MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Morehead State men's and women's indoor track and field teams will make their final appearance before the Ohio Valley Conference Championships when the Blue and Gold compete at the two-day Marshall Jewel City Invitational beginning Friday at the Jeff Small Track in the Chris Cline Indoor Athletics Complex in Huntington, W.Va. Marshall is the host school.
It is the fifth consecutive year the Eagles will participate in the meet, which previously was known as the Marshall Invitational, and is the third time this winter the squad will compete at Marshall.
Last year, the Eagles set a school record, claimed both heat and event winners, and had nearly 60 percent of the team set personal or season's bests.
This weekend's event is not expected to be scored.
In addition to the Eagles and the host Thundering Herd, 16 other schools are slated to participate. The group includes Charleston (W.Va.), Bluefield State (W.Va.), West Virginia Tech, Concord (W.Va.), Glenville State (W.Va.), Georgetown (Ky.), Rio Grande (Ohio), Davis & Elkins (W.Va.), Pikeville (Ky.), Wittenburg (Ohio), Kentucky Christian, West Virginia Wesleyan, Ohio, Miami (Ohio), Northern Kentucky and West Virginia State.
Competition begins on Friday with the women's weight throw, women's high jump, men's long jump and women's pole vault at 5 p.m. The opening day will feature 10 events with the 5,000-meter run as the lone contest on the track. On Saturday, action begins at 11 a.m. with the women's shot put and the men's triple jump, followed by the women's 60-meter hurdles at noon. Marshall will host its Senior Day festivities at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
MSU coach
Clay Dixon will send 40 athletes to compete 65 times in 15 events.
"The team is excited and we should have some good opportunities to compete well," he said. "Some are a little tired from racing three weeks in a row or because they will be doubling or tripling (events), but that will be a good replication of how conference will feel."
The Eagles are entered in three events on Friday, the women's long jump at 5 p.m., the women's 5,000-meter run at 8 p.m. and the men's 5,000-meter run at 8:30 p.m.
Junior
Ginger Hayden, sophomore
Brooklyn Boyce and freshman
Kalynn Pease will represent the team in the long jump. Hayden has competed in the meet in each of the last two years. In 2025, she finished eighth in 4.98m/16'04.25". In 2024, she placed 10th in 5.08m/16'08.00". Last week at Louisville, she was 42nd collegiately in 5.25m/17'02.75". Her "pr" is 5.34m/17'06.25", which she has achieved twice, including at the season-opening Marshall Opener.
Pease has jumped twice this season, including taking second at the Marshall Opener in December with a school record of 19'04.00"/5.89m. Last weekend at Louisville, she was eighth collegiately in 18'08.75"/5.71m.
Boyce set her "pr" with a top mark of 5.21m/17'01.25" and placed 46th (overall) and 43rd (collegiately) last week. She did not jump at last year's meet.
There will be three flights of long jump. Boyce and Hayden are in the second group, with Pease in the third. Fifty-one athletes are entered.
Morehead State will have eight individuals in the 5,000m, including senior
Abby Taylor, who will be the lone woman. It will be the first 5K this season for all eight.
Taylor last raced in the event at the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships last spring. Her most recent competition was at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational, where she completed the 3,000-meter run in a season-best 10:44.84. She set her "pr" of 18:19.70 at the 2025 OVC Indoor Championships.
In 2024, she was fifth in the 5K in 18:46.79. In 2025 and 2023, she ran the mile.
Graduate student
Aidan Massey; juniors
Keghan Thompson and
Aidan Whitsell; sophomores
AJ Hawkins,
Brody Coleman and
Ryan Richendollar; and freshman
Lance Garner will toe the line for the Blue and Gold men.
The only one of the group to have competed in the event at last year's meet was Whitsell, who was 12th in 16:20.94. In 2025's Marshall Invitational, Thompson (seventh in 9:13.36) and Coleman (eighth in 9:15.19) both ran the 3,000m. In 2024, Thompson was 15th in the 5K in 15:58.35.
