BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Southeast Missouri women's track and field won the 2024 Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championship Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024 as day two of the championship concluded in Birmingham. The Redhawks finished with five new SEMO records, 12 gold medal performances, 27 new personal bests, and 57 top ten performances.

The women's team finished with 224 total points, 98.5 points ahead of Little Rock in second to make this their ninth indoor title. The team defended their title from last season winning back-to-back indoor titles.

The men's team finished in third place with 127.5 total points behind Eastern Illinois in second with 176.54 points and  Little Rock in first with 180 total points.

Awards Won
Freshman Brianna Dixon won Female Freshman of the Year.

Senior Breanna Miles won Female Track Athlete of Year defending her title from the outdoor season.

Graduate Student Parker Feuerborn claimed Male Field Athlete of the Year honors

Head coach Eric Crumpecker won his fifth indoor award by winning Women's Coach of the Year.

Records Galore
Yesterday Anna Thomason tied the SEMO record in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.68. Today during the pentathlon 60m hurdles the Missouri native broke it as the clock stopped at 8.64 while finishing in first. 

Kaitlyn McGinnitey chalked up 3580 total points in the pentathlon to win the event and break the SEMO record previously held by Taylor Coffelt in 2016 with 3532 points.

Dixon won the OVC 60m hurdles crown while breaking the record, which was previously broken by her teammate, Anna Thomason this morning. The freshman finished with a time of 8.61.

Miles took the top spot on the podium in the 200-meter while breaking her old SEMO record of 23.92 which she set earlier this year. The senior crossed the line this time at 23.85.

Clara Billing vaulted over a height of 13' 5.25" to stand alone atop the podium and break the SEMO record for the second time this year. The sophomore beat her old record height of 13" 4.5".

Atop the Podium
Mason Clough cleared a height of 6' 7.50" for a new personal record and to become the OVC high jump champion.

Taylor Fox crossed the line at 4:54.65 to take home the gold medal in the women's mile ahead of 24 other athletes. The Senior also took home the 800-meter crown with a time of 2:11.76.

Marshall Swadley stood alone atop the podium after he notched a throw of 54' 2.50" in the men's shot put.

Sydney Burdine claimed the gold after running the 400m dash in 54.94 for a new personal record.

Terrico Garrett was second to none after he finished the 800-meter race in 1:51.08.

The women's 4x400-meter squad of Miles, Laila Hardin, Leanza Dwaah, and Burdine claimed gold with a time of 3:47.62.

Podium Finishes
Madelyn Gray ran the women's mile in 4:55.22 and the 800m in 2:14.28 to wear the silver medals while recording a new personal best in the mile. 

Clay Alewelt took the second place medal in the men's shot put with a throw of 52' 10.25".

Thomason finished the pentathlon in second while posting a new PR score of 3503 points and notched third place in the women's 60m hurdles (8.65).

Marcus Gordon brought home the bronze medal with a new PR time of 8.20 in the men's 60m hurdle finals. 

At the end of heptathlon Isaac Readnour was wearing the bronze medal after chalking up 4789 total points.

Serena Williams jumped for third in the women's long jump, jumping for a distance of 40' 2".

In the women's 400-meter the silver and bronze medals went to Miles (55.47) and Hardin (55.71, new PR).

Erika Mellor took home the bronze in the 800-meter, running the race in 2:14.70.

Hannah Eastman grabbed the silver medal in the women's 3000m, crossing the line at 9:50.21.

The men's 4x400m team of Connor Moore, Mark Crawford, Brenden Parham, and Garrett notched the silver medal (3:15.41).

Notable Performances
In the women's mile Brianna Payton notched fifth (5:05.93) and Layla Fleige placed seventh (5:06.37), both recorded new personal bests.

Noah Little ran the mile race in 4:15.27 for sixth place and Ryan Seabaugh had a finishing time of 4:20.29 for new personal best.

In the men's shot put Feuerborn and Quinton Maxwell registered throws of 52' 1.25" (New PR) and 51' 9.75" for fourth and fifth.

In the men's 60-meter hurdles the clocked stopped at 8.32 (7th) for a new personal record for Trystan Wright

Ciara Potter registered 38' 5.50" in the women's triple jump for sixth and a new PR.

After the 800-meter was over Justin Splitt was in sixth with a time of 1:55.03.

In the women's 200-meter Dwaah placed sixth (25.11) and Burdine placed eighth (25.58).

Garrett Dumke and Myles Thornburg achieved new personal bests in the men's 3000-meter, with finishing times of 8:41.75 and 8:44.16.

Nicole Silverlake cleared a height of 10' 4" for ninth.

In the men's triple jump Luke Busateri jumped for a new PR mark of 47' 10" (6th), while 
Isaac Readnour posted a jump of 44' 11.75" (10th).

In the women's shot put Bailee Hux placed fifth (44'5.25", new PR), Alivia Busch placed eighth (42'11.75"), and Makenzie Williams notched 10th (40'10.25")

Heptathlon Day Two and Pentathlon
Shea DeGraaf notched 10th with 3794 total points.

Tayler Gudde ended the pentathlon with 3204 points (5th) and a new personal record. 

In the 60m hurdles McGinnitey and Gudde both achieved new personal records with times of 8.89 (3rd) and 9.84 (7th).

In the heptathlon Readnour placed second (8.54) with a new PR and DeGraaf ran for third (8.56).

The pentathlon high jump saw McGinnitey clear a height of 5' 3.75" (2nd, new PR),Thomason 5' 3.75" (3rd), and Gudde 4' 9.75" for fifth.

Readnour placed third in the pole vault (15' 1") and ninth in the 1000m (3:13.51) to finish up the heptathlon.

Gudde notched third (35' 3.75") and a new PR, McGinnitey placed sixth (33' 7.50") and achieved a new PR, and Thomason posted a ninth place finish (30' 7") in the women's shot put.

In the pentathlon long jump Thomason, McGinnitey, and Gudde jumped for distances of 17' 7.50" (2nd), 17' 4.75" (3rd), and 16' 2.50" (8th). 

During the last event in the pentathlon Gudde placed first, McGinnitey notched second, and Thomason placed third with times of 2:25.36    , 2:29.55, and 2:36.89.

Looking Ahead
The athletes that qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championship will compete March 8-9 in Boston, Mass.