JOPLIN, Mo. – Missouri Southern turned in a strong Friday of competition across two meets, recording multiple event victories, personal records and NCAA qualifying marks at the Missouri Southern Open and the Northwest Bearcat Invitational.
 

The Lions opened the weekend at home with standout performances in the throws. Dailynn VanDeren led the women's weight throw with a first-place finish and an NCAA qualifying mark of 19.52 meters, while Briar Gillum followed in second with a personal-best 19.18 meters to earn another qualifier. On the men's side, Drake Willenborg placed second with an NCAA qualifying mark of 19.83 meters, and Tyson Williams added a third-place finish with a personal-best 18.80 meters to secure an NCAA mark.
 

Missouri Southern continued to shine in the jumps, highlighted by a sweep of victories in the long jump events. Kadence Barnett claimed the women's long jump title with a personal-best leap of 5.60 meters, while Chase Querry won the men's long jump with a personal-best 7.36 meters to earn an NCAA qualifying mark. Ayden Walton added a third-place finish and NCAA qualifier in the men's event with a jump of 7.19 meters. In the women's pole vault, Emma Hobbs captured first place at 3.68 meters, followed by Ayla Bishop in second.
 

On the track, Rylan Wilson secured a victory in the men's 200 meters with an NCAA qualifying time of 22.39 seconds, while Ian Ngugi added another qualifier with a fourth-place finish in 22.94 seconds.
 

Friday concluded at the Northwest Bearcat Invitational, where the Lions' distance runners posted strong performances in the women's 5,000 meters. Hailey Nelson led Missouri Southern with a fourth-place finish and a personal-best time of 17:49.29, while Ava Power placed fifth with a personal record of 17:49.61. Zoe Nelson rounded out the group with a seventh-place finish, also setting a personal-best time of 17:58.72.
 

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Missouri Southern Open
Field Events

Women's Weight Throw 
Dailynn VanDeren

• 1st place - 19.52m NCAA Qualifying Mark

Briar Gillum

• 2nd place - 19.18m PR, NCAA Qualifying Mark

A'Mya Criglar

• 4th place - 16.36m

Alexis Nobel

• 6th place - 15.27m PR

Aubrey Skinner

• 8th place - 14.58m

Men's Weight Throw
Drake Willenborg

• 2nd place - 19.83m NCAA Qualifying Mark

Tyson Williams

• 3rd place - 18.80m PR, NCAA Qualifying Mark

Isaiah Waller

• 4th place - 17.67m

Erick Marchan

• 6th place - 16.60m

Jamale Williams

• 11th place - 15.71m

Dalton Ellis

• 12th place - 15.63m PR

Trace Wooldridge

• 15th place - 15.20m 

Women's Long Jump
Kadence Barnett

• 1st place - 5.60m PR

Claire Cole

• 2nd place - 5.42m PR

Alaina Norman

• 4th place - 5.16m PR

Lillian Hart

• 7th place - 5.02m

Men's Long Jump
Chase Querry

• 1st place - 7.36m PR, NCAA Qualifying Mark

Ayden Walton

• 3rd place - 7.19m NCAA Qualifying Mark

Drew Beachler

• 4th place - 7.02m

Women's Pole Vault
Emma Hobbs

• 1st place - 3.68m

Ayla Bishop

• 2nd place - 3.53m

Eva Engel

• 4th place - 3.53m

Running Events
Men's 200m
Rylan Wilson

• 1st place - 22.39 sec NCAA Qualifying Mark

Ian Ngugi

• 4th place - 22.94 sec NCAA Qualifying Mark

Garrett Strange

• 25th place - 24.84 sec

 

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Northwest Bearcat Invitational

Running Events
Women's 5000m
Hailey Nelson

• 4th place - 17:49.29 PR

Ava Power

• 5th place - 17:49.61 PR

Zoe Nelson

• 7th place - 17:58.72 PR