By: Madelyn Stephen, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Missouri S&T track and field opened the 2025 indoor season with a strong showing at the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic on Saturday, earning multiple top-five finishes across both the men's and women's teams while showcasing depth and early momentum in several event groups.
Men's Highlights
The Miners' men's squad delivered an impressive season debut with six top-five finishes, highlighted by a dominant performance from Owen Fraser (Kirksville, MO/Kirksville), who opened the year with a pair of NCAA Division II provisional marks and a new school record.
Fraser won the shot put with a throw of 18.63m (61-01.50), securing the meet title and a provisional standard, surpassing Nathan Swadley's school record of 18.01m (59-1.25). He then added a runner-up finish in the weight throw with a mark of 19.09m (62-07.75), and securing his second provisional standard of the day.
On the track, Nathan White led the sprinters with a third-place finish in the 300 meters (35.95), while Justin Grellner (Cedar Hill, MO/Northwest) placed fourth (36.05) in the same event.
In the middle distance, Aiden Kearns (St. Charles, MO/Lutheran-St. Charles) opened his season with a third-place finish in the 800 meters (1:55.99). The distance group continued the momentum in the mile, where Andrew Bacon (Webster Groves, MO/Webster Groves) placed third (4:16.61), and Evan Mitchell (Shawnee, KS/Shawnee Mission Northwest) finished fourth (4:18.40), giving S&T another pair of top-four results.
In the field events, Justin Chadwell (Norwood, MO/Norwood) delivered a fourth-place finish in the triple jump, recording a mark of 13.47m (44-02.50). Luke Bass (St. Peters, MO/Fort Zumwalt South) also contributed with a fifth-place finish in the high jump, clearing 1.98m (6-06.00).
Women's Highlights
The women's team also opened the season with strong marks, particularly in the hurdles, jumps, and throws.
Maya Wright (Hillsboro, MO/Hillsboro) led the sprint-hurdle group with a third-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles, running 9.10 in the finals after qualifying sixth. She also added a seventh-place finish in the long jump (5.38m / 17-08) and contributed to a deep high jump group as four Miners cleared 1.51m.
In the horizontal jumps, Hailey Smith (Wentzville, MO/Timberland) earned a sixth-place finish in the triple jump, marking 10.94m (35-10¾) to open her season in the top tier of the field.
In the throws, sophomore Sydney Morris (Jefferson City, MO/Calvary Lutheran) delivered the top performance of the day, placing second in the shot put and breaking the program record with a mark of 13.52m (44-04.25), surpassing the previous record of 12.82m (42-0.75) set by Sydney Stephens. She also placed eighth in the weight throw with a toss of 14.78m (48-06).
What's Next
The Miners are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 10, as they travel to Cape Girardeau, Mo., to compete in the Redhawks Invite.
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