BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The men's and women's WKU track and field programs turned in a successful weekend as the Hilltoppers and Lady Tops competed at both The Penn Relays and the Memphis Invitational.
The Hilltopper men's relay teams recorded a pair of nice showings in the prestigious Penn Relays held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, headlined by a sixth place showing from the 4x100 relay team of Ja'Karyus Redwine, Kyree King, Emmanuel Dasor and Julius Morris.
The foursome placed sixth in the Championships of America Invite after turning in the third best time in program history with a time of 39.87 seconds.
The WKU team of Redwine, Dasor, Ventavius Sears and Maor Seged finished runner up in the 4x400 championship with a time of 3:08.74.
Senior Ventavius Wyatt also competed in Philadelphia turned in an 11th place finish in the men's 110 meter hurdles event.
In Memphis, WKU captured four events, set a pair of career-bests and turned in a total of 20 top-ten finishes.
Jonathan Hayden led the Tops on the track as the sophomore recorded a pair of top-two finishes, including capturing the 110 meter hurdles event with a time of 14.28 seconds, just .01 second shy of his career best. Hayden completed his successful weekend with a runner-up finish in the 400 meter hurdles with a career-best time of 53.11 seconds.
The rest of the Hilltoppers notches five other top-ten finishes on the track led by Corey Parks who placed fifth in the 100 meter dash (10.70) and sixth in the 200 meters (21.87).
Grant Swinton also tallied a pair of top-ten showings, placing eighth in the 200 meters (22.04) and tenth in the 400 meters (50.28).
Senior Aaron Stevens rounded out the top-ten finishes for the Hilltoppers on the track, placing eighth in the 800 meter dash with a time of 3:57.68.
The duo of Keenon Laine and Nick Demaline shined for the Hilltopers in the field as Laine captured the high jump event with an effort of 2.14 meters while Demaline placed fourth in the shot put with a throw of 17.59 meters.
The Lady Toppers captured two events and finished with a total of five top-three finishes.
Senior Shantol Hemley headlined WKU's outing on the track as the graduate transfer set the second best time in program history at 2:09.16 in the 800 meters event.
WKU placed a pair of runners in the top ten of the 100 meters as Peli Alzola placed sixth with a time of 11.83 seconds while Jadzia Beasley came in ninth, clocking a time of 11.92 seconds.
Three Lady Toppers turned in top ten showings in the 200 meter event as Alzola (24.22), Beasley (24.40) and Khadijah Valentine (24.42) finished sixth, seventh and eighth respectively.
Junior Kaila Smith and the Lady Topper 4x100 meter relay team rounded out WKU's time on the track as Smith finished third in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1:02.62 and the relay time placed third with a time of 46.10 seconds.
Sandra Akachukwu led the Lady Toppers in the field as the junior captured the high jump event with a season-best effort of 1.75 meters.
Junior Jenessa Jackson completes WKU's strong weekend as the veteran thrower placed fifth in the shot put and turned in a career best effort with a third place showing in the hammer throw event.
This weekend was the Hilltoppers final tune up for the 2016 Conference USA Outdoor Championship set for Thursday-Sunday, May 12-15, on the campus of Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
