Racers Finish Fifth at MVC Indoor Championships

Sunday, March 2

Chicago, Ill.

Murray State

MVC Indoor Championships

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

3/3/2025 6:27:00 PM | Women's Track and Field

Results (PDF)Photo Gallery

The Racers have two runner-up and one fifth place showings in their first three years of competition in the Missouri Valley Conference

The Murray State women's track and field team came home with a spot in fifth place at the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in Chicago on Sunday.

Kayla Bell, attempted a twin bill of titles in the 400M Dash and the 200M Dash. In the 400M, she set the MVC record for a second-consecutive day at 52.93, as Bell only trails MSU Hall of Famer Stephanie Saleem (52.67) who has held the record since 1990. Bell's win makes her a three-time 400M champion in The Valley.

Bell went for the 200M championship and finished fifth at 24.22, an effort that is eighth all-time at MSU.

At the end of the day, Bell was honored as the track athlete of the 2025 indoor season by the MVC.

MSU's 4X400M Relay team once again proved they are the best in the MVC. Already owning the MSU and MVC indoor record, the team of Chelby Melvin, Cheyenne Melvin, Simone Joseph and Kayla Bell turned in a time of 3:37.84, well off their record of 3:35.54, but enough to win the race by nearly six seconds over the team from Southern Illinois.

Serena Blackwood, Cheyenne Melvin and DiamonAsia Taylor each had runner-up placings in the 60M Dash. 60M Hurdles and the High Jump.

MVC Championship Notes

In the High Jump, DiamonAsia Taylor was second (1.75M) and Brooke Probst was fifth (1.67M).
Cheyenne Melvin placed second in the 800M finals with a time of 2:08.47, as she passed MSU Hall of Famer, Stephanie Saleem for fourth place all-time at MSU.
Blackwood's time of 7.42 in the 60M is tied with MSU Hall of Famer Alexis Love for third place at MSU.
Chelby Melvin and Darrione Joseph placed sixth and seventh in the 60M Hurdles.
Chelby Melvin placed fifth in the 400M run with a time of 55.65, fifth at MSU.
DiamondAsia Taylor and Alyssa Williams placed sixth and 10^th in the Triple Jump.
Simone Joseph was seventh in the 400M with a time of 56.34.
Cheyenne Melvin posted a second place showing in the 800M Dash.
In the 200M, Bell placed fifth with a time of 24.22, eighth all-time at MSU.
Breanna Day competed in the 3000M finals with a time of 10:08.77, eighth all-time at MSU and her personal best.
Tayla Tootle was fifth in the Pole Vault (3.72M) and Jaiden Knoop was ninth (3.72M).
Lindley Johnston placed sixth in the Pentathlon with 3,468 points, while Andrea Segovia had 3,341 points for a spot in eighth place.
MSU's Breanna Day placed ninth in the 3000M run with a PR at 10:09.26, which is No. 10 all-time at MSU.
Ruth Kimutai placed 11th in the 5000M at 17:23.64.
The Racers set a new school record in the Distance Medley Relay as Ainsley Smith, Presley Gallimore, Chelby Melvin and Breanna Day posted a 11:55.35 for a spot in ninth place.

Murray State Head Coach - Adam Kiesler
"As a team we always want to finish closer to the top than we did, however, individually we had bright spots which was great to see. Setting records whether school or conference it shows that our kids have the talent. We will miss those that just ran with us for the last time. Breanna Day and Kayla Bell will be sorely missed on the track and off it. It was great to see them end their careers the way they did by going out and post their all-time best performances. Now we move forward to the outdoor season and begin training to right some of our wrongs! We are excited about that opportunity!"

The Racers get the outdoor season going (March 21-22) when they host the Margaret Simmons Invitational, named in honor of the coach that launched the Murray State women's program in 1967 and is a four-time hall of fame selection to USTFCCCA HOF (2003), Murray State HOF (2004), Kentucky Track Coaches Association HOF (2008) and the Ohio Valley Conference HOF (2014).

The Racers will build toward the MVC Outdoor Championships (May 17-18) in Carbondale, hosted by Southern Illinois.

For more information on the Murray State track and field team, visit GoRacers.com or follow @RacersXCTF on Instagram and X.