Strong Performances Propel Wildcats at Annual Wildcat Open
CANTON, MO – On April 18, 2025, Culver-Stockton College hosted its annual Wildcat Open Track Meet, welcoming a slew of schools from around the area. Despite chilly late-spring weather, the Wildcats delivered strong performances, chasing personal bests and school records.
By the end of the day, Culver-Stockton athletes broke 33 personal records, set four facility and meet records, shattered five school records, earned 30 top-10 school marks, and claimed 11 event wins.
FIELD EVENTS
Shot Put
In the women’s shot put, junior Zoi Smith placed eighth with a personal-best throw of 10.68 meters, moving her to seventh in school history. Freshman Mackenzie Bryan finished 11th at 9.62 meters, while sophomore Jasmine Carter placed 13th with a throw of 8.96 meters.
In the men’s event, freshman Jayden Ferdinand placed 17th with a 12.06-meter throw, and sophomore Jace Bales recorded a 9.13-meter toss.
Discus
Sophomore Faith Hopgood claimed ninth place with a throw of 34.42 meters. Jasmine Carter (26.22m) finished 19th, Mackenzie Bryan (21.26m) placed 26th, and Emma Staats (20.55m) was 27th.
On the men’s side, Jace Bales led the Wildcats with a personal-best 30.20 meters to finish 25th. Junior Mike Misner (29.67m) and Jayden Ferdinand (29.60m) followed in 26th and 27th, respectively.
Hammer Throw
Mackenzie Bryan finished 13th in the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 29.17 meters.
For the men, Jayden Ferdinand achieved a personal best of 40.31 meters.
Javelin
Junior Delaney Straus, a former Marion County Mustang, won the women’s javelin with a throw of 35.32 meters. Freshman Emma Staats (32.75m, 4th place) and junior Zoi Smith (31.80m, 5th) both set personal bests, now ranking fourth and fifth in school history, respectively.
Mackenzie Bryan (23.00m), Faith Hopgood (20.35m), Jasmine Carter (18.13m), and junior Klaudia Blaszczyk (15.00m) rounded out the field.
In the men’s javelin, former Highland Cougar Drew Mallett placed fifth (45.49m), followed by Mason Humphry (36.10m, 10th), Fentress Williams III (33.60m, 11th), Mike Misner (31.67m, 12th), Kenny Tucker (28.18m, 15th), and Jace Bales (21.76m, 19th).
Long Jump
Delaney Straus placed sixth in the women’s long jump (5.06m), with freshman Abagail Mooney 14th (4.73m).
For the men, Mallett took seventh (6.44m), followed by Ayden Hodges (26th, 5.60m), Mike Misner (29th, 5.46m), Kevin Bryant (30th, 5.40m), Kenny Tucker (31st, 5.12m), and Andrew Minnix (4.20m).
Triple Jump
In men’s triple jump, Mike Misner (10.87m) finished 18th and Kevin Bryant (10.13m) 19th.
High Jump
Freshman Abagail Mooney cleared a personal-best 1.56 meters to place third, ranking her third in school history. Delaney Straus placed seventh (1.51m).
In the men’s event, Mallett finished ninth (1.81m), and Kenny Tucker placed 19th (1.61m).
Pole Vault
Zoi Smith finished second with a 3.05-meter vault. Sophomore Kinlie Judd tied for third, matching Smith’s mark and moving into a tie for first in school history. Mooney finished fourth with a personal-best 2.90 meters, now third all-time.
TRACK EVENTS
100 Meter Dash
Junior Emma Smith placed seventh with a personal-best 12.56 seconds, ranking third all-time. Freshman Victoria Pollard (13.29s) placed 19th, and senior Faith Younce (14.87s) was 25th.
On the men’s side, Mallett set a personal record (10.92s) to finish 10th. Michael Cruise (11.33s) placed 18th, Ayden Hodges (11.47s) was 22nd, followed by alumnus Verlyn Johnson (11.49s). Kevin Bryant (12.01s), Quintynn Alexander (12.13s), Mike Misner (12.25s), and Andrew Minnix (12.92s) rounded out the performances.
200 Meter Dash
Emma Smith set another personal best, clocking 26.49 seconds to place 16th and rank fourth in school history. Victoria Pollard (26.92s) also set a personal best and ranks fifth all-time.
Drew Mallett stole the show on the men’s side, winning with a facility, meet, and school record 21.49 seconds. “I’m gonna be smiling about that one for a long time,” Mallett said afterward.
Other top finishes: Judah Rivers (9th, 22.22s), Jabez Rivers (11th, 22.48s), Michael Cruise (20th, 23.19s), Ayden Hodges (25th, 23.37s), and Latrell Whitehurst (29th, 23.51s).
400 Meter Dash
Judah Rivers placed fourth (51.05s), Latrell Whitehurst was 13th (55.79s), and Fentress Williams III finished in 1:02.04.
800 Meter Run
Lexi Clark placed 15th (2:31.65), moving her to fourth all-time. Malia Carmack finished 22nd (2:37.46).
For the men, Jailan Reynaga set a personal best of 2:03.97, placing 18th and ranking fifth all-time. Gannon McNamee also set a personal best (2:14.35, 27th).
1,500 Meter Run
Lexi Clark finished 13th (5:10.83), setting a personal best and moving to third in school history. Malia Carmack (5:29.67) placed 20th, and former Highland Cougar Carlie Davis finished 27th (5:52.11).
Blake Thompson ran a personal best (4:50.41) to finish 26th in the men’s race.
5,000 Meter Run
Zoi Smith finished eighth with a time of 24:57.77.
10,000 Meter Run
Faith Younce dominated the women’s race, finishing first (43:32.07) and setting a school, facility, and meet record. Emma Berry placed second (44:40.74), moving into third in school history.
In the men’s race, senior Kile Dowd finished second (36:59.17).
100/110 Meter Hurdles
In the women’s race, Delaney Straus placed fifth (15.71s), and Zoi Smith was 10th (20.07s).
In the men’s hurdles, Jabez Rivers won (14.92s), and Mallett placed sixth (15.32s), moving him to second all-time.
400 Meter Hurdles
Delaney Straus captured another win, smashing the school, meet, and facility records with a national-qualifying 1:02.56. Zoi Smith placed eighth (1:16.81), now seventh all-time.
On the men’s side, Jabez Rivers (9th, 1:04.22) and Chase Lake (11th, 1:04.83) completed strong races.
4×100 Meter Relay
The women’s team placed fifth (50.75s), setting a new personal and fourth all-time mark.
The men’s team took first (42.16s), setting a personal best and a meet and facility record.
4×400 Meter Relay
The women’s team placed fifth (4:19.17), while the men finished second (3:26.35).
4×800 Meter Relay
The women’s team finished alone (12:21.79), and the men’s team finished second (9:42.71).
3,000 Meter Steeplechase
Faith Younce placed second (13:13.71), Emma Berry placed fifth (14:22.69), and Zoi Smith placed sixth (14:30.84).
Kenny Tucker finished sixth for the men (11:24.90), followed by Chase Lake in seventh (12:01.17).
POST EVENT
The Culver-Stockton women’s team finished second overall with 119.5 points, behind Washington University of St. Louis (248 points).
The men’s team placed fifth with 78 points.
