WICHITA, Kan. – Friday was an historic day for Northwestern Oklahoma State University Athletics as the women's track and field team took part in a meet for the first time as a member of the NCAA. It was the first event by a women's track and field program at Northwestern in more than 30 years.
The Northwestern athletes began their journey in Wichita as competitors in the Wichita State Invitational Friday afternoon in the Heskett Center on the WSU campus. The Rangers placed third in the meet as a team.
"We got a good start," head coach Jill Lancaster said following the meet. "There is going to be growing pains, but they competed hard for the first time in a uniform. It's time to correct what we didn't do right, but they competed, and I'll take that any day of the week."
Freshman Keiazyiah Young had a very good afternoon in multiple events, including a fourth place finish in the triple jump with a mark of 10.45 meters. The Del City, Oklahoma native also competed on the track with a time of 8.16 in the 60 meter, which was good enough to win her section going away.
Young, Megan Mayfield, Alexa Leyva and Cayla Smither teamed up in the 4x400 meter relay and made a statement in the first Ranger relay by finishing in second at 4:24.34. The team of Ladasheray Bell, Claire Theis, Journey LeBeau and Kayla Gourley closed the 4x800 meter with a third place finish.
Gina Wilson competed with Theis and Leyva in the 60-meter hurdles, finishing in consecutive order, while Smither had a top ten finish in a loaded 60-meter dash. Leyva also did work in the field events as she ended the long jump with a top ten mark.
Following a successful couple of seasons in cross country, Gourley competed in the 1-mile at the WSU Invitational and had a personal record mark of 5:52.62.
Adding to the top ten finishes are the event was Rosaria Milton. A freshman from Duncan, Oklahoma, Milton shattered her indoor PR in the shot put to finish ninth.
"We are going to review a lot of video," mentioned Lancaster. "We need to have an understanding of what to do to be prepared and I think we will improve our marks immediately. Out talent is there, we just have to learn to up our way to retrieve it."
The Northwestern athletes will look to continue to improve upon the showing they made in the opening meet next weekend when they head to Norman, Oklahoma, to compete in the UCO Broncho Invitiational. Hosted by Central Oklahoma, the meet will take place on the University of Oklahoma campus at the Mosier Indoor Track Facility.
For the latest news and updates on NWOSU Women's Track and Field, follow @NWOSUAthletics on TWITTER or visit www.riderangersride.com.
