NORMAN, Okla. – Ella Pando broke her own school record in the 5,000 meters at the OU O Ring Alumni Opener on Saturday afternoon. Midwestern State Track & Field posted 12 personal bests, three provisional marks, and a team relay season best.
 
Pando took home first in the 5000 meters (17:31.32), beating team Grace Pineda by nine seconds (17:40.07), who also set a personal best in the race. Pando and Pineda both now move to first and second, respectively, in the MSU all-time outdoor performance list. Isabel Hernandez (18:33.40, 4^th place) and Perla Flores (18:40.93, 5^th place), both followed Lily Cridge of Oklahoma to wrap up the five-runner field.
 
The Mustangs had a great showing in the 800 meters, with Jessie Heath (2:09.78, 2^nd place), Maggie Neal (2:10.10, 3^rd place), and Jadyn Dangerfield (2:10.82, 4^th place) all setting personal bests. All three marks move into the top-4 of the MSU all-time outdoor performance list, with each being a provisional mark.
 
Midwestern State posted a season best in the 4x100 meter relay, with the team of Karissa Nixon, Kennedy DeHorney, Hailee Janzen, and Kennedy Johnson winning the event (46.69). The time is the second fastest in school history, missing the school record by 0.14 seconds. In the 4x400 meters relay, the Mustangs took first and second in the meet with team "A" (Jadyn Dangerfield, Sophia Lee, Brianna Estrada, Grace Pineda, 3:55.57, and team "B" (Maggie Neal, Kennedy DeHorney, Christasia Jones, Hallie Kogler, 3:58.76).
 
Diana Kelley jumped to a career best mark in the high jump, reaching 1.53m (5' 0.25"). The mark is third in the MSU all-time outdoor performance list. In the sprints, Kyja Willis posted a personal best time in the 100 meters (12.23, 4^th place) moving to 8^th in MSU all-time performance list. Kennedy Johnson and Kennedy DeHorney were the top Mustangs in the 200 meters, taking 3^rd place and 6^th place, respectively. Johnson (24.49) and DeHorney (24.87) both posted their best legal wind times of the season, with Johnson's time being 2^nd and DeHorney tied 6^th in the MSU all-time outdoor performance list.

Midwestern State heads to Lubbock, Texas for its next competition at the Corky Crofoot Shootout. The two-day meet at Fuller Track & Field Thursday, April 30 – Friday, May 1.

Here is how the Mustangs placed in each event at the OU O Ring Alumni Opener:

OU O Ring Alumni Opener

John Jacobs Track & Field Complex
Norman, Okla.

Midwestern State Track Results

100 Meters: 2. Kennedy Johnson, 12.08; 3. Karissa Nixon, 12.15; 4. Kyja Willis, 12.23*; 5. Kennedy DeHorney, 12.29; 9. Hailee Janzen, 12.66; 10 Abby Cavender, 13.11.
100 Meters Hurdles: 7. Shalisa Williams, 15.68.
200 Meters: 3. Kennedy Johnson, 24.49; 6. Kennedy DeHorney, 24.87; 7. Karissa Nixon, 25.54; 8. Kyja Willis, 25.41; 11. Christasia Jones, 26.10.
400 Meters: 4. Brianna Estrada, 57.14*; 5. Christasia Jones, 58.67*.
400 Meter Hurdles: 6. Abby Cavender, 1:07.59; 10. Shalisa Williams, 1:14.10.
800 Meters: 2. Jessie Heath, 2:09.78*p, 3. Maggie Neal, 2:10.10*p; 4. Jadyn Dangerfield, 2:10.82*p; 12. Hallie Kogler, 2:22.21; 18. Zulma Garcia, 2:42.84.
1,500 Meters: 4. Sophia Lee, 5:07.39†; 9. Jackie Earley, 5:26.58†; 10. Zulma Garcia, 5:27.22.  
3,000 Meter Steeplechase: 2. Rosalene Reyes Perez, 11:43.94; 3. Jazira Perez, 12:36.56†.
5,000 Meters: 1. Ella Pando, 17:31.32^#; 2. Grace Pineda, 17:40.07*; 4. Isabel Hernandez, 18:33.40; 5. Perla Flores, 18:40.93.

Midwestern State Field Results

High Jump: 5. Diana Kelley, 1.53 (5' 0.25")^.
Long Jump: 5. Abby Cavender, 4.96m (16' 3.25").

Midwestern State Relay Results

4x100 Relay: 1. 46.69 – Midwestern State (Karissa Nixon, Kennedy DeHorney, Hailee Janzen, Kennedy Johnson).
4x400 Relay: 1. 3:55.57 – Midwestern State "A" (Jadyn Dangerfield, Sophia Lee, Brianna Estrada, Grace Pineda); 2. 3:58.76 – Midwestern State "B" (Maggie Neal, Kennedy DeHorney, Christasia Jones, Hallie Kogler).
 
p - NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time/mark.
* - indicates personal record (indoor or outdoor).
^ - indicates outdoor personal record.
# - indicates school record
† - indicates first collegiate mark/time.