Richendollar's "pr" is 15:09.14, Massey's is 15:10.90, Hawkins' is 15:30.40, Whitsell's is 15:36.66, Coleman's is 15:47.90 and Thompson's is 15:54.12.
Last week, Massey, Richendollar, Whitsell and Garner all ran the 3,000m. Coleman and Thompson last competed on January 23rd at the PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic. Both were in the 3,000m.
There will be two heats for the men. Hawkins, Massey, Richendollar and Whitsell are in the first section. Coleman, Garner and Thompson are in the second. A total of 29 entries will be in the men's competition. There is just one heat and 18 runners for the women.
The bulk of the Eagles will be in action on Saturday.
The first competitor will be Hayden in the triple jump. The event does not have a start time. It will begin after the conclusion of the 11 a.m. men's competition, likely around 12:30 p.m. There is only one flight.
Hayden did her first triple jump last weekend at Louisville, where she was 24th collegiately with the second-longest distance of her career at 10.91m/35'09.50". She holds the school record with a "pr" of 11.10m/36'05.00". In 2024, she finished fourth at the meet in 10.79m/35'05.00".
The first event on the track will be the 60-meter dash at 12:20 p.m. MSU's representatives will be Boyce, junior
Cheyenne Stark and freshman
Ava Claggett. All three have had limited experience in the event.
Boyce has "pr" of 8.20, which came in her only collegiate 60m to date at the PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic. Claggett has a "pr" of 8.25, which she got in her only previous race at the Marshall Alumni Classic. Stark's "pr" is an 8.53, which she accomplished at the Marshall Opener. In Stark's other 60m attempt, she had a false start.
Boyce is in heat one, Stark is in heat three and Claggett is in heat five. There are 62 total competitors.
The men's event begins at 12:30 p.m. Junior
Derril Carr, sophomore
Tate Glass and freshman
Sam Afari are all entered.
Carr is by far the most experienced of the group. His best effort this season came two weeks ago at Bellarmine, where he was 18th collegiately in 7.37. He also competed at the Marshall Invitational in 2024, finishing 15th overall in 7.36. His "pr" is 7.18.
Afari's lone previous race came last week at Louisville, where he was 43rd collegiately in 7.06. Likewise, Glass has only competed in the event once. He was 14th at the Marshall Opener in 7.29.
Carr is in heat one, Afari is in heat six, Glass is in heat 10. There are 76 competitors spread out over 10 sections.
The women's mile begins at 12:45 p.m. For the first time this season, senior
Kaylyn Holman will attempt the mile/800-meter run double, a combination she is likely to pursue at the OVC Championships. In each of the last two weeks, she has excelled in the former event, notching a "pr" two weeks ago with a 5:09.80 and placing ninth overall. At Louisville's meet, she finished in 5:10.63 for 51st overall.
Last year, she also ran the double, covering the mile course in 5:21.79 for 12th overall and the 800m event in 2:27.23 for 17th overall. In 2024, she was 15th overall in the mile in 5:46.00 and in 2023, she was 31st overall in 6:09.60.
Juniors
Lani Baskett and
Adi Fuller, plus freshman
Addison Hill are also entered. Baskett ran the mile last week and finished 90th overall in 5:37.57. In previous Marshall Invitationals, she participated in the 800m and 3,000m. Her "pr" is 5:34.97. Fuller was 38th overall in 5:37.32 last week. It was her lone mile race of her MSU career. She has a "pr" of 5:26.32, which she set competing for Vincennes (Ind.). Hill has only run one indoor race this winter, the 3,000m at the Marshall Alumni Classic.
Holman is in heat one, Baskett and Fuller are in heat two, and Hill is in heat four. There are 43 total entrants.
The men's mile will begin at 1 p.m. and include 50 athletes. Juniors
Brady Baker and
Garrett West, sophomores
Preston Glassco and
Carter Lamb, and freshman
Josh Arnett are MSU's representatives.
