YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Senior Ellie Cates earned a spot in the finals of Sunday's 1,500m event at the 2025 #HLTF Outdoor Championships and the multis duo of Paige Laffoon and Morgan Hoard both put themselves in scoring position on day one of the three-day event. Cates posted a personal best time of 4:37.43 in her heat of the 1,500m event, moving up to No. 3 on the program's all-time list in the event in the process. 

Hannah Robbins finished at 4:50.77 in the same heat and Julie Smith crossed at 4:53.26. In the earlier heat, Grace Bragg spun a time of 4:51.05. 

Junior Carina Alanis capped the evening with a 12th-place finish in the 10,000m event, posting a time of 38:00.30 in her first career 10K. 

Earlier in the day, Laffoon put herself in fourth-place in the heptathlon through four events with 2,968 points while Hoard sits tenth at 2,677. 

Both fared well in wind aided 100m hurdles races with Laffoon finishing fifth among the field at 14.57 seconds and Hoard was seventh at 14.78 seconds. In the high jump, Laffoon cleared 1.55m (5' 1'') while Hoard posted a best mark of 1.43m (4' 8.25''). Hoard gained ground in the shot put as the third-place finisher at 10.79m (35' 4.75'') while Laffoon had a major personal best throw of 10.17m (33' 4.5''), surpassing 10-meters for the first time in her career. 

The day ended with Laffoon clocking a wind aided 200m time of 25.40 seconds while Hoard finished the race at 27.38 seconds. 

Earlier in the day, sophomore Shelby McGee placed 14th in the javelin throw with a best throw of 29.44m (96' 7'') on her third and final attempt. 

Saturday's events will begin with multis at 9:30 a.m.