HOW IT HAPPENED
The day started off with Horton managing a personal best in the 60-meter hurdles, with a mark of 7.89, good for fourth place. That currently stands as the second best mark in the history of the program.
He then had a come from behind second place finish in the 60-meter dash, finishing with a mark of 6.69 which is the fourth best in WKU history. Following his 60-meter finish, he added his second podium finish of the day, taking third in the 200-meter dash.
Brunel Desinor became the second Hilltopper to set a PR on the track with a mark of 47.82 which was good for fourth place. Kinley Kunkel was the final Hilltopper on the track to set a PR in the 3000-meter race, finishing in 9:58.
In field events, the shot put ring proved to be successful for WKU as a pair of Hilltoppers set new personal records. Jayla Gilbert's throw of 14.17 meters in the women's event earned her a fourth place finish. Junior Luke Stegman set a personal best in the men's event with a 16.21 meter throw.
Van Thrasher was the sixth and final athlete for WKU to set a personal best with a 1.97-meter jump in the men's high jump. That earned him a fifth place finish in the event.
NOTABLES
- In total, there were six new personal bests set for WKU by the time the meet was wrapped up. There were four for the men and two for the women. Three of the six came on the track.
- Kameron Horton rounded out an extraordinary meet with a pair of medal finishes in the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash.
- For Horton, his second place finish in the 60-meter dash marks the first time a Hilltopper has finished that high in the race at CUSA Championships since Julius Morris did so back in 2017.
- In the 60-meter hurdles he finished in 7.89, good enough for fourth place. That stands as the second best mark in the history of the program.
- In the 200, Horton found himself on the podium again, claiming third place, finishing in 20.95.
- Brunel Desinor added a personal best in the 400-meter final, finishing in 47.82 for a fourth place finish.
- Van Thrasher led the way for the high jumpers as he managed a top-five finish, setting a new personal best in the event with a 1.97 meter jump.
- Luke Stegman had a career day in the shot put ring, tossing 16.21 meters, finishing up in sixth place.
- In the women's event, Jayla Gilbert also set a personal best with a 14.17 meter throw, good for a fourth place finish.
- In the women's 3000, Kinley Kunkel set a new best finishing in 9:58.
QUOTABLE
On the team's performance in the meet, interim head coach Lee Wood said "I was proud of both teams with the way they competed this weekend after facing so much adversity this last month"
"We had several athletes score in the top 8 in the conference. Kam Horton was one of the top three in highest points in the entire meet and ran very well! I was really impressed with Luke Stegman and Jayla Gilbert scoring great finishes in the shot put with all they have been through this past month" Wood added.
On Kameron Horton's historic performance coach Jeff Henderson said "Getting a personal best in a single event is remarkable, but surpassing personal records in three events elevates his performance to an entirely new level. I am confident he will continue to get better as we prepare for the NCAA Indoor Nationals."
"We understand the priorities and objectives before us; now it's time to take action and do it," Henderson added.
Men's Results
60
2nd - Kameron Horton - 6.69
60 Hurdles
4th - Kameron Horton - 7.89*
7th - Van Thrasher - 8.20
200
3rd - Kameron Horton - 20.95
400
7th - Brunel Desinor - 47.82*
3000
14th - Jake Younger - 8:49
4x400
7th - WKU (Weldon, Balcom, Taylor, Thrasher) - 3:18
High Jump
5th - Van Thrasher - 1.97 (6-05.5)*
7th - Jeffery Cruickshank - 1.97 (6-05.5)
8th - Nick Fornoff - 1.97 (6-05.5)
Triple Jump
9th - Sterling Weldon - 14.22 (46-07.75)
Heptathlon
7th - Joey Raybourne - 4,312
8th - Blake Foster - 3,771
Shot Put
6th - Luke Stegman - 16.21 (53-02)*
11th - Kaison Barton - 15.22 (49-11)
14th - Hunter Coslow - 14.34 (47-00.5)
Women's Results
3000
15th - Kinley Kunkel - 9:58*
4x400
9th - WKU (Huerta, Frisch, Zell, Washington) - 4:00
Triple Jump
16th - Haley Zell - 11.31 (37-03.25)
Shot Put
4th - Jayla Gilbert - 14.17 (46-05.75)*
