DAY 1 STORY
DAY 2 STORY
MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Morehead State track and field team completed its most successful Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 15 years on Saturday. The Eagle men and women combined to total 38 points and score in eight events at the three-day event held at the Abe Stuber Track & Field Complex at Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
On the weekend, MSU also broke three school records, recorded at least nine top-five all-time performances and notched 17 "pr's" (out of 35 entries). The Blue and Gold's points last equaled that of the 2011 teams.
"Thats the most points we've scored combined in my entire time at MSU. I think you have to go back to 2011 to see more and … (in) those days the men's OVC only had about five teams, so points were easier to come by," Morehead State coach
Clay Dixon said. "One gold, two silver and 13 different individuals helped score points this week. It was the closest we've ever had as a (total) team effort in years."
The most significant individual achievement came from senior
Lucy Singleton, who won the 1,500-meter run to become the school's first OVC outdoor champion since Justin Moakler captured the 1,500m title in 2019 and then placed second in the 800-meter run, both of which came on Saturday. In the process, she eclipsed her own school record in the 1,500m. They were her seventh and eighth career podium finishes at the meet.
The 1,500m race came first.
After sitting in the middle of the field of 12 for the first two laps, Singleton broke free from the pack before settling in with the top seven on lap three. She gradually moved up on the final lap and was in second with 300 meters to go. She drew within six to seven meters of the leader, Tennessee Tech's Naomy Lokiles, as the pair entered the home stretch, eventually running her down over the final 100 meters and edging her at the line.
"I wanted to stay controlled and sit in a good position and react when the front pack started to take off," she said. "With about 600 meters to go a separation started and I just told myself to stay attached. The Tennessee Tech girl really took off with 300 meters (to go) and I just kept telling myself to hang on. The last 100 meters I just gave it all I had and was able to edge her out!"
After she finished, her initial reaction was disbelief.
"The competition had gotten a lot more competitive since indoor (season) and I didn't feel 100 percent going in because of racing previously," she said. "So, I knew winning was possible, but the (field) was a lot more competitive, which made it seem a little more out of reach. When I crossed the line, my first thought was definitely, 'did I do it?' And when I realized I did, I was so excited."
For the third time in her career, she broke her own school record, being clocked in 4:30.98. Her previous "pr" was 4:32.28. Lokiles finished in second in 4:31.09.
Singleton was not the only Eagle in the event. Junior
Kaylyn Holman ran with lead pack for most of the race before finishing in eighth in 4:39.68. Singleton was seeded fifth, while Holman was ranked 10th.
"Lucy and Kaylyn in the 1,500m was great. The plan was to sit back in the mid-pack the first 800 (meters) and to get in a striking position with 700 (meters) to go. Lucy was around third to fourth at that point and Kaylyn was in that seventh to ninth mix," Dixon said. "The race really opened up when Tech went for it with about 500-600 (meters) to go. Lucy stayed calm and slowly worked her way into position. I remember (with) 300 (meters) to go telling Lucy she could still get the Tech girl when she had about a five-meter gap on her. She just kept closing and at 90 meters out, she drew even.
"It was a great battle and this was the strongest 1,500m field in a while for the OVC," Dixon added. "Kaylyn worked her way up and snuck away with an eighth-place finish. She really has had a great season."
Singleton returned for the finals of the 800-meter run. After struggling through Friday's prelims and qualifying sixth, she bounced back on Saturday by placing second in 2:14.59. She was seeded fourth. It was the second OVC outdoor 800m of her career. She finished seventh in 2023 (2:18.15).
"The 800m was essentially the same idea," she said comparing strategies with the 1,500m. "I ended up leading the first part but sat in a comfortable position mid-race so I could kick at the end. With 200 meters to go, I kicked what I had left and was able to get the silver!"
"Lucy doubled back for the 800m and she wanted to go race but also keep it relaxed. She had a good position and really turned on the jets with 200 (meters) to go. She picked off that USI girl in the last 100 (meters) and got the silver," Dixon said.
"(The) first thing I told her (at the finish) was, 'That's a Hall of Fame career'," he added. "Two golds, one silver, two bronzes and improvements in each 1,500m final of her career. (It's) almost perfect if you think about it."
The pair were just two of many MSU standouts on Saturday.
After having to wait an extra day to compete due to the weather, sophomore
Ginger Hayden broke the school record in the triple jump and set a six-inch "pr" in the long jump. Hayden started the day with the long jump by registering a mark of 5.34m/17'06.25" on her final attempt to secure 13th place. She entered the competition seeded 29th with a top distance of 5.07m/16'07.75" this year and a career best of 5.19m/17'00.25" set last April at Eastern Kentucky.
"Ginger started the day off with a 'pr' in the long jump. That helped set the tone for the day," Dixon said.
Hayden returned three hours later, a stretch that included a stint running a leg of the 4x100-meter relay in between, to place 12th in the triple jump, clearing 11.10m/36'05.00" on her second attempt. That leap improved on her previous season best of 10.53m/34'06.75" and career "pr" of 10.79m/35'05.00" to set a new school record, breaking the old mark of 36'03.04" set by Linda Dixon in 2012.
"At this point the team was pretty ecstatic and just kept that momentum going," Dixon said. "Ginger went out and broke the school record in the triple jump. She's a talented girl and a joy to have on the team."
With the maximum number of entries, the Eagles had another large contingent in the 5,000-meter run.
"The 5K's had similar strategies. I figured with the heat that it would break into two packs. The first pack with people who have not raced all week and want gold. The second pack the people going for fifth to 10th places," Dixon said.
