In total, five Hilltoppers were named All-CUSA on Friday and 13 in the Red and White set a new personal best. Sam Crenshaw became the first Hilltopper ever to win the indoor individual title in the pole vault with a 5.15 meter vault on Friday.
HOW IT HAPPENEDÂ
The Hilltoppers first took to competition with the women's pole vault. WKU saw a pair of medal finishes with Natalie Papes taking the silver medal and a PR while Sophia Roskoski took the bronze medal. Ella Cleveland claimed 10th and set a new PR.
On the track, the women's mile was the first event of the day for WKU. Brooke Greenwell qualified for the final round with a 10th place finish and Caterina Rossomanno set a PR. In the men's event Trevor Hudnall claimed a second place finish, qualifying for the final round.Â
The 60-meter hurdles prelims followed the mile. In the women's portion Gianna Huerta set a PR with a time of 9.08. In the men's race both Hilltoppers that competed qualified for the final round in Ricardo Smith and Van Thrasher. Smith also logged a new PR of 8.19.
The 400 followed the 60-hurdles on the track. In the women's race Huerta managed her second PR of the afternoon with a time of 58.16. Dreeanna Wade followed and finished with a season best time. In the men's 400 Brunel Desinor claimed eighth place, good for final round qualification.
The women's 60 prelims saw yet another personal best for WKU in Alanah Smith and Milan Marshall. Smith finished in 7.73 and Marshall clocked in at 8.07. In the men's event Kameron Horton finished up in sixth place to qualify for the final. Sterling Weldon and Jayden Freeman followed behind with season best finishes.
Crenshaw became the first Hilltopper to win an individual title on Friday with a vault of 5.15 meters to win the pole vault, marking his first CUSA title. In the long jump, Myles Gentry became the next Hilltopper to finish on the podium, earning the bronze medal in the long jump, setting a PR of 7.37 meters.
The men's 200 saw three season best finishes in Horton, Desinor, and Taylor. Horton finished up in third to qualify for Saturday's final.
The 5000-meter races rounded out action Friday evening. Kinley Kunkel became the fifth Hilltopper to earn a medal and finish All-CUSA with a second place finish in the event. Her time of 16:27 was a PR and she was joined by Kathryn Harris who also set a new personal best in the event.
NOTABLESÂ
- Five Hilltoppers earned individual all-conference honors on Friday. Three of the five were in the pole vault events alone.
- In total, 13 Hilltoppers set personal bests on Friday.
- After day one of action the men are in third place with 27 points and the women are in fourth with 27 as well.
- Sam Crenshaw was the lone Hilltopper to win an individual title on Friday, with a 5.15 meter vault in the men's pole vault.
- Crenshaw is the first ever Hilltopper in the pole vault to earn all-conference honors in indoor track and field.
- Natalie Papes became the first Hilltopper to earn a medal on Friday with a second place finish in the women's pole vault and a mark of 4.16 meters (13-07.75). The mark is also No. 2 in WKU indoor history.
- Sophia Roskoski also finished on the podium in the women's pole vault, claiming third place in the event.
- Papes and Roskoski are the first Hilltoppers to earn all-conference in the women's pole vault since 2018.
- Kinley Kunkel became the first Hilltopper to earn a medal on the track with a second place finish in the 5000, clocking in at 16:27.52. The time is also a PR for the junior and ranks at No. 2 in WKU indoor history.
- Kunkel's time of 16:27 is the best ever for a Hilltopper at the indoor conference championships and is the first to earn All-CUSA since 2017.
- Myles Gentry managed to earn All-CUSA in the men's long jump with a mark of 7.37 meters, a personal best, and good for third place.
- Ella Cleveland set a PR in the pole vault with a mark of 3.71 meters (12-02), good for 10th place.
- Caterina Rossomanno managed a PR in the women's mile with a time of 5:01.39.
- Gianna Huerta earned a personal best in the women's 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.08, finishing up in 14th.
- Huerta also earned a PR in the 400 with a time of 58.16, finishing up in 25th place.
- Ricardo Smith set a new personal best in the 60-hurdles with a time of 8.19, good for seventh place and qualification for the final round.
- Alanah Smith logged a PR in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.73, finishing in 23rd. Milan Marshall also finished with one, claiming 28th in 8.07.
- Kathryn Harris finished with a PR on Friday in the women's 5000 with a time of 17:52.22
- In the men's weight throw LeAndre Bolen and Luke McQueen both finished with personal bests.
Women's Results
60
23rd - Alanah Smith - 7.73*
28th - Milan Marshall - 8.07*
200
26th - Dreeanna Wade - 25.41
400
25th - Gianna Huerta - 58.16*
26th - Dreeanna Wade - 58.76
29th - Sarah Payne - 1:01.10
800
21st - Morgan Moore - 2:32.63
Mile
10th - Brooke Greenwell - 4:56.55 (q)
19th - Hannah Glassmeyer - 5:03.68
17th - Caterina Rossomanno - 5:01.39*
5000
2nd - Kinley Kunkel - 16:27.52*
19th - Kathryn Harris - 17:52.22*
60 Hurdles
14th - Gianna Huerta - 9.08*
DMR
7th - Glassmeyer, Smith, Greenwell, Rossomanno - 11:55.68
Pole Vault
2nd - Natalie Papes - 4.16 (13-07.75)*
3rd - Sophia Roskoski - 4.06 (13-03.75)
10th - Ella Cleveland - 3.71 (12-02)*
14th - Carolina Bannach - 3.56 (11-08)
Weight Throw
6th - Ajla Basic - 18.61 (61-00.75)
22nd - Kennedy Coradini - 13.13 (43-01)
Long Jump
26th - Haley Zell - 5.05 (16-07)
Men's Results
60
6th - Kameron Horton - 6.80 (Q)
17th - Sterling Weldon - 6.91Â
18th - Jayden Freeman - 6.97Â
 20th - Zachariah Taylor - 7.03
200
3rd - Kameron Horton - 20.85 (Q)
13th - Brunel Desinor - 21.75
17th - Zachariah Taylor - 21.94
22nd - Carter Vinson - 22.14
400
8th - Brunel Desinor - 48.01 (q)
12th - Leland Taylor - 49.01Â
800
7th - Wade Balcom - 1:52.99 (q)
10th - Ben Dunkle - 1:54.26
Mile
2nd - Trevor Hudnall - 4:19.42 (Q)
12th - Parker Smith - 4:24.05
5000
10th - Jake Younger - 15:30
60 Hurdles
7th - Ricardo Smith - 8.19 (q)*
8th - Van Thrasher - 8.21 (q)
DMR
5th - Smith, Raybourne, Dunkle, Hayes - 10:05.05
Pole Vault
1st - Sam Crenshaw - 5.15 (16-10.75)
7th - Jackson Gray - 4.90 (16-00.75)
11th - Caleb Joyce - 4.60 (15-01)
Long Jump
3rd - Myles Gentry - 7.37 (24-02.25)*
4th - Sterling Weldon - 7.27 (23-10.25)
Weight Throw
12th - LeAndre Bolen - 15.55 (51-00.25)*
13th Luke McQueen - 15.06 (49-05)*
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