Arnett has run the mile three times this season, including in each of the last two weeks, while also improving in each race. Last weekend, he was 63rd overall in 4:19.39, his "pr".
Baker's "pr" is 4:37.47, which he achieved two weeks ago, when he finished 54th overall. In previous years of the meet, he ran the 400-meter dash and was a member of the 4x400-meter relay team in 2025, and the 800m in 2024.
West has a "pr" of 4:33.66. He has run the event twice this year, with a season best of 4:54.24. In two previous versions of the meet, he was 13th overall in the mile in 4:33.66 in 2024. He has also run the 400m (2024), and 800m and 4x400m (2025).
Glassco ran the mile two weeks ago at Bellarmine and set a "pr" of 4:44.81, placing 57th overall. It was his only collegiate effort to date. He did not compete in the 2025 indoor season.
Lamb has run the mile twice this season, setting his "pr" at the Marshall Alumni Classic. There, he finished in 4:36.66 and in 14th place overall. At last year's Marshall Invitational, he competed in the 800m and 4x400m relay.
Arnett will be in heat two. Baker, Glassco, Lamb and West are all in heat three.
MSU will have no entries in the women's 400m. However, for the men's race, Afari; and freshmen
Luke Kelly,
Jayce Stewart and
Kyler Witt are all expected to toe the line. The start time is 1:40 p.m.
Afari owns the fourth-fastest 400m in school history. His top time is 49.57, which came at the Bellarmine meet, when he was second. It was his only 400m this season. Kelly has yet to run an 400m in college, although he has competed in the 4x400m relay. Stewart has only competed in the 400m and 4x400m this year. His "pr" came two weeks ago at Bellarmine, when he was 17th overall in 52.51. Witt has only run the 400m once, finishing 18th overall in 52.72. Like the others, most of his 400m experience has come in the relays.
There will be 11 heats and 55 entries. Afari will be in heat three. Kelly, Stewart and Witt will be in heat nine.
The Eagles will take a break for the hurdle finals and compete next in the 60m finals if anyone qualifies. The latter two races will be held at 2:10 p.m. (men) and 2:15 p.m. (women).
The team returns for the 800m. The women's race will start at 2:25 p.m., with the men at 2:35 p.m.
MSU has its largest number of entries in this event. The women will include senior
Casey Skaggs; junior
Emily Spradlin; freshmen
Sydney Filippazzo and
Peyton Lunsford; plus Baskett, Fuller and Holman.
Holman has the top overall time of the Eagle entries. She ranks both seventh in the OVC and seventh all-time at MSU. Her "pr" is 2:17.04. Last week, she was 30th overall in 2:19.75. In her only previous 800m at the meet, she was 17th overall in 2:27.23 in 2025.
Fuller ran the 800m last week and finished 71st overall in 2:32.19. Her "pr" is 2:26.86. Baskett has yet to run the event this season. Last winter, she was 21st overall in 2:35.72. As a freshman, she ran the 3K. Her 800m "pr" is 2:35.39.
Spradlin has become an 800m specialist this year, having run the event in all four meets to date. Her best overall performance came at the Marshall Alumni Classic, where she was ninth overall in a "pr" of 2:31.06. At last year's meet, she was 24th in 2:43.07. In 2024, she was 25th overall in 2:38.64.
Filippazzo has run the mile in the last three meets. This will be her first 800m. Lunsford ran the 800m at Bellarmine for the first time and set a "pr" of 2:44.29.
Skaggs ran the event once this year and finished 29th overall in 2:59.91 at the Marshall Alumni Classic. In 2025, she was 27th overall at the Marshall Invitational in 3:00.62. It was her only previous appearance at the meet. Her "pr" is 2:52.27.
There are four hits with a total of 59 entries. Holman will be in heat two. Fuller, Filippazzo, Spradlin and Baskett are in heat three. Lunsford and Skaggs are in heat four.
The men's race will include sophomores
Weston Blair and
Liam Parido; freshman
Jesus Mendoza-Solis; as well as Baker, Lamb and Arnett. Only Blair and Mendoza-Solis have competed in the event this year.
