MARYVILLE, Mo. -- The John Brown University track and field team showcased its depth and progression at the Northwest Missouri State Bearcat Invitational this past weekend (Feb. 7-8), delivering multiple season-best performances inside the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse.
"This marks the end of the indoor season for most of our distance team," assistant coach Ben Ledbetter noted. "I'm incredibly proud of how we finished, with so many personal bests and season bests."
In the sprints, senior Andrew Morton led the men's efforts, placing 15th in the 60 meters with a season-best time of 6.91 seconds, tying his own program record. He also finished 17th in the 200 meters in 22.31 seconds. Sophomore Chase Stone ran 7.28 seconds in the 60 meters, placing 75th, and added a 54th-place finish in the 200 meters at 23.40 seconds. On the women's side, sophomore Emma Morton recorded a program record time in the 400 meters, finishing 20th in 1:01.95, and placed 38th in the 200 meters (27.81). Junior Nikki Basye hit a new season-best time of 9.25 in the 60 meters (75th) and later set another season-best mark in the 60-meter hurdles, finishing 27th in 11.25 seconds.
JBU's middle-distance squad had strong performances highlighted by freshman Anna Keys, who ran a new program record time of 2:23.56 in the 800 meters, finishing 24th. She later placed 16th in the mile, clocking a season-best 5:20.69. In her first indoor season, Keys continues to drop time and gain confidence with smart, aggressive racing. Junior Emma Morton, a middle-distance specialist, placed 37th in the 800 meters (2:30.29) and 34th in the mile (5:39.81). Senior Mikey Duncan followed in 35th in the mile (5:41.54) and 28th in the 800 meters (2:26.35), setting season-bests in both races – proof that persistence and optimism are paying off. Freshmen Hannah Foster (50th, 2:43.60) and sophomore Hannah Hawk (54th, 2:54.82) rounded out JBU's women's 800-meter entries.
The distance events saw standout performances, including multiple season-best marks. Senior Emma Brown placed 20th in the 5,000 meters, recording a new season-best time of 19:21.34. Brown began her college career as a 24-minute, 15-second 5,000-meter runner, making her performance at the Bearcat Invite – nearly five minutes faster – a testament to her incredible development. Freshman Sam Burkett led the men's team with a 21st-place finish in the 3,000 meters, setting a new season-best mark of 8:58.85, and a 32nd-place run in the mile (4:32.04). His 3,000-meter time came within four seconds of the program record, an impressive result for a freshman. Senior Josiah Petak placed 23rd in the 5,000 meters, running a new season-best time of 15:38.93, while sophomore Zach Briscoe (33rd, 15:57.20) and sophomore Caleb Freeman (51st, 16:50.74) followed.
Other notable efforts included freshman Paige Andrews (29th, 20:32.06 in the 5,000 meters) and senior Olivia Scates (28th, 12:25.90 in the 3,000 meters). Junior Naia Shepherd competed in both the 3,000 meters (30th, 12:43.29) and 5,000 meters (35th, 22:33.02), while freshman Adelyn Janssen finished 33rd in the 3,000 meters (13:17.61). On the men's side, sophomore Henry Zedler (50th, 4:41.82), freshman Gabriel Pelkey (51st, 4:42.17), and freshman Justin Akers (58th, 4:51.73) clocked times in the mile.
In the field events, freshman Benjamin Coker placed 17th in the long jump, recording a best mark of 6.44 meters (21 feet, 1.5 inches). In the throws, senior Evie Scoles finished 12th in the shot put with a best effort of 12.54 meters (41 feet, 1.75 inches). She also threw in the weight throw, placing 38th with a best mark of 12.49 meters (40 feet, 11.75 inches).
The Golden Eagles wrap up the 2025 indoor season with one more chance to qualify individuals for the 2025 NAIA National Indoor Track and Field Championships when John Brown competes at the Pittsburg State (Kan.) Russ Jewett Indoor Gorilla Classic on February 14 inside the Plaster Center. The NAIA championships are scheduled for Feb. 27 through March 1 in Gainesville, Fla.
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