PITTSBURG — Pittsburg State University men's and women's indoor track & field athletes wasted little time in etching their names in the Gorillas record book in the debut meet of the season Saturday (Dec. 10) at the Robert W. Plaster Center.
 
In the women's action, Auna Childress shattered the school record in the triple jump while establishing a new Crimson & Gold Invitational meet mark as well. She won the discipline with a best jump of 41 feet, 7 inches, besting the previous school record of 40-5 set by Amira Jenkins in 2016.
 
In the men's action, T.J. Caldwell raced to an individual victory in the 60 meter hurdles, matching the school record with a fast time of 7.83 seconds. Caldwell's time equaled the previous mark by Jeremy Jackson in 2010. It also stands as the fastest time in NCAA Division II thus far this season.
 
Other notable men's performances included Konner Swenson picking up a pair of NCAA qualifying marks in the shot put (2^nd, 56-3.75) and the weight throw (6^th, 59-9); Gabe Muia placing fourth in the high jump (6-8.75, PQ); and Diego Contreras placing fourth with a personal best time of 14:27.57 in the 5,000 meters (PQ). Newcomer Daylin Williams also placed second behind Caldwell in the 60m hurdles (7.85, PQ), posting the third fastest time in school history in the discipline as well as the second fastest time in D2 this year.
 
Additionally, the 4x400 meter relay of Bailey Stone, Sam Tudor, Nizar Alarahshun and Dre'shaun Sanders posted a winning time of 3:14.42, the third fastest time in Division II on the season. Alarahshun (2^nd, 33.93), Stone (3^rd, 34.00), Tudor (4^th, 34.47) and Sanders (5^th, 34.50) also posted fast times in the open 300 meters.
 
Early in the day, Hunter Jones wrapped up the Boo Rogers Combined Events with a third-place finish in the heptathlon. He compiled 5,318 points – the third-best point total in Division II this year. Doug Brown also scored 4,927 points in the heptathlon – seventh best in school history.
 
Other notable women's performances included Erica Schamel and Allary Liberatore placing first and second, respectively, in the high jump. Schamel's clearance of 5-9.75 was good for second best in school history, while Liberatore's mark of 5-7.25 ties her for fifth on Pitt State's all-time chart. They currently rank tied for first and third in the nation.
 
Lara Murdock, fresh off her All-America cross country performance last Friday (Dec. 2), won the 5,000 meters in a personal best time of 16:53.31 – the third fastest time in school history. She's currently the national leader in the event.
 
Kyla Davis won the pole vault with a PQ clearance of 13-2.5, the second-best mark in D2 thus far this season. Nakiya Marshall (8.68) and Madelyn Marquez (8.69) clocked PQ times in the 60 meter hurdles, with Marshall registering a PR as well. Newcomer Taniya Looney (7.55) and Sky Hagan also recorded PQ times in the 60 meters. Looney's time was fifth fastest in school history.
 
Newcomer Makayla Watson also recorded a PQ mark in the long jump with a best mark of 18-7.75, while freshman Victoria Wright placed fourth in the 600 yard run (1:28.78) and Camryn Williams placed fifth in the shot put (44-0.5).