EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -Â The Missouri Baptist University men's and women's track and field teams competed in the American Midwest Conference Championship on Wednesday (April 30) and Thursday (May 1), where the Spartans shattered records and represented MBU excellence with the men finishing second overall and the women finishing third.
Wyatt Claiborne brought in the first win for the men in the 3000 m Steeplechase. He finished in 10 minutes and 27 seconds, about six seconds faster than the runner up.
Senior Jordan Walker-Wright dominated in the shotput (14.88 m), finishing first out of eleven. Collin Hutson also recorded some points for the Spartans with his seventh place finish in the same event (12.52 m).
The 4x800 m relay team consisting of Brandon Etheridge, Phillip Kackley, Sam Bland, and Alex Shields took third place with a time of 7:57.44. This performance put them in the top five best 4x800 m relay times in MBU program history.
On the women's side, Adrienne Rockette hit a NAIA 'B' standard, punching her ticket to the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championship with her second-place finish in the 3000 m Steeplechase (11:14.48).
Mia Duncan earned the titles of AMC Female Outstanding Track Athlete and Female Athlete of the Meet. Duncan earned these honors for finishing first in four events. She excelled in the Steeplechase (11:11.21), the 1500 m run (4:45.30), the 400 H (1;08.10), and the 4x400 m relay (4:08.52). Every year of her collegiate career, Duncan has won the Steeplechase in the conference championship.
Duncan was joined in the 4x400 relay team by Rockette, Julianne Hansen, and Angela Ward.Â
Another 4x champion, Alaina Scott, finished first in the pole vault, hitting 3.60 m. With this distance, she also broke the championship meet record.
Ward, Camrin Watkins, Elizabeth Burgan, and Julia Whorton led the Spartans to their sixth consecutive 4x800 m relay victory (10:03.54) as well.
Mariana Cubero and Emma Lawson also recorded points for MBU, both finishing eighth in their events. Cubero hit 9.99 m in the triple jump, and Lawson hit 38.95 m in the hammer throw.
Some Spartans will compete in the University of St. Francis Fighting Chance meet on Friday (May 9) and Saturday (May 10) for another opportunity to make it to the NAIA National Championships.