Fifth-year
Jacob Vogelpohl capped off his distinguished career with a fifth-place finish in 15:00.10, a drop of more than 19 seconds off his previous "pr". Vogelpohl entered the race seeded 22nd and placed 14th last spring. It was his highest career OVC finish.
Freshman
Ryan Richendollar was 13th in 15:34.66, with fifth-year
Wes Grogan in 22nd in 16:37.74 and sophomore
Aidan Whitsell in 23rd in 16:48.04. All four finished higher than his seeding.
"Both races went out a little faster than expected but Jacob really settled in and let the ones who went out too aggressive come back to him," Dixon said. "He just kept picking guys off and his superior endurance really showed. He just barely missed the sub-15(-minute mark) but a 'pr' and points in the 5K really top his career.
"Ryan looked good as well. He will continue to develop into an athlete (over) these next few years," he added.
Freshman
Meredith Campbell led the way for the women by placing 12th in 18:23.30. It was a 'pr' by about two and a half seconds. She entered the race seeded 27th.
Junior
Abby Taylor finished 20th in 19:07.33. She was ranked 32nd. Sophomore
Taylor Allen and redshirt sophomore
Christiana Brittian both withdrew during the race.
"Meredith and Abby went with the group," Dixon said. "Everyone faded in the women's 5K field due to the fast pace. So, it was a survival race at that point. Meredith held on for a 'pr' to top off her great freshman year."
The Eagles also had tremendous success with their four relays. The men's 4x100m foursome of sophomore
Cade Sullivan, freshman
Mark Whitener, sophomore
Derril Carr and freshman
Tate Glass covered the course in 42.90 to score points for the Blue and Gold in that event for the first time since 2011 and in the process blow the doors off their previous "pr" of 45.01. It is likely the fastest an Eagle 4x100m men's team has run in decades.
With a makeshift lineup due to a last-minute replacement of Hayden running the first relay of her collegiate career, the women's 4x100m combination of freshman
Aaliyah Rodgers, freshman
Maryah Counts, freshman
Olivia Miles and Hayden also bettered their previous top time of 50.11 to place eighth in 49.43. It marked the first time MSU scored in a women's sprint relay since placing sixth in 2011.
"The 4x1s looked decent. They both had season bests and (the) women were actually getting close to that school record," Dixon said. "Scoring points with both relays is huge for the young sprints program."
Already on a high entering the final event, Dixon summarized the team's mental state.
"At this point, the only thing that we could hope for to make it a perfect weekend would be points for both 4x4s and a school record in the women's 4x4," he said.
The men's 4x400m of Carr, freshman
Carter Hurley, Sullivan and Glass also dropped significant time off their "pr" after cruising to a victory in their heat and placing seventh overall in 3:25.84. It was exactly six seconds faster than their qualifying time.
"(The) men looked great. Derril set it up and we had it at that point," Dixon said. "Everyone ran their best splits and that was the fastest 4x4 relay we have had in my entire time at Morehead as a coach or athlete."
The day ended with a third school record, this time set by the women's 4x400m quartet of Rodgers, Counts, Holman and Miles, which were timed in 3:57.80 and finished in 10th. It bettered both the 2019 school record of 3:58.84 and their previous "pr" of 4:03.75.
"The girls were locked in. They dropped some great splits and it was a battle to the line," Dixon said. "We missed points by less than a half second but it was the fastest women's 4x4 in school history. (I'm) really proud of those girls."
Southeast Missouri swept the team titles, defending the women's crown, while returning to the top on the men's side after Little Rock claimed it in 2024.
The Redhawk women collected 191 points to easy out-distance themselves from runner-up Little Rock, which finished with 123 points. Eastern Illinois was third with 92 points, followed by Tennessee State and SIU Edwardsville tying for fourth with 72 points. Lindenwood was fifth with 63 points, followed by Southern Indiana with 59 points, Tennessee Tech with 44 points, UT Martin with 38 points, Western Illinois with 37 points and Morehead State with 28 points.
It marked the third straight year that MSU's women outscored the men.
Southeast Missouri captured the men's title with 216.5 points. Little Rock was second with 164.5 points. Eastern Illinois was third with 157 points, Tennessee State was fourth with 78.5 points, SIUE was fifth with 59.5 points, UT Martin was sixth with 52 points, Western Illinois was seventh with 48 points, Southern Indiana was eighth with 31 points and the Eagles claimed ninth with 10 points. Lindenwood and Tennessee Tech do not field men's teams.
"Everything went how we had planned leading up (to the meet). It was great competition and I'm glad to have come away with gold and silver!" Singleton added. "(I'm) super proud of all (the) team. We had a lot of standout performances: Kaylyn scoring in the 1,500m, Ginger breaking the triple jump school record and the 4x4(00m relay) breaking the school record! (It was a) great weekend for sure and great way to end my time at Morehead (State)!"
The league presented its awards at a ceremony at the conclusion of the meet. The winners were:
OVC Female Track Athlete of the Year: Sa'Nijah Houston, Lindenwood
OVC Female Field Athlete of the Year: Anna Thomason, Southeast Missouri
OVC Female Freshman of the Year: Hadessah Austin, Southern Indiana
OVC Women's Coach of the Year: Eric Crumpecker, Southeast Missouri
OVC Female Athlete of the Championship: Anna Thomason, Southeast Missouri
OVC Male Track Athlete of the Year: Tyler Moore, Little Rock
OVC Male Field Athlete of the Year: Paden Lewis, Southeast Missouri
OVC Male Freshman of the Year: Marcellous Harris, Little Rock
OVC Men's Coach of the Year: Eric Crumpecker, Southeast Missouri
OVC Male Athlete of the Championship: Paden Lewis, Southeast Missouri
