Men's Track and Field | 2/25/2024 9:04:00 PM

February 25, 2024-Emporia State came away with two event champions and four provisional qualifiers on Sunday at the MIAA Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility in Topeka, Kan.
 
Travis Morrison started things off for the Hornets with his first MIAA Championship in the shot put.  His mark of 18.63m (61-01.50) came on his second to last throw and moved him past Missouri Southern's Cedric Pearson into first place. Morrison became just the third Hornet to eclipse the 60 foot mark in the indoor shot put, joining former national champions Al Feuerbach (61-11.25 at Oklahoma City in 1970) and Jason Stuke (62-02.50 at the MIAA Championships in 1998) with the accomplishment. He is currently ranked third in the nation in the event headed into the National Championships.   
 
Zach Sulzen-Watson also scored for Emporia State in the men's shot.  His mark of 15.55m (51-00.25) was good enough for eighth place.
 
Mele Taula would make it a sweep of the shot put for Emporia State as she took the top spot for the women.  She led from start to finish in the event and unleashed the winning throw of 14.83m (48-08.00) in the first round of the finals.  She is now ranked fourth all-time at Emporia State behind former national champions Heather Leverington (53-07.00 at the KSU All-Comers in 2001), Kathy Devine (52-02.75 at Pittsburg State in 1978) and Rachel Goetz (48-11.75 at the KSU Open in 2002). She has likely punched her ticket to the NCAA Indoor Championships as she is currently ranked #11 in the event.
 
The Hornet men picked up six points in the 60m finals on Sunday.  Ty Anderson ran another provisional qualifier of 6.82 to finish fourth while Kingsley Bennett rank 6.87 to place eighth.
 
Jack Watson turned in another provisional qualifier for Emporia State and placed sixth with a time of 48.46 in the men's 400m.
 
Watson teamed with Carter Cox, Isaac Tarango, and Jake Johnson to run a season's best and provisional qualifying time of 3:14.39 to place fifth in the 4x400m relay. It is the sixth fastest indoor 4x400m relay in Emporia State history.
 
Tyler Swift provided the other point for Emporia State. He ran 4:11.77 to place eighth in the mile in the first event of the day on the track.
 
The women's 4x400m relay team of Hollie Marlow, Mackenzie Owings, Abigael Reid, and Clarice Nichols just missed scoring for Emporia State. They ran a season's best 4:00.17 to place ninth.
 
The Emporia State men scored 42 points to place eighth in the team standings. It matches their best team finish since 2021.  The women had ten points and finished in 12th place.
 
The Hornets will now wait until Tuesday to find out who has qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.  The field will be announced on February 27 at 5:00 p.m.  Emporia State currently has a total of 12 provisional qualifiers, however only two Morrison and Taula are ranked in the top 16 nationally.
 
NOTES:
Emporia State's Jack Watson was named the MIAA "A Game" Scholar Athlete for the 2024 Indoor Track & Field Season.
 
 

ESU Men's Results
60m
4 Ty Anderson	6.82 – P
8 Kingsley Bennett	6.87
400m
6 Jack Watson	48.46
Mile
8 Tyler Swift	4:11.77
16 Luke Gleason	4:21.98
3000m
22 Caleb Liermann	9:22.91
4x400m Relay
5 Emporia State	3:14.39 – P
Carter Cox, Jack Watson, Isaac Tarango, Jake Johnson
Pole Vault
11 Max Neeley	4.67m (15-03.75)
18 Coby Smith	4.52m (14-10.00)
20 Aaron Hunt	4.37m (14-04.00)
Shot Put
1 Travis Morrison	18.63m (61-01.50) – P
8 Zach Sulzen-Watson	15.55m (51-00.25)
11 Will Herren	14.46m (47-05.25)
Triple Jump
14 Josiah Driggers	13.93m (45-06.50)
Men's Team Scores
1 Pittsburg State	212
2 Missouri Southern	83
3 Northwest Missouri	75.5
4 Fort Hays State	64
5 Central Missouri	59
6 Neb.-Kearney	53.5
7 Washburn	47
8 EMPORIA STATE	42
9 Lincoln	36
10 Missouri Western	23
11 Rogers State	2
ESU Women's Results
Mile
20 Catherine Lyon	5:39.05
3000m
20 Tayler Williams	11:10.36
4x400m Relay
9 Emporia State	4:00.17
Hollie Marlow, Mackenzie Owings, Abigael Reid, Clarice Nichols
Pole Vault
11 Mia Manley	3.49m (11-05.25)
Triple Jump
12 Jayda Harris	10.97m (46-00.00)
14 Ashley Cookson	10.91m (35-09.50)
17 Renee Nichol	10.20m (33-05.75)
Shot Put
1 Mele Taula	14.83m (48-08.00) – P
13 Emma Seidl	12.62m (41-05.00)
14 Tailynn Buettgenbach	11.57m (37-11.50)
Women's Team Scores
1 Pittsburg State	221
2 Northwest Missouri	108
3 Fort Hays State	62
4 Washburn	58
5 Missouri Southern	57
6 Central Missouri	50
7 Lincoln	49
8 Neb.-Kearney	29
9 Central Oklahoma	25
10 Missouri Western	18
11 Rogers State	15
12 EMPORIA STATE	10