LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky track and field teams begin their quest for Southeastern Conference team and individual championships Friday at the conference?s indoor championship meet hosted by the University of Arkansas at the Tyson Track Complex in Fayetteville, Ark.
The UK men enter the meet ranked 17th, while the Wildcat women rank 22nd in the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association polls released Wednesday. Six SEC men?s squads and seven women?s teams, including the Wildcats, are ranked in their respective top-25 rankings.
Light competition begins Friday evening with the multi-event contests ? the men?s heptathlon and women?s pentathlon. Three UK women, junior Ashley Trimble and freshmen Ashley Newby and Danielle Sampley, will compete in the pentathlon for the Cats. The men do not have any competitors in the heptathlon this season.
Competition resumes Saturday with field events at noon ET and running contests at 2:30 p.m. ET. The championships come to a close on Sunday with field events kicking off at 11 a.m. ET and running events beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET. Live results can be found at www.ladybacks.com or by clicking the live results link on the UK track schedule page.
The men?s indoor season has been one of Kentucky?s best in program history. The Cats have entered 21 new top-10 times/marks into the all-time UK record books this season, with two new varsity records and two updated freshman standards.
Junior Mikel Thomas set the UK record in the 60m hurdles twice this year with his best finish at 7.79, good for ninth in the country. Upperclassmen Andy Fryman and Rashaud Scott are tied for the top mark in the men?s weight throw at a distance of 65-6 which ranks 21st in the country. Freshmen Brendan Ames (60m hurdles ? 7.97) and Derrick Locke (long jump ? 24-6.25) set new UK first-year records.
Senior John Richardson leads the conference in the mile run at a time of 3:59.35 which automatically qualifies him for nationals and ranks fifth nationally. In the high jump, freshman Grant Lindsey?s height of 7-00.50 is tops in the SEC. The Cats own two other national top-10 marks in the men?s 4x400m relay (3:07.72 ? fourth) and junior Jose Acevedo?s 200m dash time (21.08 ? sixth). Besides Richardson?s automatic mark the men?s team has accumulated 12 provisional marks in 10 different indoor events and won four weekly SEC honors so far this season.
On the women?s side, the Wildcats have also posted one of the best seasons in school history. The Cats have entered 18 new top-10 times/marks into the all-time UK record books this season, with two new varsity records and one updated freshman standard.
Sophomore Jenna Martin broke the school record in the 400m dash with a time of 52.72. Her time is second in the nation and tops in the SEC this year. Martin won SEC runner of the week honors for her effort. In the women?s pole vault, two Cats eclipsed the old school record. Junior Maggie Tincher set the record at a height of 12-1.50 only to be topped the next weekend by sophomore Mary Chris Durham?s height of 12-3.50. Freshman Danielle Sampley set a new first-year record in the 60m hurdles at a time of 8.35, good for 20th nationally.
The Cats own two other national top-10 marks with junior Ashley Muffet?s shot put throw (55-3 ? seventh) and senior Lavera Morris? 800m run time (2:06.74 ? 10th). The women?s team has accumulated 7 provisional marks in 6 different indoor events so far this season.
Overall, 38 new top-ten times and marks have been written into the UK records books so far this year.
Complete results and a recap of this weekend?s action will be available at UKathletics.com.
