PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Oklahoma Baptist women's track and field opened its 2023-23 indoor at Pittsburg's State Boo Rogers and Crimson and Gold Invitational over the weekend.
BOO ROGERS COMBINED EVENTS
Corban University transfer Valerie Olson racked up 3,393 points and placed 11th in the Pentathlon, competing as the lone Bison. It is the most points accumulated by an OBU female athlete in the Division II era and the most since Elizabeth Dadzie compiled 3,594 points in the 2014 UCMO Mule Relays.
Olson earned two top-10 finishes, a seventh-place nod in the shot put (10.53m, 34-6.75) and a ninth-place finish in the long jump (5.37m, 17-7.5).
CRIMSON AND GOLD INVITATIONAL
Sophia Strange ran a personal best time of 16:55.43 in Saturday's 5000m run, which finished fourth among 45 participants.
The mark nearly broke OBU's DII indoor record of 16:54.81, which was set by Abby Hoover in 2018.
Mississippi College transfer Kelechi Christian placed eighth in the 200m dash with a time of 24.92, her inaugural race on Bison Hill. Freshman De'ja Rose trailed in 21st at 25.81.
Sophomore Olivia Tate placed second in her heat of the 60m dash with the 11th-best mark (7.66) of 101 runners. Christian followed in 14th at 7.67.
Sophomore Jamora Horace leaped to a seventh-place finish in the high jump, clearing 1.58m (5-2.25). Horace added a 16th-place nod in the triple jump with a personal-best mark of 10.63m (34-10.5).
Anisha Henderson recorded two top-10 finishes in the triple jump and long jump. Henderson posted the eighth-furthest leap in the triple jump (11.17m, 36-7.75) and the 10th-best mark in the long jump (5.55m, 18-2.5).
Concluding the notable field participants was Jade Byrd's 10th-place finish in the weight throw. Byrd registered a heave of 15.68m (51-5.5).
NCAA DIVISION II QUALIFYING MARKS
Sophia Strange: 16:55.43 (5000m) - 20th in DII
Valerie Olson: 3,393 points (Pentathlon) - 22nd in DII
NEXT UP
Oklahoma Baptist returns to Pittsburg State on Jan. 19 for the Rumble in the Jungle Invitational.
