KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — The Truman State women’s track and field team returns conference scorers in the distance races, high jump and relays as the Bulldogs prepare for the 2026-27 indoor season, according to Truman State Athletics.
Truman placed 10th with 19.5 points at last season’s Great Lakes Valley Conference Indoor Championships before finishing ninth at the GLVC Outdoor Championships. Head coach Leslie Hardesty’s Bulldogs were selected ninth in the GLVC indoor preseason coaches’ poll with 73 points. Lewis received six first-place votes and led the poll with 160 points, followed by defending champion Indianapolis with 156 points, Southwest Baptist with 140 and Lincoln with 139.
Three members of Truman’s fourth-place distance medley relay return: junior Phoebe Canatsey, sophomore Tess Harper and junior Clare Stahr. The relay finished in 12:19.76 and scored five points at last season’s indoor conference championships. Stahr won the Brian T. Simpson Invitational in 18:17.1 this fall and was named GLVC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week. Sophomore Anna Ripley, who placed eighth in both the mile (5:12.58) and the 3,000 meters (10:19.21) at last year’s indoor meet, also returns.
In the field events, sophomore Taegen Novel returns after scoring 2.5 points in the indoor high jump, where she cleared 1.51 meters and tied for sixth. Senior Vada Moore placed fifth in the outdoor long jump at 5.72 meters. Junior Laurie Leroy placed fifth in the outdoor hammer throw at 48.79 meters and scored four points. Truman must replace Destiny Zimdars, who earned All-GLVC honors by placing third in the indoor weight throw at 17.07 meters.
Ten freshmen join a roster that also includes eight seniors and graduate student Kate Yates.
Truman opens the season Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic in Maryville, Missouri.
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