CARBONDALE, Ill. – Maryville track and field opened its 2025 indoor season with a strong showing at the SIU Saluki Fast Start on Saturday. 

The day was highlighted by a pair of NCAA provisional marks, both in the sprinters, with Sarai Brown picking up where she left off last year with a provo in the 60 meter. Much like Brown, the 60 meter featured a provo for the men aswell, with Kristoff Bailey, in just his first NCAA bout of competition, coming away with a provo in the preliminaries. 

INS & OUTS 
The women's team set the tone early, led by Brown, who sprinted to a victory in the 60 meters. Brown clocked a 7.50 in the finals, an NCAA Division II provisional mark and just 0.01 seconds shy of her school record set at last year's GLVC Championships. In the sprints, Emoni Owens added a runner-up finish in the 200 meters with a time of 25.63 and later took fifth in the 400 meters.

Mallorie Metzger delivered a second-place finish in the 800 meters with a time of 2:22.66 to set the tone for the mid-distance. Olivia Clive turned in one of the highlight performances of the meet by winning the 3000 meters. Clive crossed the line in 10:47.72, her first career time under 11 minutes and a 30-second improvement from her previous personal best. 

For the field events, Liz Vermillion in the shot put, placing second with a throw of 12.81 meters.

On the men's side, freshmen Kristoff Bailey and Harry Mitchell both made a splash in their collegiate debuts. Bailey opened his Maryville career by winning the 60-meter prelims in 6.81, an NCAA Division II provisional time that shattered the school record of 6.92 set in 2020. 

Mitchell followed closely behind and went on to take third in the finals at 6.94, missing the old record by just 0.02 seconds. Earlier in the day, Mitchell's prelim time came within .01 of the previous school record before Bailey broke it. Mitchell later placed fifth in the 200 meters with a 22.30, this time getting the school record.

In the mid-distance and distance events, Bryson Pickard placed third in the 400 meters with a 50.32, while Wyatt Hilton impressed in his first collegiate meet by finishing second in the 600 meters. Hilton ran 1:22.79, just a half-second shy of Pickard's school record. 
Tucker Hinkle grabbed fifth in the 3000 meters, and the Saints posted two top-four finishes in the 5000 meters thanks to Mason Gegg, who took third, and Ethan Anderson, who followed in fourth.

Ladarius Williams broke the school record in the 60-meter hurdles with his second-place finish in 8.31, topping the mark set by Donteaus Moore last season. 

In the high jump, Amel Abdu-Mumin cleared 1.98 meters to take second, while freshman Carter Myatt jumped 1.95 meters in his debut to place third. 

Jumps continued to shine with the Saints sweeping the podium of the long jump led by Kanden Bolton, who won the event with a leap of 7.05 meters on his second attempt. Myatt secured second place, and Abdu-Mumin completed the sweep by taking third.

UP NEXT
For their next bout of competition, the Saints head to Bloomington, Ind. for the Indiana Early Bird Meet Friday, Dec. 12.