Fayetteville, Ark. – Kiara Smith's school record highlighted competition for the Missouri Southern track & field's program at the Arkansas Qualifier on Friday, February 17. Friday's meet was the final tune-up before the MIAA Indoor Championships on Saturday and Sunday, February 25-26. 
 
Sprints

• Smith tied both her PR and school record, running 8.31 seconds to finish third in the prelims and advancing to the finals in the 60m hurdles. Smith would run 8.31 again in the finals to finish fifth in the event. Along with Smith, Precious Olatunji finished 13^th in the prelims (8.91), Cornesia Calhoun White ran 24^th (9.31) and Mya Ferguson 33^rd (14.18)
• Smith also moved up in the record books in the 200m race, running 24.24 and was the top Division II finisher in the event. This was the seventh-fastest time in program history and was a personal-best mark. 
• LaNea Wallace ran a personal best time, running 56.07 seconds in the 400m dash. Her time was good for an NCAA Qualifying time. Teammate Chardae Overstreet's time of 56.12 earned an NCAA Qualifying time in the event. 
• For the men's program, Maksym Andurukhiv tied his person best the second fastest time in program history at 8.14 seconds in the 60m hurdlers and was an NCAA Qualifying time. Andurukhiv ran this same time earlier this season at the Lewis Invitational. JaDarius Pigg ran 8.29 to finish 16^th in the prelims followed by Malachi Pipkin who placed 18^th with a time of 8.38. 

 
Throws

• Junior Peyton Barton won his fifth weight throw event of the season, throwing 21.77m which set the meet record and was an NCAA Qualifying mark. Barton's top throw of the year of 21.96m still ranks first nationally in Division II. The Lions had four finishers in the top ten including Barton. Connor Boyd (Second– 19.86m, NCAA Qualifying Mark), Cedric Pearson (Sixth – 16.68m) and Jordan Garr (Eighth – 16.30m) rounded out the competition for the Lions. 
• In the women's weight throw, Mallory Huber placed third with a best throw of 17.94m which was good for an NCAA Qualifying mark. 
• Along with their top 10 finishes in the Garr and Pearson placed in the top six of the men's shot put. Garr was the top Division II finisher with a throw of 18.03m. This was both a personal best and a NCAA Qualifying mark. Pearson finished sixth with his personal-best throw of 17.09m.

 
Jumps

• Taris Jackson and Peyton McBride each set personal-best marks and NCAA Qualifying marks with their fifth and sixth-place finishes in the triple jump. Jackson jumped 15.11m and McBride jumped 14.94m. These marks rank second and third in the MIAA. 
• In the women's high jump Rylee Darnell cleared 1.50m to place 14^th in the event. On the men's side of the even, Luke Brumit cleared 2.00m to place fifth. 

 
Mid-Distance/Distance

• In the men's 800m, Gabe McClain ran a season-best 1:53.06 while teammate Kelton Sorrell finished just behind McClain with a time of 1:53.52 to place ninth and 10^th in the event. 
• For the women's 1 mile race, Kelie Henderson ran a season-best 4:59.25 and Kayana Gaines set a new PR with a time of 5:05.20. In the men's 1 mile, Riley Simpson placed 25^th with his time of 4:17.85. 
• Rounding out the distance races, Riley Vickrey set a PR in the 3000m with her time of 10:07.99 to place second and Jayna Gunter ran 10:11.45 for her personal-best time and a third-place finish. 

 
Next Up. 
 
The Lions travel to Pittsburgh State for the MIAA Indoor Championships on February 25-26.