Siouthern track & field collects 10 event wins in Southwest Baptist Invite

Both the Missouri Southern men’s and women’s track & field teams totaled 10 event wins at the Southwest Baptist Invite last Saturday. The women won six of the 10 events for the Lions. 

Leading the way and continuing her hot start to the outdoor season, freshman Emily Presley won the pole vaulting event for the third week meet in a row. Presley cleared a height of 12-11.50. Senior Melanie Bower, who’s battling a foot injury, placed behind Presley for her third straight top five finish. 

Senior Brittani Reagan won the triple and long jump events. Reagan jumped to a provisional distance of 19-01.25 to win the long jump and won the triple jump with a leap of 37-02.50.

Senior Emily Harris won 1,500m race. Junior Cynthia Torres won the 3k event. Torres has finished in the top three in every event she’s competed in this track & field season.

Sophomore Victoria Foley finished second in the hammer with a distance of 163-03, while Halee Cashio and Jenson Maydew placed  13th and 15th.

Finally, freshman and Webb City, Mo. native Desirea Buerge, won the discus with a provisional distance of 146-6.

“This is the time when we really start now, turning the intensity up,” said head coach Patty Vavra on her team’s performance at SBU.

“We’re getting to the point where we know there are only four weeks or so left and we need to start making things happen.”

Head coach Patty Vavra sat two of senior athletes in Kaylee Morgan and Amber White. Morgan is nursing a hamstring injury. White may need hip surgery according to Vavra. 

On the men’s side, Jeff Fraley Fraley finished second in the 400m as he broke his own school record in the event. He ran a time of 46.80, as Fraley ranks in the top five in the 100m, 200m, and 400m races.

Sophomore Sam Kohrs won the 800m race with a time of 1:53.05. Freshman Vincent Kiprop competed for the first time this outdoor season as he won the 5k event in a time of 14:48.90.

Senior Desmond Williams tallied another long jump victory. He’s won two of the last three long jump events he’s competed in. 

Junior Daniel Hernandez has steadily gotten better in his three javelin throwing events as he won turning in a provisional distance of 212-07. He ranks fifth nationally in the event.

The Lions will be back in action next week as Southern travels west to take part in the Dave Suenram/Gorilla Classic at Pittsburg State.