By MATTHEW VAUGHN
For the Muleskinner
(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — The Mules and Jennies track and field teams hosted their season opener Friday Jan. 22 for the UCM Invitational. Which hosted three schools from the MIAA conference including Pittsburgh State, Emporia State and Missouri S&T. UCM finished third overall. Co-head coach Kip Janvrin said for the first meet of the season both teams still have a lot of work to do.
In lane 3, senior Marquis Jones wins the 60 M dash with a
time of 6.97 seconds at the UCM Invitational on Friday, Jan 22.
“We were really rusty.” Janvrin said.
Some of the highlighted performances on the men’s side started with senior thrower Caniggia Raynor. Raynor won the weight throw with a throw of 68-foot-7.75. Junior Cole Phillips competed in the pole vault event. He finished second with a jump of 15-foot-9.
Senior Marquis Jones won the 60m dash in the men’s division and finished with a time of 6.97 seconds. Next in line from UCM was sophomore sprinter Brendan Black, who finished in third place with a time of 7.04 seconds.
The men’s 800m run went well for junior Osvaldo Granillo, who set a personal record with a time of 1:59.80 to finish in fifth place. The Mule’s distance team had a good run with three runners finishing in the top-five, separated by just 21 seconds.
It was also the first event of the year for the defending National Champion Jennies squad who had some great performances as well.
Senior All-American Heavin Warner started off well winning both the shot put and the weight throw. Her shot put throw was a personal-best of 50-feet-1.75. With her performance she was named the MIAA Athlete of the Week and has already qualified for nationals in both the shot put and the weight throw.
Junior Brittany Kallenberger had a strong performance as she won two events, including the pole vault where she won the event with a jump of 12’ 5.5” and a tied her personal best in the high jump which is a provisional qualifying mark.
The Jennies placed three freshmen in the top-five of the 3000m run. Stephanie Boan took home second; Amy Marx claimed third and Jami Clay finished fifth.
Both the Mules and Jennies teams will compete on Friday at the Pittsburgh State Invitational, the site of both the MIAA and National Indoor Championships.
