SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Highlighted by nine of the top performances in program history and runner-up finishes from sprinters Carrol Hardy, Emmanuel Dasor and Prince Charles Iworah, WKU Track and Field showed why it's one of the top programs in the Southeast Region this weekend at the Meyo Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame at the Loftus Sports Center.
For the fifth time during her indoor campaign, Hardy broke 7.5 seconds in the 60-meter dash as she finished second in the elite field at 7.43 seconds, trailing only Ohio State's Chesna Sykes (7.37). Hardy tied her own school record at 7.41 seconds earlier this season and currently leads Conference USA with that time. Hardy also turned in a career-best indoor 200-meter dash time of 24.11 seconds, which was good for sixth in the race, ranks second in the league this season and fourth in WKU history.
Sophomore Emmanuel Dasor continued his strong sophomore campaign with a runner-up showing in the 200-meter dash at 21.33 seconds while rookie teammate Julius Morris was third at 21.45 seconds. Dasor (21.28), sophomore Ventavius Sears (21.40) and Morris (21.45) gives WKU three of the top six 200-meter dashes in Conference USA this season.
Redshirt junior Prince Charles Iworah, WKU's only multi-sport athlete who also starts at defensive back on the WKU Football team, captured second place in the 60-meter dash at 6.86 seconds behind only Michigan State's Devantre Whitelow (6.78).
Karleigh Parker, a two-time C-USA Female Field Athlete of the Week, broke her own school record in the pole vault for the third time this season and is now ranked 34th nationally after clearing 13-feet-3.75 inches (4.06m) in South Bend. The senior's mark was good for third amongst the field. Fellow Lady Topper Ria Mollers, a freshman from Germany, posted a personal best mark of 12-feet-10 inches (3.91m) in the event to vault herself to second in the WKU record book and in the league rankings.
Rounding out the solid weekend for the Lady Toppers was senior transfer Jatavia Wright, who notched the fourth longest triple jump in program history with a leap of 41-feet-2.25 inches (12.55m). Wright's triple jump currently ranks as the third best in C-USA and tied for 10th at the meet.
The Hilltoppers' field performers had their best showing of the season this weekend as Sears, Nick Demaline and Travis Gerding all etched their names into the record books.
Sears' triple jump of 50-feet-4.5 inches (15.35m) was the second-longest in WKU history and ranks second in Conference USA this season. His clip placed him third among the field and puts him at 38th nationally as of Saturday.
Gerding, a senior, established a new Conference USA high in the weight throw this season with a personal record toss of 62-feet-2.25 inches (18.95m). His weight throw was the second-longest in program history, placed sixth at the meet and trails only Brian Soverns' mark of 62-feet-2 inches in 2010.
Freshman hurler Nick Demaline gave WKU its longest shot put heave in a decade as he hit 58-feet-7.5 inches (17.87m) to place fifth at the meet. Demaline's clip was the longest throw by a Hilltopper since Raigo Toompuu, WKU's current throws coach, cleared 61-feet-4.5 inches in the 2005 indoor season.
Capping WKU's assault on the record book was freshman hurdler Jonathan Hayden, who clocked 8.13 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles to place 12th at the meet. Hayden's time was the fifth-fastest in Hilltopper history and currently stands as the second-best clocking in Conference USA.
Heading into their final regular-season meet next weekend at the Samford Invitational, the Lady Toppers are ranked ninth and the Hilltoppers stand at 10th in the USTFCCCA Southeast Regional rankings . For more information on WKU Track and Field, follow the programs on Twitter at @WKUTrackField.
