The Northwest Missouri State University outdoor track and field teams will make their way to St. Charles, Mo., to take part in the John Creer Invitational this Saturday.
The Northwest women are ranked No. 9 in the USTFCCCA's Central Region index.
USTFCCCA Women's Central Region Index (April 18)
1. Minnesota State 708.58
2. Pittsburg State 602.87
3. Augustana 467.93
4. Fort Hays State 426.86
5. Central Missouri 412.52
6. Harding 366.53
7. Lincoln 358.91
8. Missouri Southern 322.87
9. Northwest Mo. St. 301.98
10. Winona State 297.80
The Northwest men are ranked No. 9 in the USTFCCCA's Central Region index.
USTFCCCA Men's Central Region Index (April 18)
1. Pittsburg State 840.81
2. Fort Hays State 548.51
3. Missouri Southern 495.90
4. Nebraska-Kearney 493.19
5. Central Missouri 479.87
6. Lincoln 401.76
7. Harding 392.88
8. Minnesota State 379.79
9. Northwest Mo. St. 342.72
10. Augustana 319.06
The Bearcat men and women have combined to produce 15 NCAA provisional marks in the outdoor season. The Bearcat women have earned six provisional qualifiers, while the Northwest men have earned nine.
WOMEN
Bailey Blake – 800 Meters
Blake posted a time of 2:10.53 in the women's 800-meter race at the Bryan Clay Invitational in California on April 14. Blake's time ranks No. 17 in the nation. Blake ranks No. 2 in the MIAA and No. 3 in the Central Region this season. It ranks as the second-fastest time in Bearcat outdoor history.
Caroline Cunningham – 1,500 Meters
Cunningham set the Northwest outdoor women's record (4:29.71) in the 1,500-meter at the Mt SAC Relays on April 15. Her time ranks as the 29
th-best time in the country this year. It ranks No. 2 in the MIAA and No. 5 in the Central Region this spring.
Caroline Cunningham – 3,000-Meter Steeplechase
Cunningham also set the outdoor women's school record (10:29.75) the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Bryan Clay Invitational on April 13. It ranks as the sixth-best time in NCAA Division II this spring. It is the top-time in the MIAA and the Central Region this season.
Sarah Prickett – 100-Meter Hurdles
Prickett set the Northwest's women's outdoor school record and produced an NCAA provisional qualifying time (13.90) in the women's 100-meter hurdles at the Beach Invitational in Long Beach, Calif. Her time of 13.90 ranks as the 12th-best time in the nation. She ranks No. 4 in the MIAA and No. 5 in the Central Region this spring.
Josie Zeiger – Javelin
Zeiger earned an NCAA provisional mark in the women's javelin with a toss of 139'6.5" in winning the event title at the Cal State LA Twilight Open on April 13. Zeiger's toss ranks No. 5 in Northwest women's outdoor history. It ranks No. 9 in the MIAA and No. 11 in the Central Region this spring.
Anna Gladstone – Heptathlon
Gladstone notched an NCAA provisional mark in the women's heptathlon at the Bryan Clay Invitational on April 13-14. Gladstone tallied a personal-best 4,601 points – besting her previous high of 4,238 points. Her 4,601-point effort ranks No. 18 in the nation. It ranks No. 5 in the MIAA and No. 6 in the Central Region.
MEN
Prince Griffin – 400 Meters
Griffin earned an NCAA provisional qualifying time (47.77) in the men's 400-meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif. His time ranks as the 10th-best in Northwest's men's outdoor history. His mark of 47.77 ranks as the 27th-best time in the country. He ranks No. 7 in the MIAA and No. 7 in the Central Region this spring.
Reece Smith – 3,000-Meter Steeplechase
Smith has posted the third-best time (8:39.09) in the country this year in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 12th-best mark all-time among NCAA Division II runners. It is the fastest recorded MIAA men's 3,000-steeplechase time in conference history. Smith ran his time at the 62nd Annual St. SAC Relays on April 14. Smith bested the previous Northwest outdoor school record set by Jim Ryan in 1983 (8:42.84). Smith's time is tops in the MIAA and the Central Region this spring. Smith's time in the Mt SAC Relays race was only bettered by BYU's Kenneth Rooks (8:32.75) and Montana State's Levi Taylor (8:38.90).
