MARIETTA, Ohio - Before she takes one more crack at winning on the biggest stage,
Nevaeh Brown returned to a very familiar first-place podium on Friday.
The senior standout won the pole vault competition at the River States Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships for the fifth year in a row, and helped land Midway just three points off the lead on day one of the River States Conference Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships.
The Eagles claimed three of the top-four pole vault spots to earn 23 of their 51 points. They enter day two Saturday trailing just Rio Grande and Indiana Kokomo, who both scored 54, on the leaderboard.
As she has each time she's taken part in the Indoor Championships, Brown broke a meet record, topping out at 3.70 meter Friday. She cleared the mark on her first jump, narrowly beating out her most recent record of 3.66,
set at the 2024 Championships.
She'll now turn her attention to the NAIA Indoor National Championships in two weeks. Brown is a five-time All-American between indoor and outdoor track and field and
was the indoor runner-up a season ago.
Madi Reed, who joined Brown
by hitting the NAIA qualifying 'A' standard during the regular season, was second at 3.45 meters, with
Makayla Brooks taking fourth at 3.30.
That was one of two runner-up showings by Reed on Friday, who took second in the prelims of the 55-meter hurdles in 9.07 seconds, just .02 behind Brescia's Tia McGee. The finals are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
Another second-place finish broke a school record that was set almost 28 years ago to the day.
The 4x800 relay team ofÂ
Ariah Egleston,
Stevie McSorley,
Macy Adams and
Abby Baldridge finished in an even 10:48, topping the previous high mark of 10:52.10 that has stood since Feb. 15, 1997.
Egleston, McSorley, Baldridge and
Trinity Smith also placed fifth in the 4,000 distance medley relay in 14:15.
Individually, Smith was fourth in the 5,000-meter run in 19:24.88 while
Trinity Gottler took fourth in shot put with a top throw of 10.91.
To view the full day-one results,Â
click here. The second day of competition begins at 9 a.m. Saturday.
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