and was also second in the triple at 48-6.75. Jeremi Barnes was third jumping 46-1.25. 

Cade Conley was third in the high jump clearing 6-4 and Carter Bell fourth getting over 6-0.

UCM went 1-3 in the Mules pole vault. Vincent Hobbie jumped 16-6 an NCAA provisional qualifier to win. Competing in their first career meets for UCM, Reagan Ulrich (15-10) and Jack Hodge (15-2.25) finished second and third. 

Throws
It's a brand new squad for the Mules throwers this year. So far, so good being led by Addison Snowball. He won the weight throw with a throw of 55-2.25. Owen Staab took fourth in the event at 52-2.75.

Snowball doubled up competing in the shot put as well. He took second place throwing 53-11, more than three feet better than he threw competing unattached last season. 

The Jennies saw a big performance from redshirt freshman Rachael Molloy. She won the weight throw with a toss of 55-11.75 which immediately put her fifth all-time in Jennies history. Ashlan Burton finished second throwing 52-9.25.

Burton came back to win the shot put. She threw 50-9.25. Alisha Straws took second throwing 45-4.5. Both marks are NCAA provisional qualifying marks.