Broncho Track and Field Posted Two School Records at MIAA Indoor Championships

The UCO Track and Field team delivered two school records and multiple top-10 finishes at the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Indoor Championships Saturday and Sunday in Pittsburg, Kansas.

UCO finished 11th overall with five points. 

The two school records highlighted a competitive weekend against the conference’s top programs.

McKenna Huston led the way, placing seventh in the 600-yard run. The sophomore from Choctaw clocked a 1:25.22 in the finals after posting an eighth-place time of 1:24.92 in the preliminary round.

Huston broke last season’s school record of 1:25.53 in this event and earned the team two points.

Gabija Pukstas, a freshman from Stillwater, finished eighth in the mile event, recording a time of 5:06.58. She added another point for the Bronchos with this performance.

Pukstas said that she was ecstatic to contribute another point for the team. 

“This weekend gave me a lot of confidence knowing that I can be competitive in our conference, even as a freshman.”

Pukstas also set a school record in the 800m event. She recorded a 2:17.30 in the preliminaries to eclipse the previous mark, set in 2013, by two seconds.

In the same event, Amiya Hill placed 15th. The sophomore from Omaha, Nebraska, finished in 2:25.86.

Deriayah Lee set a new personal best in the 400m preliminaries with a time of 58.37 for a 10th-place finish. The junior from Muskogee also placed 10th (8.98) in the 60m hurdles prelims.

“Hitting a PR shows my preparation and mindset were strong, especially since I was practicing and competing through an unknown injury,” Lee said. “My record means even more to me now that my injury will sideline me for the next month.”

UCO added two more team points in the relay action, with both squads earning top-10 finishes.

Hill and Pukstas teamed with Maya Conrad and Asia Williams in the distance medley relay. The group placed seventh after clocking a 12:59.95.

Huston, Hill, Lee, and Conrad competed in the 4×400 relay. The team came in ninth with a time of 3:58.82.

Lee said that with cleaner handoffs and stronger race execution, this relay team can take the next step in the outdoor season.

In the 3,000m, Pukstas led the Bronchos with a 21st-place finish in 10:31.23. Lily Melton (25th, 10:48.45), Asia Williams (26th, 11:16.63), and Ariane Williams (27th, 11:25.56) also competed.

Pukstas said she had never raced the event before, so trusting her base training kept her mindset strong. “Also, I would not have the confidence to race if it wasn’t for God,” she added.

Ariane Williams and Kylee Smith represented UCO in the 5000m, placing 26th (19:57.42) and 27th (21:23.28), respectively.

The Bronchos will open the outdoor season Mar. 20-21 at the West Texas A&M Relays in Canyon, Texas.