GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- WKU's men's and women's track and field teams competed in one the world's premier spring meets, the Pepsi Florida Relays, this weekend at James. G. Pressley Stadium and their sprinters shined brightest on the regular-season's biggest stage.
Sophomore Carrol Hardy turned in the top 100-meter dash time in Conference USA with an 11.60 clocking in her first 100 of season and was also impressive in the 200-meter dash, crossing the line in 23.91 seconds. Hardy's 200-meter time was the second-fastest in C-USA this season while her performance in the 100 placed her ninth among collegiate competitors at the elite meet. Her 11.60 showing in the 100 is tied for the 14th-fastest time in the NCAA this season.
Emmanuel Dasor was strong for the Hilltoppers in his first 100-meter race of the season as he checked in at 10.56 seconds to finish 24th in the premier field of sprinters. Dasor's time was the fourth-fastest in C-USA this season. The sophomore sprinter also ran a middle leg of WKU's 400-meter relay that turned in the fastest-time in Conference USA at 39.79 seconds. WKU's relay time was the 11th fastest in the nation to this point in the season and ranks second in school history behind the 2014 relay that finished fifth at the NCAA Championships.
The Hilltoppers' 1,600-meter relay also delivered the fastest league time and the eighth fastest time in the country with a 3:07.62 clocking. Florida, Alabama and Clemson were the only collegiate relays to best WKU's quartet.
The No. 25 Hilltoppers had a pair of athlete hits personal records at the Florida Relays as freshman Grant Swinton came in at 48.15 seconds in the 400-meter dash while sophomore Endalow Takele hit 14:19.68 in the 5,000-meter run. Swinton's time was the seventh-fastest in C-USA this season. Takele broke his personal record in the 5,000 by 10 seconds and turned in the third-best performance in Conference USA.
Sophomore Ventavius Sears hit 23-feet-11 inches (7.29m) in his first long jump of the outdoor season to place fourth at the meet. Senior teammate Cedric Stadom also placed fourth in the hammer throw by clearing 183-feet-4 inches (55.89m) for the second-straight week. Cyrus Johnson was solid in his first triple jump competition of the year as he recorded a leap of 49-feet-7.25 inches (15.12m), which ranks fourth in Conference USA.
Lady Topper seniors Jodi Miller and Janie Burnett both posted personal-best performances in their respective events in Gainesville. Miller finished 17th in the 3,000-meter steeple with a personal-record time of 10:49.03 while Burnett recorded the third-best hammer throw in C-USA when she hit 172-feet-4 inches (52.54m).
WKU is back in action next weekend in Bowling Green as it hosts its lone home meet of the year at the Charles M. Rueter Track Complex. The Hilltopper Relays will begin with the hammer throw completion on Friday and continue all day Saturday. Field events will begin at 9 a.m. (CT) while running events will get underway at 11 a.m.
