LEXINGTON, Ky
. – The University of Kentucky track and field teams opened their first day of indoor competition in the Kentucky Invitational at E.J. Nutter Field House on Friday with high spirits and an eagerness to compete.
Senior Kristin Smith put an exclamation point on the evening competition by breaking the UK school record in the weight throw. Smith threw 19.55 meters (64 feet, 1.75 inches) to mark the record books and just barely missed her best throw on her final attempt.
Senior thrower Ashley Muffet also competed in the weight throw and finished in ninth place.
The women’s pole vault squad of Mary Chris Durham, Samantha Stenzel and Shelby Kennard combined for an impressive day of performances. Durham came in second place after a close jump-off finish.
Stenzel recorded her personal best with a vault of 3.70 meters (12 feet, 1.50 inches), giving her a fourth-place finish. Kennard recorded her first meet as a Wildcat and she earned a fifth place finish.
Junior Ke’Undra Bishop advanced to the finals in the triple jump where she placed seventh overall.
David Banks and Keenan Hall started things for the men’s team in the triple jump.
Hall, a transfer from Texas A&M, made his UK debut, placing fourth overall with a jump of 15.19m/49-10.00. Banks marked a sixth-place finish with a jump of 15.04m/49-04.25.
Check out the Wildcats in action when they return to E.J. Nutter Field House, where field events will resume Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Running events will follow, beginning at 12:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, with live statistics and a complete schedule of events at www.ukathletics.com/track<
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Event parking is located in the green lot of Commonwealth Stadium.
Kentucky results below, with NCAA automatic qualifying scores and provisional scores in parentheses:
Women’s Triple Jump (AUTO: 13.30m; PROV: 12:65m)
7. Ke’Undra Bishop – 12.22m/40-01.25
Women’s Pole Vault (AUTO: 4.25m; PROV: 4.00m)
2. Mary Chris Durham – 3.70/ 12-01.50
4. Samantha Stenzel – 3.70/12-01.50 (Personal Best)
5. Shelby Kennard – 3.55/11-07.75
Women’s Weight Throw (AUTO: 21:00m; PROV: 18.75m)
3. Kristin Smith – 19.55mP/64-01.75 (School Record)
9. Ashley Muffet – 17.77m/58-03.75
Men’s Triple Jump (AUTO: 16:15; PROV 15:45m)
4. Keenan Hall – 15.19m/49-10.00
6. David Banks – 15.04m/49-04.25
