AUBURN, Ala. ? The University of Kentucky men?s 4×400 meter relay team capped off one of the best Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships in school history by winning the meet?s final event in Auburn, Ala. The women?s squad placed fifth with 84.50 points, just four out of third, the most tallies since the Cats posted 150 in 1981 at the first SEC women?s outdoor championship. UK’s men notched 72 points in sixth place, the most since 1996.
The men?s 4x400m relay squad posted a season-best time of 3:04.57 which ranks fourth in the nation. The SEC Championship squad is one of three conference champions on the weekend joining freshman Grant Lindsey in the men?s high jump and junior Chase Madison in the men?s discus.
?This was a dramatic improvement,? UK head coach Don Weber said. ?It is encouraging. When you look at the teams that beat us tonight, every one of them has won a National Championship. They are at the top of the pecking order in track and field and we have made a dramatic move on them. We obviously have to keep on improving.?
The UK men’s 4×400 meter relay team of senior Nathan Browning, senior Justin Harrison, sophomore Kwasi Obeng and junior Jose Acevedo turned in the season-best time for the Cats.
Lindsey won the men’s high jump competition clearing 7-0.50 to become UK’s second SEC champion of the weekend.
Junior Mikel Thomas re-set his UK varsity record in the men’s 110m hurdles with a time of 13.70 to place sixth overall. Thomas earned the Cats three points.
In the women’s discus, junior Emilee Strot threw 173-2 to finish second overall and become the top individual finisher on the women?s side this weekend. Freshman Jenny Svoboda also made the finals but finished outside the scoring in ninth with a distance of 155-7.
In the women’s 400 meter dash final, sophomore Jenna Martin placed third overall with a season-best time of 52.77 to improve her regional mark. Martin claimed six points for the Cats.
In the men’s shot put, two Cats placed. Senior Andy Fryman took fourth with a distance of 60-3.25. Madison threw a personal-best of 59-2.75 to place sixth. Fryman nabbed five points, and Madison claimed three.
Junior Ashley Trimble continued her impressive weekend by finishing fifth overall in the women’s 400m hurdles with a personal-best time of 59.33. Trimble’s time improves her regional mark and ranks second all-time at UK.
In the men’s 200m dash, Acevedo finished fifth with a season-best time of 20.86. Acevedo garnered four points for the Blue and White.
All three Cats scored in the women’s 1500 meter run. Lavera Morris finished fourth with a season-best time of 4:24.31. Junior Jessica Ortman also posted a season-best mark to finish sixth with a time of 4:25.99. Junior Jenna Ortman took home eighth with a time of 4:27.00. Morris posted 5 points, Jessica Ortman earned 3 and Jenna Ortman added one.
In the women’s 800 meter final, Morris finished sixth with a time of 2:06.27. Jessica Ortman placed eighth crossing the finish in 2:06.89. Morris gave the Cats three points while Ortman nabbed one.
In the men’s 400m dash, Browning ran a personal-best time of 46.30 to finish sixth and improve his regional mark. Senior Justin Harrison finished ninth in 47.03.
In the men’s 1500 meter run, senior John Richardson placed sixth with a time of 3:48.64, earning the Cats three points.
In the men’s 4x100m relay, the UK men finished fifth overall in 39.85. The Cats accumulated four team points. Meanwhile the women’s 4x100m relay team placed seventh in a season-best time of 45.48. The Cats grabbed 2 team points.
In the women’s 4×400 meter relay, Kentucky finished sixth with a season-best time of 3:39.48, improving their regional-qualifying mark.
Freshman Ke’Undra Bishop placed eighth in the women’s triple jump. Bishop jumped a personal-best distance of 40-9.75 in her final attempt to place for the Cats.
Freshman David Banks made the finals of the men’s triple jump and placed ninth overall with a leap of 48-8.25.
Arkansas won the men?s championship with 131.50 points, while LSU won the women?s title scoring 157.50 points.
