Bolivar, Mo. — Southwest Baptist University's women's track and field team took third at their home invitational in Bolivar on Saturday. The annual SBU Bearcat Invitational hosted 14 competing teams. When events wrapped up Saturday evening, SBU's women's team boasted 107.00 points and a third-place finish overall behind Missouri State University and the University of Central Missouri.
 
The women's team saw 11 top-three placements over the weekend between track and field events. As well, multiple school records were broken and other Bearcats hit marks that will get them into the National Championships.
 
Olivia Littleton got the weekend start off hot at a meet away from Bolivar in St. Louis at the WashU Distance Carnival. She competed in the 10,000-meter race and ran an incredible time of 34.55 taking 2nd place in the event, only five seconds behind the runner from St. Louis University. But it wasn't the placement of this event that made it so special, the time beat an SBU school record by two minutes. The time also hit a National mark and is currently fifth best in the Nation. 
 
In the women's javelin throw, Savannah Manthey set a school record and took first with a 51.77 meter throw. That mark is currently the best in the Nation and she nearly threw it again with a 51.38-meter throw. Alexis Turner snatched second with a 47.81 meter throw and earned a national mark. This mark is the best ever thrown as an SBU freshman, beating out her teammate Manthey from her freshman season. 
 
Sprinters Stephanique Dean and Laura Dixon performed well over the weekend. Dean grabbed gold in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.51, hitting a National mark. Dixon secured a national mark when she placed third in the 200 meter dash with a time of 23.86.
 
To round out the weekend, the women's 4x400 relay comprised of Brianna Lord, Stephanique Dean, Emily Young, and Laura Dixon earned gold and a national mark on Saturday with a time of 3:43.39.
 
The Bearcats return to competition on Saturday, April 4 at Emporia State University in Kansas. Keep up with SBU's women's track and field team by visiting sbubearcats.com and following SBU Bearcat Athletics on Instagram (@sbubearcats).
 
Full List of Results:
 
Long Jump:
24th - Kelsey Rhoades
26th - Izzie Salsman
 
Pole Vault:
4th - Emily Young
8th - Mallory Beets
 
Discus Throw: 
7th - Carli Burchett
9th - Londyn Jones
 
Javelin Throw:
1st - Savannah Manthey
2nd - Alexis Turner
13th - Alexis O'farrell
17th - Hope Woodall
 
Shot Put:
12th - Londyn Jones
 
Hammer Throw:
2nd - Dylan Skinner
3rd - Carli Burchett
5th - Londyn Jones
 
5000 Meter Run:
2nd - Kiersten Potter
3rd - Gracie Troester
4th - Natalie Gerdes
16th - Riley Arnold
17th - Audrey Goatley
 
100 Meter Hurdles:
2nd - Madison Davis
 
100 Meter Dash:
1st - Stephanique Dean
 
1500 Meter Run:
26th - Alyssa Mann
 
400 Meter Dash:
5th - Brianna Lord
9th - Sierra Wallace
 
800 Meter Run:
4th - Ellie Kitchin
10th - Kristin Probst
14th - Kadence Wallace
22nd - Chloe Barton
 
400 Meter Hurdles:
9th - Madison Davis
12th - Audrey Oliver
 
200 Meter Dash:
3rd - Laura Dixon
30th - Sierra Wallace
31st - Kelsey Rhoades
39th - Allie Marcum
46th - Addyson Beach
47th - Izzie Salsman
48th - Amaleiya Cerrone
 
4x400 Meter Relay:
1st - SBU 'A' - Brianna Lord, Stephanique Dean, Emily Young, Laura Dixon