SCHOOL RECORDS FALL IN SEASON OPENER
December 08, 2025
Topeka, KS – Led by a pair of school records and a number of personal best performances, the Indian Hills Women’s Track & Field squad opened up the 2025-26 indoor campaign with a strong showing at the Washburn Alumni Invitational.
Freshman Cindy Rose (Brown’s Town, Jamaica/Holmwood Technical) re-wrote the record books with an impressive showing in the women’s 1,000-meter run. Rose ran to a third-place finish in the event with a time of 3:02.01, finishing only behind a pair of runners from Oklahoma State University.
Rose was one of three individuals to star in the 1,000m run as fellow freshman Rebecca Duran (El Paso, TX/Chapin) posted a time of 3:14.41, the fifth-fastest time in school history to place seventh overall. Sophomore Shmyhia Morris (Memphis, TN/Whitehaven) placed 10th overall with a time of 3:22.15, the seventh-fastest mark in program history.
Sophomore Tiffani Koonce (Prairie City, IA/Prairie City-Monroe) shattered her own previous school record in the women’s mile with a time of 5:14.31. Koonce shaved off six seconds from her previous school mark to place third overall for the Warriors.
Sophomore Ida Smith (Miami, FL/Miami Northwestern) earned a fifth-place finish in the women’s 60-meter dash to hit the national qualifying mark. Smith shaved off 0.21 seconds from her previous personal best in the prelims before topping that performance in the finals with a mark of 7.57, the fifth-fastest time in school history.
Sophomore Nyla Blackmon (Memphis, TN/Southwind) qualified for nationals in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.51. Blackmon’s new personal-best mark was good enough for fourth all-time in school history and fourth overall at the meet.
Fellow sophomore Alexa Zanders (Waterloo, IA/Waterloo West) placed fourth overall in the women’s 400-meter dash with a time of 57.56, a new personal-best mark.
Freshman Abby George (Albia, IA/Albia) made a splash in her collegiate debut, posting the second-fastest 600-yard run time in program history with a time of 1:26.79 to hit the national qualifying mark. George’s mark was good enough for sixth overall at the meet.
The women’s 4×400-meter relay squad comprised of Zanders, Rose, Blackmon, and George placed third overall behind Oklahoma State and Central Missouri University with a time of 3:56.92.
