Track & Field Led By Two-Time Conference Champion Dante Gordon at Heart Outdoor Championships
Fayette, Mo., (May 3, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College track and field teams competed at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships in Fayette, Mo., Friday and Saturday. The programs were led by two individual conference titles and a runner-up finish.
Freshman Dante Gordon (Kingston, Jamaica) led the team and became a two-time outdoor Heart champion with his performance today. Gordon won the 400 meter dash in a time of 48.16 and won the 200 meter dash in a time of 21.16, setting a new program record that had stood since 1997. In addition to the Heart titles, Gordon also earned Heart All-Conference honors in both events. Gordon becomes the first member of the men's track and field team to win two events at the Heart Outdoor Championships since Derek Wilson won the 5000 meter run and the 10,000 meter run in 2018. Also, Gordon met a "B" qualifying standard in the 200 meter dash. Gordon previously met a "B" qualifying standard in the 400 meter dash earlier in the outdoor season.
Additional Men's Results:
Freshman Montique Griffiths-placed second and was conference runner-up in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 54.59. Griffiths earned Heart All-Conference honors in the event.
Freshman Stephen Caviness (Marshall, Mo.)-placed fourth in the high jump with a height of 1.19 meters. Caviness earned Heart All-Conference honors in the event.
Freshman Darius Thomas (Fort Worth, Texas)- placed seventh in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 56.77.
Freshman Steven Mills (Kansas City, Kan.)-placed No. 17 in the 100 meter dash prelims in a time of 11.11 and placed No. 19 in the 200 meter dash prelims in a time of 22.38.
Freshman Harrison James (Independence, Mo.)-placed No. 20 in the 100 meter dash prelims in a time of 11.28.
Freshman Joseph James (Excelsior Springs, Mo.)-placed No. 11 in the 110 meter hurdles prelims in a time of 15.75.
Freshman Micah Mumford-placed tenth in the 110 meter hurdles prelims in a time of 15.61 and placed tenth in the 400 meter hurdles in a time of 58.41.
Junior Daytona Blaine (Shelbina, Mo.)-placed No. 19 in the 800 meter run with a time of 1:59.76
Senior Luke Clayton (Wichita, Kan.)-placed No. 23 in the discus with a distance of 35.55 meters.
4x100 meter relay (Mills, James, Basra, Thomas) placed ninth with a time of 44.47.
Women's Results:
Sophomore Jozelynn Bostick (Centralia, Mo.)-placed fourth in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a time of 12:01.79 and placed tenth in the 5000 meter run with a time of 19:29.50. Bostick earned Heart All-Conference honors in the 3000 meter steeplechase.
Senior Paula Romero Rodriguez (Madrid, Spain)-placed fifth in the hammer with a distance of 46.32 meters, placed No. 15 in the discus with a distance of 34.73. Romero Rodriguez also placed No. 17 in the shot put with a distance of 10.61 meters.
Freshman Aarion Pickens-placed fifth in the shot put with a distance of 12.13 meters. Pickens earned Heart All-Conference honors in the event.
Senior Samantha Bitz (Marion, Ill.)-placed seventh in the pole vault with a height of 2.60 meters and placed No. 25 in the 100 meter dash prelims in a time of 13.77. Bitz also placed No. 29 in the 200 meter dash prelims in a time of 27.89.
Freshman Dimitria Sweet-placed No. 16 in the 100 meter dash prelims in a time of 12.97 and placed No. 20 in the 200 meter dash prelims in a time of 26.69.
Junior Federica Gammarota (Foggia, Italy)-placed No. 12 in the 400 meter hurdles in a time of 1:08.09 and placed No. 15 in the 100 meter hurdles prelims in a time of 17.26. Gammarota also placed No. 17 in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:04.10.
Junior Emily Lechuga (LaPorte, Texas)-placed No. 11 in the 400 meter dash in a time of 1:00.68 and placed No. 19 in the 200 meter dash prelims in a time of 26.48.
Sophomore Isabella Kulenkamp (Warrensburg, Mo.)-placed No. 23 in the hammer with a distance of 38.28 meters and placed No. 22 in the discus with a distance of 31.09 meters,
Freshman Jaedyn Smith-placed No. 23 in the discus with a distance of 30.42 meters.
Senior Kylie Linson (Troy, Mo.)-placed No. 20 in the shot put with a distance of 10.30 meters and placed No. 24 in the hammer with a distance of 38.13 meters.
Freshman Kila Burchett (Stockton, Calif.)-placed No. 13 in the javelin with a distance of 32.50 meters.
Junior Sydnei Cummings (Elk Grove, Calif.)-placed No. 22 in the javelin with a distance of 24.54 meters.
Freshman Shaliah McKoy (Kingston, Jamaica)-placed No. 16 in the long jump with a distance of 4.71 meters and placed No. 19 in the 400 meter dash in a time of 1:10.09. McKoy also placed No. 23 in the 100 meter dash prelims in a time of 13.61 and placed No. 26 in the 200 meter dash with a time of 27.74.
4x100 meter relay (McKoy, Lechuga, Bitz, Sweet) placed No. 11 with a time of 51.23.
4x400 meter relay (Lechuga, Bitz, McKoy, Gammarota) finished fourth in a time of 3:17.80. The team earned Heart All-Conference honors in the event.
The men's team placed at No. 11 in the standings with 39 points, and the women's team came in at No. 11 with 15 points.
Up next is the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, set for May 21-23 in Marion, Ind. Dante Gordon has qualified to compete at the championships, running in the men's 200 meter dash and 400 meter dash.
Results-Click Here
About Missouri Valley College
Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.