TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Both Morgan Hoard and Paige Laffoon got off to fast starts in the multis at Indiana State's Gibson Invitational on Thursday (Apr. 17) in Terre Haute. Laffoon broke the program record in the high jump with a best mark of 1.70m (5' 7'') while Hoard broke her own school record in the shot put with a best throw of 11.41m (37' 5.25''). Later in the evening, graduate Ellie Cates broke the program record in the 5,000m event at the Wake Forest Invitational. 

Laffoon finished the day in fourth-place among the 32 competitors with 2,963 points and Hoard was 12th with 2,720 points. 

Laffoon just missed a new personal best in the 100m hurdles to start the day, clocking a time of 14.58 seconds, while Hoard went under 15 seconds for the first time in her career at 14.98. Laffoon then finished tied atop the field in the high jump at 1.70m while Hoard's best jump was 1.46m (4' 9.5''). Hoard was sixth among the competition in shot put at 11.41m, breaking her previous school record by a full foot. Laffoon was just shy of a new personal best at 9.50m (31' 2''). 

To close the day, Laffoon ran a 200m time of 26.98 seconds while Hoard spun a personal best time of 27.42, taking more than a half-second off her prior best. 

In the evening, Cates put on a show in the 5K, clocking a time of 16:58.31 at Wake Forest, placing sixth in her race. In doing so, she broke the school record by nearly 10 seconds and broke her own personal best by 26 seconds. Behind her, Julie Smith spun a time of 17:47.09, missing a new personal best by less than two seconds. 

The Jaguars will continue action at both meets on Friday (Apr. 18).