PITTSBURG, Kan. - Midwestern State combined to set five school records and 16 personal bests in the season opener Friday evening and Saturday in Pittsburg State's Crimson & Gold Invitational at the Robert W. Plaster Center.

Kennedy Johnson highlighted the field events, breaking the school record in the triple jump on their first attempt. Johnson's leap of 11.98m (39' 3.75") beat the previous record by nearly two feet (Peyton Lewis, 37' 8", 2023), while hitting a provisional mark. The sophomore's mark is the 7^th best in the nation, following the opening weekend of competition.
 
Senior Ella Pando broke two records, starting the weekend by surpassing their previous record in the 5K by 19 seconds. Pando was the fastest DII runner in the event placing 2^nd with a time of 17:20.69. The Weatherford, Texas native their strong performance in the 3K, leaping into the top place in MSU record books with a time of 10:09.06. Pando improved her time by 12 seconds from her pervious PR, beating the record held by Gabby Ruiz from 2014 (10:21.03). Similar to the 5K, Pando was the fastest DII competitor in the field, taking 2^nd place behind Missouri State's Ella Cronhardt (10.06.67).

Competing in their first collegiate meet, Diana Kelley added their name to the MSU record books, with a 1.54m (5' 0.75") mark in the high jump. The freshman shares the record with Emily Hurst, who set the same height in 2023.
 
Shalisa Williams also rewrote her own school record, clocking 9.16s in the 60-meter hurdles. The junior beat their pervious personal record of 9.30s, set last season for the Mustangs.

Apart from the school records, Midwestern State say 16 personal bests in the opening meet of the season, while several performances earned a place in MSU all-time performance list.
 
Perla Flores (18:29.33, 21^st) and Isabel Hernandez (19:15.36, 31^st) also recorded personal bests in the 5K alongside Pando. Flores' mark is also the 8^th fastest time in school history.
 
Flores also marked a personal best in the 3K, finishing with in 9^th place with a 10:40.41 time.
 
In the 60 meter dash, Johnson (7.67, 8^th) and Karissa Nixon (7.73, 14^th) both grabbed personal bests in the sprint. Both times for Johnson and Nixon earned them 2^nd and 3^rd in the MSU all-time performance list, respectively.
 
Grace Pineda and Jadyn Dangerfield both set new career bests in the 3K, as Pineda took 7^th (10:22.56) and Dangerfield grabbed 8^th (10:26.53). Both also showed strong performances in other events, with Pineda posting the 6^th fastest time in the mile in the nation this season (5:04.89, 4^th place, fastest DII runner at meet), and Dangerfield logged the 9^th fastest mark in the 800 meters in the nation (2:13.51, 5^th place, PR).
 
Three Mustangs posted PR's in the Mile: Jazira Perez (5:24.30), Jackie Earley (5:33.68), and Hernandez (5.38.30), while Sydney Carian finished with a time of 5:35.34 in their first collegiate competition.
 
Maggie Neal paced the Mustangs in the 400 meters, taking 4^th and narrowly missing a personal best. The time from Neal is the 8^th fastest in the nation following the first weekend. Hallie Kogler produced a personal best in the 800, finishing in 2:25.49.
 
Hailee Janzen and Kennedy DeHorney sprinted to top-12 finishes in the 200 meter dash. Janzen was the fastest DII competitor, with a time of 25.48 to take 8^th place, while DeHorney finished 12^th (25.65), with the time being the 8^th fastest in the MSU all-time performance list.
 
Williams (42.93) and Arianna Harrison (43.05) both improved their career best times in the 300 meters. In the 4x400 meter relay, the group of Janzen, Christasia Jones, Neal, and Jessie Heath placed 9^th, crossing the line in 3:52.72. The team posted the 6^th fastest time in MSU program history, all competing together for the first time.

Midwestern State is slated to compete at Oklahoma's Owen Hewett Invitational on Friday, January 16 at the Mosier Indoor Facility in Norman.

Here is how the Mustangs placed in each event at the Crimson and Gold Invitational:
 

Crimson and Gold Invitational

Robert W. Plaster Center
Pittsburg, Kansas

Midwestern State Track Results

60 Meters: 8. Kennedy Johnson, 7.67*; 14. Karissa Nixon, 7.73*; 32. Hailee Janzen, 7.90; 33. Kennedy DeHorney, 7.92. 
60 Meter Hurdles: 15. Shalisa Williams, 9.16 #*.
200 Meters: 8. Hailee Janzen, 25.48; 12. Kennedy DeHorney, 25.65; 18. Karissa Nixon, 5.89; 29. Christasia Jones, 26.55.
300 Meters: 31. Shalisa Williams, 42.93*; 32, Arianna Harrison, 43.05†.
400 Meters: NT. Jessie Heath, NT
800 Meters: 4. Maggie Neal, 2:13.49; 5. Jadyn Dangerfield, 2:13.51*; 18. Hallie Kogler, 2:25.49*.
Mile: 4. Grace Pineda, 5:04.89; 27. Jazira Perez, 5:24.30*; 37. Jackie Earley, 5:33.68†; 38. Sydney Carian, 5:35.34†; Isabel Hernandez, 5:38.30*.
3,000 Meters: 2. Ella Pando, 10:09.06 #*; 7, Grace Pineda, 10:22.56*; 8. Jadyn Dangerfield, 10:26.53*; 9. Perla Flores, 10:40.41*.
5,000 Meters: 2. Ella Pando, 17:20.69 #*; 21. Perla Flores, 18:29.33*; 31. Isabel Hernandez, 19:15.36*.

Midwestern State Field Results

High Jump: 20. Diana Kelley, 1.54m (5' 0.5") #†.
Triple Jump: 1. Kennedy Johnson, 11.98m (39' 3.75) #*p.
 

Relays

4x400 Meter Relay: 9. Midwestern State (Hailee Janzen, Christasia Jones, Maggie Neal, Jessie Heath), 3:52.72;

p - NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time/mark.
* - indicates personal record.
#- indicates school record
† - indicates first collegiate mark/time.