TULSA, Okla. (March 30, 2019) – Leisa VanVooren won her heat race in the 400 meters and Kenya Bailey also scored team points for Oklahoma Christian in the 5,000 meters to lead the Eagles on Saturday in the Oral Roberts Invitational at Oneok Sports Complex.

VanVooren, a senior from Bedford, Texas, pulled away in the stretch to win her heat in 58.28 seconds and finished fifth overall in the 14-woman field. She earned four team points for OC.

Bailey, a freshman from Ponca City, ran a career-best time of 18:49.12 in the 5,000 meters, good for a seventh-place finish and two team points.

Other top performers for OC on Saturday included Kelsey Castillo, a junior from Edmond, and Destiny Grace, a junior from Rockwall, Texas. Castillo placed ninth among 29 runners in the 1,500 meters with a time of 4:55.22 and also ran the 800 meters in 2:24.93, good for 15th-place finish among 26 competitors.

Grace finished ninth among 25 throwers in the shot put. The reigning Great American Conference indoor and outdoor champion in the event had a top mark of 38 feet, ¼ inch (11.59 meters).

OC scored eight team points in the meet, 11th among the 11 teams that scored points. Six of the teams ahead of the Eagles compete in NCAA Division I.

OC's next meet will be the Parent-McGrady Invitational, to be hosted next Friday and Saturday by Southwestern Christian at Yukon High School's Miller Stadium.

Leisa VanVooren in 400 meters: https://youtu.be/1-NK0PptgmU