Harding Women's Track and Field Shines at Rumble in the Jungle Invitational, Places Third

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Competing in its first scored meet of the indoor season, Harding women's track and field placed third among 11 teams at the Rumble in the Jungle Invitational, hosted Friday by Pittsburg State University at the Robert W. Plaster Center.

Harding scored 76 points and finished ahead of Great American Conference teams Oklahoma Baptist and Southeastern Oklahoma.

Highlighting the meet for Harding were three individuals and one relay team that recorded NCAA provisional marks, breaking three school records in the process.

Two of Harding's provisional marks came in the 400 meters. Omolara Ogunmakinju and Paula Pelzer finished first and second, respectively. Ogunmakinju, a native of Nigeria making her Harding debut, won the event (10 points) in a Harding record 54.74 seconds. Pelzer, a native of Germany, placed second (8 points) in 55.19 seconds. Ogunmakinju's time ranks third this season in Division II with Pelzer's time fourth.

Sophomore Karina Vehner placed second (8 points) in the triple jump and set another Harding record. On her fourth of six jumps, she landed at 11.83 meters or 38 feet, 9.75 inches. The provisional mark has her ranked 18th nationally in the triple jump.

Harding's 4x400-meter relay team of Pelzer, Briana Johnson, Lisa Retailleau and Ogunmakinju won with a provisional and school record time of 3:49.25, breaking the previous school record of 3:52.02 set in 2022. Harding's quartet is ranked seventh in Division II.

Freshman Leila Ngapout placed third in the 60-meter dash with a PR of 7.66 seconds. She was also Harding's top finisher in the 200 meters, placing seventh in 25.44 seconds.

Retailleau also scored for Harding, placing seventh in the 400 meters in 58.13 seconds.

Nizhoni Thompson placed ninth in the 600 yards in 1:38.99.

Harding had two scoring runners in the mile. Freshman Cassidy Graham was second in 5:05.02, and sophomore Dinah Winders was sixth in 5:11.88.

Sophomore Cella Nguema placed fifth in the 60-meter hurdles in 9.07 seconds.

Freshman Ally Cheek was Harding's top finisher in the high jump, clearing 1.60 meters or 5 feet, 3 inches.

Harding had two scorers in the pole vault. Freshman Taylor Hankins and sophomore Cadence Sansom placed fourth and fifth respectively, both clearing 3.61 meters or 11 feet, 10 inches.

Sophomore Emily Patterson was Harding's top finisher in the long jump, placing 18th with a mark of 4.70 meters or 15 feet, 5 inches.

Senior Mariah Miller was third in the triple jump with a mark of 11.57 meters or 37 feet, 11.50 meters.

Freshman Carley Hall was Harding's top finisher in the shot put with a mark of 11.61 meters or 38 feet, 1.25 inches. Senior Kaylee Hausam was the top Lady Bison in the weight throw, achieving a mark of 14.21 meters or 46 feet, 7.50 inches.

Harding will return to the same venue again next Saturday, Jan. 27, to compete in the Wendy's Pittsburg State Invitational.

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Players Mentioned

Kaylee Hausam: T; 5' 9"; Senior

Briana Johnson: S; 5' 4"; Junior

Mariah Miller: J; 5' 4"; Junior

Nizhoni Thompson: Multi; 5' 7"; Senior

Cadence Sansom: PV; 5' 5"; Freshman

Dinah Winders: D; 5' 7"; Freshman

Cella Nguema: S/H; 5' 7"; Freshman

Lisa Retailleau: S/H; 5' 8"; Junior

Taylor Hankins: PV; 5' 6"; Freshman

Cassidy Graham: MD; 5' 7"; Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

Kaylee Hausam
: 5' 9"; Senior
: T

Briana Johnson
: 5' 4"; Junior
: S

Mariah Miller
: 5' 4"; Junior
: J

Nizhoni Thompson
: 5' 7"; Senior
: Multi

Cadence Sansom
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: PV

Dinah Winders
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: D

Cella Nguema
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: S/H

Lisa Retailleau
: 5' 8"; Junior
: S/H

Taylor Hankins
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: PV

Cassidy Graham
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Freshman
: MD