Blair has the top overall time with a "pr" of 1:55.06, set last week at Louisville. There he finished 33rd overall. The week before, he was seventh overall in 1:55.73. In 2025, he was eighth overall in 1:58.43. Mendoza-Solis was 71st overall last week in his "pr" of 2:01.09. The week prior, he was 23rd overall in 2:02.43.
Last year, Parido was ninth in 1:58.94, Lamb was 10th in 1:59.89 and Baker was 13th in 2:01.83. Parido's "pr" is 1:58.43, Lamb's "pr" is 1:59.70 and Baker's "pr" is 2:00.22.
A total of 64 individuals will compete. Arnett, Blair, Lamb and Parido are in heat two. Baker and Mendoza-Solis are in heat three.
The women's 200-meter dash begins at 2:50 p.m. Claggett, Stark, sophomores
Maryah Counts and
Olivia Miles, and freshman
Kennedi Alford will be MSU's entries.
Stark is making her third appearance at the meet. Last year, she was 20th in 27.94 and in 2024, she was 45th in 29.19. This year, she has run the event twice, with a top time of 27.15 at the Marshall Opener. It is her "pr".
For the first time this year, Alford is not running the 60m. However, she is equally as dangerous in the 200m, where she ranks second in both the conference and in MSU history. She has run the event the last two weeks, winning it at Bellarmine in a "pr" of 24.79 and placing ninth overall in 25.04 at Louisville.
Miles has only run the event once this year, placing 19th overall in 27:45 at the Marshall Opener. She did not participate in the meet last year. Her "pr" is 26.68.
Counts has competed in the event twice this winter, with her "pr" of 26.36 coming at the Marshall Opener. She also ran it at Bellarmine, where she was 10th overall in 26.45. She did not compete indoors last year.
Claggett ran the 200m at the Marshall Opener, where she finished 14th overall in 26.73.
A total of 60 athletes will toe the starting line. Alford will go first in heat two, followed by Counts in heat seven, Claggett and Miles in heat eight, and Stark in heat nine.
The men's race will begin at 3:10 p.m. It will include Carr, Glass, Kelly, Witt and freshman
Kyle Stepteau.
Stepteau has run the event twice this year. Last week, he was 35th overall in 22.60. The week before, he was third overall with a "pr" of 22.29. Kelly has run the event in back-to-back weeks, finishing 48th overall in 22.95. Prior to that, he was ninth overall in a "pr" of 22.88. Glass has only run the distance once this year, placing 16th overall two weeks ago in 23.69. His "pr" is 22.90. At last year's meet, he ran the 400 and the 4x400m relay. Witt has run the 200m once this year, the Marshall Alumni Classic, where he set his "pr" of 23.49. Carr has not run the race this winter. Two years ago, he was 15th in 23.45. His "pr" is 22.75.
There are 74 individuals racing. Stepteau is in heat four. Glass, Kelly and Carr are in heat seven. Witt is in heat 11.
Sophomore
Meredith Campbell is the lone entrant in the women's 3,000-meter run, which will take place at 3:30 p.m. She has raced the event only once this winter. Her "pr" is 10:13.50, which she achieved at last year's meet that she won. There are 35 runners in the race, with Campbell in heat one.
MSU will not have entries in the next two events, the men's 3,000m and the women's 4x400m relay. The Eagles return with two sets of competitors in the men's 4x400m at 4:10 p.m. There are 14 total entries.
Both the first group of Carr, Glass, Stewart and Witt; and the foursome of Blair, Mendoza-Solis, Parido and Baker are in heat three. Neither has competed as a unit this year. Last winter, MSU's two entries, one that included Blair, finished third; and another that included Glass and Parido, tied for fifth.
Live results for the meet can be found at the link:
https://kvtfoa.anet.live/meets/60256.
The Eagles will return for the OVC Championships on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 24-25 at Louisville's Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center.
