Results
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Back in Music City for the second time this season, the Hilltopper track and field squad was up against a competitive Vanderbilt Invitational field on Friday and Saturday. Julius Morris and Jonathan Hayden used a pair of top-five all-time indoor times by a Hilltopper to leave their marks on the meet.
"We had some pretty good things happen for us today," head coach Erik Jenkins shared. "There were several schools from Conference USA, the SEC and the ACC that provided quality competition in a very good facility. We have a lot of work to do but I like the direction we are headed."
In total, 22 teams filled out the field from the Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility for the fifth annual Vanderbilt Invitational this weekend. More than 700 student-athletes representing Alabama, Auburn, Belmont, Connecticut, Furman, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Maryland, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, SMU, Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois, Southern Mississippi, Tulane, UAB, Vanderbilt and WKU were in attendance.
On the men's side, Morris' 60-meter preliminary time of 6.70 was a person-best and the second-fastest time ever recorded by a Hilltopper indoors. Morris took second overall in the prelims but did not run in the finals. Also competing for WKU in the 60-meter were Will Bush (6.91) and Devin Nixon (7.02).
In the 200-meter, Austin Hayes grabbed a top-five finish with a reading of 21.77 – WKU's top mark in the event this season. Hayes also ran in the 400-meter, clocking a 49.45. Maor Seged (50.17), Denzel Villaman (50.26) and Nixon (55.66) also represented WKU in the 400.
Hayden's 60-meter hurdles preliminary time of 8.14 earned the senior a spot in the finals. Hayden went on to run WKU's fourth-best indoor mark in the event, posting a 7.99 to take fourth place.
WKU's men's rounded out the meet with a ninth-place finish by the 'B' 4x400-meter relay squad, running a 3:19.87 – the second-fastest time by the Red and White this season.
Alec Tanksley cleared a personal-best 22'6.25" (6.86m) in the long jump for 13th place on the day.
On the women's side, the pole vaulters brought home a trio of top-25 finishes for WKU with Morgan McIntyre leading the way with a season-best mark of 12'7.5" (3.85m). McIntyre's clear is the fourth-best indoor reading in Lady Topper history and secured the senior 11th place at the meet. Nicole Ogorek used a personal-best clear of 11'8.5" (3.57m) to finish 21st, while the same mark earned Getter Lemberg a share of 22nd place after clearing it on her third and final attempt.
Savannah Ames ran a WKU season-best 2:23.68 in the 800-meter on the day. In the 3000-meter race, Brianna Wolken ran a season-best 11:48.84 mark.
Ariel Terrell's 60-meter hurdles mark of 9.24 was the best by a Lady Topper this season.
In the 4x400-meter relay, the WKU 'A' unit ran a season-best time of 3:53.48 from Nashville. The Lady Topper distance medley relay team ran a 12:37.08 to take home sixth place.
Brianna Eskridge took home sixth place in the triple jump after jumping a season-best 38'6.75" (11.75m).
Up next, WKU Track and Field will head back to Indiana for the Indiana University Relays on Jan. 26-27.
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