OXFORD, Miss. - The Southeast Missouri Track and Field squads opened the Joe Walker Invite hosted by Ole Miss winning one event and setting eight personal best marks.
Leading the way was
Kennedy Zgaynor, who captured the women's javelin title with a personal-record throw of 155-3. The Redhawks also saw a standout performance in the men's pole vault, where
Jake Cannon cleared a PR height of 17-0 to finish second. In distance events,
Jacob Blassingame claimed runner-up honors in the men's 3,000m steeplechase (9:16.73), while
Myles Thornburg followed closely in third with a PR time of 9:28.52.
Matt Pluff added another podium finish with a third-place jump of 22-8.5 in the men's long jump.
The Redhawks added multiple second and third-place finishes throughout the meet. Cannon's personal best clearance in the pole vault highlighted the field events, while Blassingame and Thornburg went 2-3 in the men's steeplechase, with Thornburg notching a personal best. Pluff's third-place finish in the long jump rounded out the top-three efforts, showing strong competitiveness across both track and field disciplines.
Several athletes placed within the top five, continuing the team's momentum.
Cole Reinders delivered a PR performance of 1:48.30 in the men's 800m to finish fourth and move to sixth in the Midwest region. In the men's long jump, Luis Schladlich (22-6.5) and
Aarion Jackson (22-5) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
Zavier Winton added a PR mark of 195-11 to finish fifth in the men's hammer, while
Ava Dumke placed fifth in the women's javelin (138-0).
Layla Fliege recorded a PR time of 11:47.89 to finish fifth in the women's 3,000m steeplechase, and
Anna Thomason showed consistency in the heptathlon with event finishes of third in the 100m hurdles, fourth in the high jump, and second in the 200m.
Top-10 finishes were plentiful for Southeast Missouri.
Sullivan Gleason cleared 16-6 for fourth in the pole vault, while
Cole Bruenderman placed seventh in the long jump (21-7.5).
Colin Beers added a seventh-place finish in the pole vault (16-0). On the track,
Sydney Burdine ran 24.57 for sixth in the women's 200m, and
Jonas Davis took seventh in the men's 200m (21.49). In the women's steeplechase,
Claire Horstmann placed sixth in 11:55.66, and
Avery Graham added a seventh-place finish in the javelin (118-7). Madalyn Gray also turned in a strong PR performance of 4:26.88 in the women's 1500m to place fourth.
Other finishes rounded out the meet for the Redhawks.
Jackson Witvoet ran a PR time of 21.95 to finish 11th in the men's 200m, while
Alaina Lester placed 14th in the women's 200m (25.01). In the throws,
Alyssa Repke (166-6), Ellie Rhinehart (161-7),
Bailie Hux (154-4), and
Emerson Gross (154-3) finished 10th through 15th in the women's hammer. On the men's side,
Mark Goldman placed 13th in the hammer with a throw of 168-2.
The Redhawks will return to the track Saturday with evets starting at 10 a.m. with the decathlon
