SHAWNEE – The Oklahoma Baptist women's track and field team opened the 2023 outdoor season in dominating fashion, collecting 10 wins and three NCAA DII provisional marks at the OBU Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
Sophomore Kamdyn Moody won the heptathlon for the first time in her career after accumulating 4,311 points in seven events. Moody took top honors in the 200m (27.23) and shot put (10.92m, 35-10). Zoee Weaver finished runner-up with 4,165 points, while Elisabeth Jones placed third with 4,146 points.
Anisha Henderson, Emily Julian, and Jade Byrd took top honors in their respective field events. Henderson leaped 5.92m (19-5.25) in the long jump, Julian cleared 3.85m (12-11.5) in the pole vault, and Byrd posted a 45.32m (148-8) mark in the discus. Julian and Henderson met the NCAA provisional standard. Furthermore, Julian vault is the seventh-highest mark in the nation, while Henderson's ranks 10th.
Henderson also competed in the triple jump, placing third after leaping 11.05m (36-3). Byrd added a sixth-place finish in the hammer throw (42.41m, 139-2).
Freshman Jamora Horace made her outdoor debut with a second-place finish in the high jump (1.63m, 5-04.25). Flora Dupans, also competing in her first season with OBU, placed third in the shot put (12.65m-41-06) and claimed fifth in the discus with a heave of 40.16m (131-09).
Kaylen King was the first Bison to strike gold in a track event as she crossed first in the 800m with a time of 2:22.19. Freshman Lauren Crouch followed in third place at 2:24.01.
In the 3000m Steeplechase, Kayla McGruder won for the second time in her career with a time of 11:36.24.
Sophia Strange placed second in the 5000m (17:15.77), crossing ahead of teammates Olivia Lynch and Jade Robinson, who finished eighth (18:18.15) and ninth (18:20.87).
Tahlor Brown won the 100m hurdles for the second time in her career with a time of 14.81. Mary McKey and Kyndall Hicks crossed behind in second (15.05) and third (15.64).
McKey turned around and took top honors in the 400m hurdles (1:03.30), ahead of Brown, who placed runner-up with a time of 1:04.31.
Sophomore Kimberly McKinney posted a PR in the 400m (58.43), good for second place, while freshman Olivia Tate claimed second in the 200m (24.47). Tate added a fourth-place finish in the 100m (11.86) to complete her first individual outdoor performance on Bison Hill.
Highlighting the relay portion of the weekend were the 4x100 and 4x400 meter squads. Henderson, Tate, Brown, and McKey took top honors in the 4x100 (46.61), while the quartet of Brown, McKinney, Tate, and McKey finished first in the 4x400 (3:55.70). The 4x100 relay's finish met the NCAA provisional mark and is the 14th-best time in the country.
The Bison will return to action this week at Texas Relays in Austin, Texas.
