LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky track and field team sends split squads this weekend on the road to Arkansas? Tyson Invitational and Washington?s Husky Classic. UK?s middle distance and distance runners will head to Seattle while the rest of the team remains in SEC country at Fayetteville, Ark.
The UK men remain 10th, while the Wildcat women rank 21st in the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association polls released Wednesday.
Wildcat field event specialists and sprinters compete at the Tyson Invitational, Friday and Saturday at Arkansas? Randal Tyson Track Center. Fifteen ranked men?s squads and 17 ranked women?s teams including the Cats will take part in the competition. After Friday?s afternoon collegiate session, USA Track and Field will invade the Tyson Center for the professional portion of the meet. ESPN2 will show the event tape delayed Sunday, February 17, 5-7 p.m. ET. Live results can be found at www.Hogwired.com with a live broadcast on www.ladybacks.com.
Over 1,300 athletes will compete in Washington?s Dempsey Indoor Facility at the Husky Classic. The meet gets underway Saturday at 11:15 a.m. ET. Representatives from nine ranked teams will compete this weekend. Last year’s Husky Classic produced 95 NCAA qualifying performances by collegiate athletes, including 13 automatic qualifiers and 82 provisional marks. Live results will be available at www.GoHuskies.com.
Last weekend at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York City, junior Mikel Thomas broke his one-week old record in the 60m hurdles finishing second at 7.79. Senior Andy Fryman eclipsed the nine-year old weight throw record with a distance of 65-6.00, four inches beyond the old mark. In the shot put, junior Rashaud Scott claimed the title with a throw of 58-11.25, the sixth-best distance in UK history. Freshman Derrick Locke jumped a distance of 24-2.25, the fifth-best leap all-time at Kentucky and just four inches shy of the school freshman record in his first collegiate competition. Locke earned SEC freshman male athlete of the week for his effort, the fourth conference award for the Cats this season.
On the women?s side sophomore pole vaulter Mary Chris Durham broke the one-week old school record set by junior Maggie Tincher, clearing a height of 12-3.50 topping the old mark by two inches. Sophomore Jenna Martin finished first in the 400 meter dash at a time of 53.57. Freshman Danielle Sampley established a distance of 19-8.00 to set the sixth-best mark at UK in the long jump. Junior Ashley Muffet placed second in the shot put with a toss of 51-0.25. In the weight throw Muffet placed seventh while sophomore Emily Bernhardt finished eighth with throws of 57-5.50 and 57-5.00, respectively. Bernhardt?s mark moved her into fifth all-time at UK. Sophomore Katherine Peterson ran a season-best time for the Cats in the 3000 meters clocking in at 9:49.78 to place seventh. In the 800, junior Jessica Ortman?s time of 2:09.78 tied her mark that ranks ninth-best all-time at UK.
This year the Cats have achieved many early successes during the indoor season and the numbers are staggering. After only four meets this season, three UK varsity indoor records have been broken, one twice, as well as two freshman indoor records. In addition, 34 new top-ten times and marks have been entered into the UK records books so far this year.
Kentucky men?s 4x400m relay time of 3:07.72 still ranks as tops in the world (IAAF.org). The Cats own three fourth-place times/marks in the country this week including senior John Richardson?s mile time of 3:59.35; sophomore Jenna Martin?s 400m dash time of 53.55 and junior Ashley Muffet?s shot put mark of 55-03.0. In addition, junior Mikel Thomas stands ninth in the country with his school-record time of 7.79 in the 60m hurdles.
Complete results and a recap of this weekend?s action will be available at ukathletics.com.
