By Eric Scott
Athletic Communications
Northwestern Oklahoma State University track and field set the bar for future Ranger athletes Saturday as the Rangers competed in the first ever Great American Conference Indoor Championships. The event was held inside the Mosier Indoor Facility on the campus on the University of Oklahoma.
With a winning distance of 11.25 meters, Cayla Smither leapt past teammate Keiazyiah Young who finished with a distance of 11.17 meters. Both athletes became the first ever First Team All-GAC recipients in the triple jump.
Smither and Young both finished with two All-GAC honors. Young closed the long jump on Saturday with a fourth place 4.99 meters for Second Team All-GAC, just .02 meters outside of a First Team spot. Smither finished Second Team All-GAC after a seventh place finish in the high jump.
“We have the triple jump champion as well as the runner-up and are very fortunate in our first season,” said Lancaster. “We’ve learned a lot and feel good going into the outdoor season. It’s an exciting time to be a Ranger!”
Athletes who finish their respective events first to third are named First Team All-Conference and fourth through sixth were named Second Team All-GAC. Smither’s high jump was the sixth best mark in among GAC participants, as the event winner was competing unattached from the conference meet.
Young also finished just outside of All-Conference marks in the 60-meter dash with an eighth place finish at 8.06 seconds.
The 4×400 meter relay team of Megan Mayfield, Ladasheray Bell, Journey LeBeau and Lashayla Green made a showing with a Second Team All-Conference finish as they place fifth in the event. It was a great success for the relay team as they team was changed up due to a conflict with the triple jump.
A few events were held Friday evening, including the 5000 meter run.
Kayla Gourley finished crossed the finish line at the 20:01.23 mark, shattering her previous personal record in the 5K by 52 seconds. Gourley also set a PR in the 3000 meter run.
“It’s hard for me to put into words how proud I am of Kayla this weekend,” said associate head coach Brock Hime. “She stepped up and set two PR’s in the longest races of the meet.”
Adding a top ten victory Saturday afternoon was Alexa Leyva in the long jump as he went for a distance of 4.75 meters. Rayna Patton also closed the shot put in the top ten with an eighth place mark of 10.99 meters and Jenny Martinez finished the same event in tenth place after toss 10.53 meters.
Other top ten finishers include Kelsey Swindle (11.36 meters) in the weight throw and Claire Theis with 2,149 points in the pentathlon.
“The weight throw went great individually with five athletes setting new PR’s,” mentioned Lancaster as the conclusion of the meet. “Rayna set a huge PR to make the finals, Smither utilized her talents to open the second day by scoring in the high jump and Keke Young continues to improve in the 60-meter dash by making the finals and setting a PR along the way.”