There were a total of 17 new personal records in track events for WKU and three in field events. WKU also notched a total of six first place finishers highlighted by Kinley Kunkel's meet record in the women's 5000-meter race.
HOW IT HAPPENEDÂ
Kunkel kicked off the day's events with a bang, taking first place in the women's 5000-meter run, setting a new meet record in the event. In the men's event Michael House set a PR for the second consecutive meet.Â
In the men's 800, all four that competed for WKU set a new personal record highlighted by Wade Balcom's first place finish and Trevor Hudnall's second place finish.
In the sprinter events, WKU saw multiple PR's and a couple of top-finishers. In the men's 60 final, Zachariah Taylor took third, setting a PR, finishing in 6.90. In the men's 60-hurdles, Joey Raybourne had a career day with a PR. Freshman Sanaa Washington set a personal best in the women's 200 for the second consecutive meet.
In the men's weight throw, Kaison Barton and Connor Owens were the top-two finishers in the event. Sophia Roskoski managed to match her personal best in the women's pole vault. In the men's event Caleb Joyce set a personal best, claiming a 10th place finish.
NOTABLESÂ
- In total, 20 Hilltoppers finished with a new personal best after all the events of the day were tallied.
- WKU finished the day off with six first place finishers including five for the men and one for the women.
- Coming off CUSA Track Athlete of the Week honors, Kinley Kunkel set a personal best in the 5000 meter race, finishing in 17:10. Her time is also a new record for the Bulldog Invite meet.
- In the men's 800, all four Hilltoppers that competed set new PR's. They were led by Wade Balcom who took first place and finished in 1:53.
- In the women's event, freshman Sofia Witt set a PR, finishing in 2:21 good for seventh place.
- For the second consecutive meet, Michael House set a PR, this time in the 5000. He finished in 15:36, good for ninth place.
- For the second straight meet, Sanaa Washington set a PR in the women's 200 meter dash. Her time of 25.05 was good enough for sixth place.
- In the men's 200-meter dash, Kameron Horton took home first with a mark of 21.19 which stands as No. 96 in all of NCAA DI.
- In the women's pole vault Sophia Roskoski matched her career best mark, taking second place in the event. Her mark of 3.97 meters stands as the third best in WKU history.
- In the men's pole vault, Caleb Joyce became the 19th and final Hilltopper to set a PR in their respective event with a mark of 4.67 in the vault.
NEXT UP
WKU will have a week off to prepare for the 2025 Conference USA Championships which will be held Feb. 28 and March 1 at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.Â
FOLLOW THE TOPS: For complete information on WKU Track and Field, follow the team on Twitter at WKUXCTF. The team is also on Instagram and Facebook.
Men's Results
60 (Prelims)
4th - Sterling Weldon - 6.97 (Q)
7th - Zachariah Taylor - 6.96 (Q)
9th - Jayden Freeman - 7.00
60 (Final)
3rd - Zachariah Taylor - 6.90*
4th - Sterling Weldon - 6.94
60 Hurdles (Prelims)
18th - Joey Raybourne - 9.48*
21st - Blake Foster - 10.03*
200
1st - Kameron Horton - 21.19 (96)
5th - Zachariah Taylor - 21.92
7th - Brunel Desinor - 21.96
18th - Jayden Freeman - 22.74
400
1st - Brunel Desinor - 48.83
14th - Henry Fisher - 50.42*
16th - Van Thrasher - 52.21
800
1st - Wade Balcom - 1:53*
2nd - Trevor Hudnall - 1:53*
11th - Landon Kempema - 1:57*
13th - Parker Smith - 1:58*
Mile
4th - Hollis Johnson - 4:20
3000
11th - Rowen Wilkinson - 9:43
5000
6th - Jake Younger - 15:14
9th - Michael House - 15:36*Â
11th - Tyler Pfefferkorn - 15:54
4x400
3rd - Western Kentucky (Kempema, Balcom, Hudnall, Smith) - 3:27
High Jump
7th - Nick Fornoff - 1.92 (6-03.5)
7th - Van Thrasher - 1.92 (6-03.5)
Long Jump
1st - Sterling Weldon - 6.92 (22-08.5)
Pole Vault
10th - Caleb Joyce - 4.67 (15-03.75)*
Shot Put
4th - Kaison Barton - 15.96 (52-04.5)
Weight Throw
1st - Kaison Barton - 18.29 (60-00.25)
2nd - Connor Owens - 18.11 (59-05)
Women's Results
60 (Prelims)
10th - Jas Hampton - 7.99
16th - Haley Zell - 8.12
17th - Gianna Huerta - 8.14
22nd - Savannah Daugherty - 8.50
60 Hurdles (Prelims)
12th - Madison Rabe - 9.07*
20th - Rachel Payne - 9.57
200
6th - Sanaa Washington - 25.05*
18th - Gianna Huerta - 26.21*
26th - Morgan Moore - 28.80
800
7th - Sofia Witt - 2:21*
16th - Arielle Phillips - 2:31
Mile
2nd - Addie Frisch - 5:05*
11th - Tatum Maschhoff - 5:23*
3000
10th - Mary Dye - 10:35*
5000
1st - Kinley Kunkel - 17:10* (Record)
4x400
7th - Western Kentucky (Frisch, Witt, Maschhoff, Daugherty) - 4:12
High Jump
2nd - Rachel Payne - 1.61 (5-03.25)
Long Jump
12th - Jas Hampton - 4.98 (16-04.25)*
Pole Vault
2nd - Sophia Roskoski - 3.97 (13-00.25)*
Shot Put
5th - Jayla Gilbert - 13.07 (42-10.75)
Triple Jump
6th - Haley Zell - 10.86 (35-07.5)
Weight Throw
6th - Aitana Safont Falomir - 16.39 (53-09.25)
