TULSA, Okla. – The Rogers State track & field teams competed at the 2021 ORU Invitational on Friday and Saturday at the OneOK Sport Complex, competing in the two-day event as the only non-Division I program.
 
Highlights

• Nick Williams had the top point-scoring finish of the weekend, as the senior took second overall in the 3000-meter steeplechase Friday evening. Williams ran a time of 9:44.16 to take the runner-up spot. Williams also led the Hillcats with an eighth in the 1500-meter run on Saturday. Williams time of 4:03.25 was just outside the top 10 in school history.
• Brianna DeAngelis had the top point finish for the women's team, running fifth overall in the 1500-meter run, a distance she ran for the first time as a collegiate runner in the outdoor season. DeAngelis was the top runner in her heat, finishing with a time of 4:55.76, the eighth fastest time in the distance in program history.
• Tyler Melton also had a fifth-place run, earning his top-five finish in the 5000-meter run. The freshman beat four division I runners with a time of 15:43.92, finishing as a scoring runner by nearly eight seconds.
• Carlos Vallejo wrapped up the scoring finishes for the Hillcats with a sixth in the 800-meter run. Vallejo topped two Division I runners with a 1:58.74 to take the final scoring position. The freshman's time was also the sixth fastest time in program history in the event.
• Gloria Butts claimed the only other scoring finish for the Hillcat women in the event. Butts ran sixth overall in the 5000-meter run on Saturday, finishing with a 19:30.68.
• Hannah Anello became just the third Hillcat to break the minute barrier in the 400-meter dash, logging the 11^th fastest time in program history with a 59.74 to take eighth in the 400-meter dash on Saturday. Anello also became the third-fastest Hillcat in the 800-meter run, running a 2:24.82 to take eighth overall in the event Friday evening.

Race Results

• Women's 400-Meter Dash: 8. Hannah Anello - 59.74, 11. Jayden Lazzari - 1:03.35.
• Men's 400-Meter Dash: 12. Carlos Vallejo – 51.13.
• Women's 800-Meter Run: 8. Hannah Anello - 2:24.82, 9. Tayler Lee - 2:25.79, 12. Brya Nyberg - 2:31.67, 13. Jayden Lazzari - 2:32.79.
• Men's 800-Meter Run: 6. Carlos Vallejo - 1:58.74, 7. Preston Turner - 1:59.96, 9. Jean-Benoit Merte - 2:03.29, 10. Jon Biersdorfer - 2:03.56, 11. Collin McHugh - 2:05.24.
• Women's 1500-Meter Run: 5. Brianna DeAngelis - 4:55.76, 6. Ashley Riggenbach - 4:58.36, 8. Tayler Lee - 4:59.35, 9. Elena Fries - 4:59.53, 10. Brya Nyberg - 5:27.32, 11. Avery Buck - 5:32.31.
• Men's 1500-Meter Run: 8. Nick Williams - 4:03.25, 10. Kory Wilson - 4:03.49, 12. Jackson Stinnett - 4:04.63, 13. Julius Oheim - 4:04.69, 14. Preston Turner - 4:05.97, 15. Jean-Benoit Merte - 4:06.07, 16. Hunter Hart - 4:06.76, 18. Collin McHugh - 4:17.54, 20. Jon Biersdorfer - 4:28.11, 21. Bolton Fortune - 4:31.60.
• Women's 5000-Meter Run: 6. Gloria Butts – 19:30.68.
• Men's 5000-Meter Run: 5. Tyler Melton - 15:43.92, 9. Garrison Blanton - 16:09.26, 11. Hunter Hart - 16:42.61, 12. Jackson Stinnett - 16:49.28, 13. Blaine Phillippi - 17:03.56, 14. Joseph White - 18:19.13.
• Men's 3000-Meter Steeplechase: 2. Nick Williams - 9:44.16

Up Next
Rogers State will return to action next week, with another two-day event, as the Hillcats run at the SBU Bearcat Invitational on Friday and Saturday, April 2-3, in Bolivar, Missouri.