Reece Smith – 5,000 Meters
Smith notched another NCAA provisional qualifying time (14:12.94) in the 5,000-meter race at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 15. It ranks as the 27th-best time in the nation this season. He ranks No. 3 in the MIAA and No. 4 in the Central Region this spring.
Blake Morgan – High Jump
Morgan secured an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the men's high jump at the Southwest Baptist Invitational on April 1. Morgan tallied a leap of 6'11", which ranks as the seventh-best jump in the nation this season. He is tied second in the MIAA and the Central Region this spring.
Ian Richmond – Pole Vault
Richmond produced an NCAA provisional qualifying jump in the pole vault at the Central Missouri Mule Relays on April 15. Richmond topped out at 15'11", which ranks as the 24th-best pole vault in the nation this season. He ranks No. 7 in the MIAA and No. 13 in the Central Region this spring.
Joel Dos Santos – Long Jump
Dos Santos ranks No. 11 in the country in the long jump. Dos Santos posted a jump of 7.40m (24'3.5") at the ESU Relays on March 24. His jump ranks as the ninth-best long jump in Northwest's men's outdoor history. He currently ranks tied for No. in the MIAA and the Central Region in the long jump this spring.
Marcus Klein – Long Jump
Klein earned an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the long jump at the Southwest Baptist Invitational on April 1. Klein had a jump of 7.28m (23'10.75") in Bolivar, Mo. His jump is listed as the 23rd-best leap in the country this season. Klein ranks No. 9 in the MIAA and Central Region in the men's long jump this spring.
Dakota Schmidt – Javelin
Schmidt set the Northwest javelin record with a toss of 212'11" at the Southwest Baptist Invitational in Bolivar, Mo., on April 1. His throw ranks as the sixth-best in the nation this season. It is the top throw in both the MIAA and Central Region this spring.
4x100 Relay Team
The 4x100 relay team of
Enrico Cavagna,
Joel Dos Santos,
Prince Griffin and
Marcus Klein
took down a 14-year-old outdoor school record at the Beach Invitational in Long Beach, Calif., on April 16. The foursome breezed to a time of 40.78, bettering the old mark of 40.8 set by Kendall Wright, John Miles, Sheldon Cook and E.J. Falkner on May 10, 2008. The Bearcat 4x100 relay placed fourth in the meet, trailing only squads from North Texas (40.45), South Dakota (40.62) and Air Force (40.74). The time of 40.78 is an NCAA provisional qualifying mark and ranks as the No. 25 time in Division II this season. It ranks No. 5 in the MIAA and No. 7 in the Central Region this spring.
3,000-Meter Steeplechase (NCAA Div. II) -- Unofficial
1. Tabor Stevens (Adams State) 8:26.81 (5/2/2015)
2. Kim Hogarth (Western Colorado) 8:29.12 (4/29/2007)
-- Tabor Stevens (Adams State) 8:32.50 (4/3/2015)
3. Reuben Mwei (Adams State) 8:34.42 (5/1/2010)
4. Ryan Haebe (Western Colorado) 8:35.00 (6/9/2012)
-- Tabor Stevens (Adams State) 8:35.05 (5/24/2014)
5. David Kemei (Abilene Christian) 8:35.20 (4/24/1997)
6. Christian Noble (Lee, Tenn.) 8:35.73 (5/15/2021)
7. Clement Duigou (Adams State) 8:36.25 (4/13/2022)
-- Ryan Haebe (Western Colorado) 8:36.46 (4/19/2012)
8. Nicodemus Naimadu (Abilene Christian) 8:36.84 (2007)
9. Mike Vanatta (Southeast Mo. St.) 8:37.7 (1983)
10. Jake Mitchem (Colorado Mines) 8:37.87 (4/1/2022)
-- Mike Vanatta (Southeast Mo. St.) 8:38.04 (1984)
-- Tabor Stevens (Adams State) 8;38.46 (4/5/2014)
11. Samson Obwocha (Texas A&M-Comm.) 8:38.86 (1985)
12.
Reece Smith (Northwest Mo. St.) 8:39.09 (4/13/2022)
13. Greg Beardsley (Edinboro) 8:39.2 (5/28/1983)
-- Christian Noble (Lee, Tenn.) 8:39.86 (3/25/20210
14. Steve Parker (Pittsburgh-Johnstown) 8:40.3 (4/2/1982)
15. Daniel Maina (Abilene Christian) 8:40.46 (4/24/2008)
Courtesy of USTFCCCA
