AMES, Iowa ? The University of Kentucky track and field squads posted four more NCAA provisional qualifying marks as juniors Gavin Ball (shot put) and Georganne Way (800), and sophomores Justin Harrison (400) and Lavera Morris (800) all went below the standard at the Iowa State Classic Saturday.
Harrison reached a provisional mark (47.06, season PR) for the second consecutive season and was one of 12 runners in the field to run below the qualification. Freshman Jose Acevedo was not far from a provisional mark, running a season-best 47.63. Kentucky male sprinters looked poised for a promising future with underclassmen owning the team?s top three seasonal marks in the 60, 200 and 400.
Way ran the fastest indoor and outdoor 800 of her collegiate career (2:06.49), putting the Lititz, Pa. native in good standing for an NCAA berth. Way?s time moved her from seventh all-time indoors at UK to second. As of Saturday night, Way?s mark ranked seventh nationally. Morris also ran a personal-best en route to a provisional mark with a time of 2:07.88. Morris now ranks third behind Way.
Gavin Ball threw a season-best for a third consecutive meet and reached a provisional mark with a toss of 58-4. The newcomer from Monona Grove, Wis. now ranks seventh all-time at UK in the event.
The men?s 4×400 relay improved their season-best with a time of 3:07.65, en route to a third place finish. The Cats had already gone below a provisional mark at the McCravy Memorial (2/28), but now have an even greater shot at reaching the NCAA Championships. Depending on the outcome of different meets throughout the country this weekend, the squad should continue to rank in the top 10 nationally.
Freshman Gordon McKenzie continued his progress in the sprints, tying for sixth in the finals of the 60 (6.83). Friday, McKenzie placed tenth in the 200 (21.61). The Queens, N.Y. native owns UK?s top seasonal marks in the 60 and 200.
Normally a miler and up, John Richardson showed his versatility by running the Cats? top 800 mark of the season (1:50.31) and falling less than a second shy of the provisional standard.
Freshman Ashley Muffet placed tenth in the shot put with a throw of 50-3.25. The mark was well short of a season-best but the North Canton, Ohio native already owns a provisional mark (52-2.75, third all-time UK), achieved last weekend at the Hoosier Relays. Muffet?s top mark ranked second in the SEC and 17th nationally entering this weekend.
Senior Kenya Patton reached the finals of the 60 where she placed ninth with a time of 7.59.
Friday evening, senior Allison Grace hit a provisional mark with an indoor career-best in the 5,000 meters (16:43.09, sixth all-time at UK).
Over 75 men’s and women’s track teams from all over the country competed at the ISU Classic. The Classic showcased multiple Big 12 Conference teams, several Big Ten Conference teams, as well as many other well-known Division I track teams including UCLA, Alabama, Clemson, and Mississippi.
The Cats have the weekend off from competition as they prepare for the SEC Championships, Feb. 27-28, at the University of Florida.
