TOPEKA, Kan.— Both of the Colorado Mesa University distance medley relay units and men's 5,000 meter runner Jackson Baker smashed school-records while Antone Higgs and Kirstin Williams won events highlighting a solid day of performances for the Maverick indoor track & field teams on Friday at the Ichabod Invitational.
 
The 2-day meet in Washburn University's Indoor Athletic Facility will continue on Saturday and includes more than 1,000 athletes.
 
The Mavericks certainly did their part to impress the field as Megan Hodges, Lexie Williams, Jordan Staniszewski and Autumn McQuitty took down a 9-year old school record by nearly 18 seconds, running to a time of 12 minutes, 9.89 seconds while finishing second to only NCAA Division I Wichita State.  The former record of 12:27.73 had been set back in 2016.
 
The Maverick men's quartet of Kevin DeGree, Dylan Campbell, Kyle Towne and Chase Brown then recorded a time of 10:11.53, going 3.55 seconds quicker than the Mavs' nearly 3-year old school record of 10:15.08, set at the 2021 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships.
 
Williams continued the strong distance running efforts in the 5,000 meters, winning the event in 17:26.59, a nearly 5-second improvement on her former personal record.  She continues to sit second in CMU history.

Teammate Kendall White also fared well in the same race, finishing third in 17:42.62, moving all the way to fourth in program history.
 
In the men's 5,000, Jackson Baker obliterated the Mavericks' former standard of 15:21.53, set ten years ago in 2015, placing eighth in 15:08.26.  Jacob Dalrymple also finished 12^th in 15:20.33, going 1.2 seconds under the former record while moving up to second in CMU history.
 
The Maverick sprinters also blazed on the 200-meter banked track as Gaby Horton took second in the 200 meters, running around the track in 24.32 seconds to move up two spots to second in program history.  Jordan Burnett also finished strong, taking seventh in a field of 38 starters with a time of 24.71 seconds.
 
Meanwhile, Amaris Mora led a contingent of Maverick men in the 200, placing 26^th in 22.15 seconds.
 
Higgs led the Mavs in the field, claiming the men's long jump with a mark of 7.27 meters (23-10.25) to claim his fourth long jump victory in as many meets this season.
 
Lily Nieslanik led the CMU women, placing tenth with a jump of 5.34 meters (17-6.25).
 
Freshman Atahlia Mills paced a group of CMU women's high jumpers, clearing 1.55 meters (5-1) to place 12^th in the invitational section of the event.
 
The Mavs also had five shot putters in action on Friday as Christina Palmer placed sixth in the women's event with a throw of 13.25 meters (43-5.75), just nine centimeters or 3 ½ inches off her own school record.  Teammate Aaliayh Bos also recorded a career-best of 11.48 meters (37-8).
 
Van Chambers had a men's shot put mark of 13.40 meters (43-11.75), finishing just ahead of fellow freshman Kaiden Major (13.28 meters/43-7).