Birmingham, AL – A podium finish, two school records fall and seven qualifying for event finals highlighted a successful day one for the Austin Peay State University (APSU) track and field team at the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Wednesday.
As the defending indoor champions, the Govs started off the day strong with a second-place finish by senior Denia Hill-Tate in the high jump. Hill-Tate posted a season-best mark of 1.66 meters to finish second in the indoor event for the second consecutive season. The Nashville native will now shift her focus to the outdoor season where she is the defending high jump champion.
On the track, the Govs had three qualify for the 60-meter hurdle finals Thursday with senior Lennex Walker recording the third-fastest time in the prelims at 8.90. Fellow senior Kamille Dunbar finished right behind Walker in fourth with a time of 8.84 followed by senior Camaryn McClelland in seventh with a mark of 8.87. Austin Peay is one of just two teams in the 60-meter hurdle finals to have three competitors.
Continuing its success on the track, Austin Peay senior Kyra Wilder qualified for the 60-meter dash final with a time of 7.72. The 7.72 time was the fifth-fastest time in the prelims. Senior Mikaela Smith followed with the fastest time in the 800-meter with a time of 2:13.12. Smith qualified for the 800-meter final by posting a season-best time.
It was a stellar day one at the indoor championships for junior Kenisha Phillips, qualifying for the event finals in the 400 and 200-meter dash. In the 400-meter, Phillips registered a time of 54.25 to earn the fastest time of the prelims and the third-fastest time in school history. She followed up that performance with a time of 24.00 in the 200-meter dash to lead all competitors heading into the event final Thursday. The time of 24.00 was the fastest time Phillips has run this season and the second-fastest time in school history.
Rounding out the day, the 4000-medley relay team of Mikaela Smith, Sydney Hartoin, Lauren Lewis-Hayes, and Molly Howard broke the indoor school record with a time of 12:14.16 to finish fourth in the event. The Govs broke the previous school record of 12:20.15 that was set back on Jan. 17, 2014.
After day one, the Govs are fifth in the standings with 19 points. Belmont is in the lead with 48.50 points followed by Southeast Missouri, Murray State, and Tennessee Tech.
From The Words of APSU Coach Brown
“Two school records today! These ladies did nothing less than WIN the day on day one of the championships. We have talked all season long about winning the first day of our meets because of what we knew would have to happen in order to set us up for success at the championship meet.”
Field
Long Jump
- McClleland finished 10th with a mark of 5.26 meters
- McClleland registered the mark of her third attempt
Sprints
200-meter dash
- Senior Kyra Wilder qualified for the event final with a time of 24.89
- Wilder had the seventh-fastest time in the prelims
400-meter dash
- Freshman Sydney Hartoin qualified for the event final with a time of 58.39
- Hartoin had the eighth fastest time in the prelims
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