Video coverage of the Championships will be on a tape-delayed basis aired by FSN South on Sat. May 24 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Live stats will be available via link on the track and field schedule page.
The Wildcats will travel to the NCAA Mideast Regional in Fayetteville, Ark., hosted by the University of Arkansas in two weeks, May 30-31.
Wildcat Scorers by Event ? SEC Outdoor Championships after Day 4
WOMEN (points earned) ? 84.50 total
4x400m Relay
5. Martin-Shorter-Trimble-Morris ? 3:39.48 (4)
400 Meter Hurdles
5. Ashley Trimble ? 59.33 (4)
800 Meter Run
6. Lavera Morris ? 2:06.27 (3)
8. Jessica Ortman ? 2:06.89 (1)
400 Meter Dash
3. Jenna Martin ? 52.77 (6)
Discus
2. Emilee Strot ? 173-2 (8)
Triple Jump
8. Ke?Undra Bishop ? 40-9.75 (1)
1500 Meter Run
4. Lavera Morris ? 4:24.31 (5)
6. Jessica Ortman ? 4:25.99 (3)
8. Jenna Ortman ? 4:27.00 (1)
4x100m Relay
7. Shorter-Sampley-Martin-Tyson ? 45.48 (2)
Shot Put
4. Jennifer Svoboda ? 50-2 (5)
6. Emilee Strot ? 47-3.50 (3)
7. Kristin Smith ? 46-10.25 (2)
Steeplechase
3. Andrea Halasek ? 10:35.76 (6)
6. Jenna Ortman ? 10:55.30 (3)
7. Lindsay Petri ? 10:56.77 (2)
High Jump
T3. Victoria Dunlap ? 5-8.75 (5.5)
Javelin
7. Victoria Dunlap ? 130-5 (2)
Hammer Throw
6. Kristin Smith ? 191-1 (3)
Heptathlon
2. Danielle Sampley ? 5377 (8)
3. Ashley Trimble ? 5295 (6)
8. Ashley Newby ? 4784 (1)
MEN (points earned) ? 72 total
4x400m Relay
1. Browning-Harrison-Obeng-Acevedo ? 3:04.57 (10) SEC CHAMPION
Shot Put
4. Andy Fryman ? 60-3.25 (5)
6. Chase Madison ? 59-2.75 (3)
200 Meter Dash
5. Jose Acevedo ? 20.86 (4)
High Jump
1. Grant Lindsey ? 7-0.50 (10) SEC CHAMPION
400 Meter Dash
6. Nathan Browning ? 46.30 (3)
110 Meter Hurdles
6. Mikel Thomas ? 13.70 (3)
1500 Meter Run
6. John Richardson ? 3:48.64 (3)
4x100m Relay
5. Obeng-Acevedo-Austin-McKenzie ? 39.85 (4)
Steeplechase
8. Andre Silva ? 9:06.28 (1)
Long Jump
5. Derrick Locke ? 24-11 (4)
Discus
1. Chase Madison ? 198-1 (10) SEC CHAMPION
4. Andy Fryman ? 186-2 (5)
7. Colin Boevers ? 179-6 (2)
Hammer Throw
4. Andy Fryman ? 212-6 (5)
FINAL WOMEN?S TEAM STANDINGS
1) LSU 157.50
2) Florida 129
3) Arkansas 88.50
4) Tennessee 85
5) KENTUCKY 84.50
6) Ole Miss 73
7) Auburn 66
8) South Carolina 34.50
9) Alabama 34
10) Georgia 32
11) Mississippi State 28
12) Vanderbilt 7
FINAL MEN?S TEAM STANDINGS
1) Arkansas 131.50
2) LSU 122
3) Tennessee 97.50
4) Florida 80
5) Auburn 78.20
6) KENTUCKY 72
7) South Carolina 57
8) Mississippi State 56.20
9) Alabama 46.20
10) Georgia 43.40
11) Ole Miss 35
