HOW IT HAPPENEDÂ
The Hilltoppers kicked off the 2025 indoor season with field events as Jeffery Cruickshank and Sophia Roskoski notched top-15 finishes. Cruickshank took 10th in the high jump while Roskoski claimed 14th in the pole vault.
Kaison Barton and Jayla Gilbert both managed top-16 finishes in the weight throw in the final field event of the day.
On the track Kameron Horton and newcomer Zachariah Taylor qualified for Saturday's 60-meter dash final. Horton set a new PR finishing in 6.93. Wade Balcom had the finish of the day for WKU, setting a PR and claiming third in the 600.
In the 200, Horton continued to impress taking seventh, finishing in 21.60 which is the 29th best mark in all of NCAA DI.
NOTABLESÂ
- Wade Balcom highlighted the day's events for the Tops as he managed a third place finish in the 600 meter run, setting a PR (1:20).
- Kameron Horton was strong in his first meet of 2025 managing a PR in the 60-meter dash (6.93). Horton also managed a top-10 finish in the 200, finishing in 21.60 marking the 27th best mark in all of NCAA DI.
- Horton along with freshman Zachariah Taylor qualified for Saturday's 60-meter final.
- Jeffery Cruickshank managed a top-10 finish in the men's high jump, clearing 1.95 meters.
- Sophomore Sophia Roskoski managed a 14th place finish in the women's pole vault with a mark of 3.65 meters.
- Kaison Barton took home 16th in the men's weight throw with a distance of 17.24 meters. Jayla Gilbert claimed 13th in the women's event at 15.88 meters.
- In total, three Hilltoppers set personal bests in Balcom, Horton, and Garrett Steed.
QUOTABLE
On the day's events assistant coach Jeff Henderson said "We're proud of how our athletes performed today as we kicked off the first meet of the season and started working toward our main goal. Kameron Horton had a great day, hitting personal bests in both the 200m, improving from 22.09 to 21.60, and the 60m with a time of 6.93. Wade Balcom also had a strong showing, setting a personal best in the 600m with a time of 1:20.95, beating his 1:22.56 from last year. On top of that, both Kameron and Zachariah Taylor qualified for the next day in the 60m."
"These performances show the hard work the team has been putting in, and we're excited to see how things continue tomorrow!" added Henderson.
WKU will continue action at the Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 11. Action will get underway at 10 a.m. CT and a full recap of the day's events will be posted on wkusports.com
Men's Results
60 Prelims
19th - Kameron Horton - 6.93* (Q)
22nd - Zachariah Taylor - 6.96 (Q)
26th - Sterling Weldon - 7.00
29th - Jayden Freeman - 7.05
36th - Bralen Bair - 7.15
42nd - Van Thrasher - 7.21
49th - Blake Foster - 7.43
50th - Joey Raybourne - 7.43
200
7th - Kameron Horton - 21.60
31st - Zachariah Taylor - 22.44
600
3rd - Wade Balcom - 1:20*
11th - Trevor Hudnall - 1:22
15th - Garrett Steed - 1:24*
21st - Stephen Taylor - 1:28
1,000
8th - Parker Smith - 2:36
High Jump
10th - Jeffery Cruickshank - 1.95m (6-04 ¾)Â
15th - Nick Fornoff - 1.85m (6-00 ¾)Â
Weight Throw
16th - Kaison Barton - 17.24m (56-06 ¾)Â
20th - Hunter Coslow - 15.70m (51-06 ¼)
21st - Luke Stegman - 15.45m (50-08 ¼)
23rd - Connor Owens - 14.72m (48-03 ½)Â
Women's Results
60 Prelims
42nd - Jas Hampton - 7.89
55th - Haley Zell - 8.09
200
44th - Madison Rabe - 26.64
46th - Gianna Huerta - 26.94
50th - Haley Zell - 27.22
52nd - Rachel Payne - 28.07
600
13th - Addie Frisch - 1:44
15th - Tatum Maschhoff - 1:45
17th - Sofia Witt - 1:48
High Jump
11th - Rachel Payne - 1.60m (5-03)
15th - Madison Rabe - 1.55m (5-01)
Pole Vault
14th - Sophia Roskoski - 3.65m (11-11 ¾)Â
Weight Throw
13th - Jayla Gilbert - 15.88m (52-01 ¼)Â
