NORMAN – The Oklahoma Baptist men's and women's track and field teams competed at the Rumble in the Jungle and JD Martin Invitationals on Friday and Saturday.
OBU recorded five top-five finishes throughout each meet, including four at the JD Martin Invitational today.
RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE INVITATIONAL
Sophomore Zoee Weaver posted the highest individual for placing for OBU with a second-place finish in the 600-yard run. She crossed the line with a time of 1:27.99.
In the 800 meter run, Kaylen King took third in 2:22.15 to chart the highest individual of her indoor career. Freshman Olivia Tate placed in the top five for a second straight meet in the 200m, finishing fifth with a time of 25.61.
Rounding out the individual notables were Sophia Strange and Kayla McGruder, who claimed fifth and sixth in the 3000m run. Stange's 10:11.85 finish and McGruder's 10:13.09 mark were personal bests.
The women's foursome of Tahlor Brown, Kimberly McKinney, Tate, and King took second place in the 4x400 relay with a season-best time of 3:57.79.
Following in third was the quartet of Weaver, Kyndall Hicks, Delaney Riekert, and Lauren Crouch with a mark of 4:05.30.
On the men's side, the 4x400 squad of Marcus Petersen, Jentezen Smith, Joshua Strauss, and Trevor Evans finished fourth after crossing at 3:21.20.
Evans added an individual finish of third in the 600 yard run (1:16.07).
In distance action, Maxamillian Wheeler won the 3000 meter run with a personal-best and meet-record time of 8:31.70. He is the second Bison to win an event in the 2023 indoor season. He was followed in fourth and third by Carson Kardokus (8:53.74) and Samuel Fantoni (8.56.17). Kardokus was also OBU's top placer in the mile run where he finished fourth with a PR of 4:15.32.
JD MARTIN INVITATIONAL
Freshman Trey Bartholomew and senior Matthew Higdon stole the show as each claimed second in their respective events. Their finishes were the highest individual placings for OBU.
Bartholomew's 2.11m (6'-11.0") leap in the men's high jump was a season-best and met the NCAA Division II provisional mark as the ninth-best mark in the country.
Higdon turned in the second-furthest heave of his indoor career with an 18.23m (59'-9.75") mark in the weight throw.
Emily Julian led the women with a third-place finish in the pole vault, claiming a mark of 3.60m (11'-9.75") among steep Division I competition.
Rounding out the top placers for the Bison was the women's 4x400 relay team of Zoee Weaver, Kaylen King, Lauren Crouch, and Lauren Lamb. The squad earned second place with a time of 4:06.63.
Oklahoma Baptist returns to action Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Wendy's Invitational hosted by Pittsburgh State University.
