Wildcats to Compete at Florida Relays, Bellarmine Invitational

April 5, 2012

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky men’s and women’s track and field teams, fresh off strong performances at the Texas Relays and Oliver Nikoloff Invitational, will split their squads and head to Gainesville, Fla., for the Florida Relays, and Louisville, Ky., for the Bellarmine Invitational and Multi Events on Friday and Saturday.

The Florida Relays first began 73 years ago in 1939. Today, the meet is one of the nation’s premier track and field competitions. On Friday, Kentucky will compete in seven running events on the women’s side and four running events on the men’s side.

Freshmen Tamyah Pipkin and Keilah Tyson will compete in the 100-meter dash. Tyson finished 10th in the 100m at the Texas Relays last week with a UK freshman-record time of 11.52. Tyson’s time was also the third fastest in UK history.

Sophomore Julie Nunn and freshman Angelica Whaley will compete in the 400m, while sophomore Allison Peare will compete in the 800m and 1,500m. On the men’s side, freshman Keffri Neal and sophomore Robert Scharold will race in the 800m. Seniors Trent Halasek and Josh Nadzam and sophomore Adam Kahleifeh will go in the 1,500m.

The Wildcat women have three student-athletes in the 5,000m, including senior Megan Broderick and juniors Hiruni Wijayaratne and Megan Wright. The men’s team will also have three student-athletes racing in the men’s 5K, led by junior Luis Orta. Orta won the 3,000m steeplechase one week ago at the Texas Relays with the third fastest 3,000m steeplechase in UK history (8:50.52). Orta will be joined by junior Walter Luttrell and sophomore Stacey Eden.

Sophomore Kayla Parker will race in the women’s 100m hurdles, and junior Brandon Bagley will compete in the men’s 110m hurdles. Freshman Devinn Cartwright and junior Shiara Robinson will race in the 400m hurdles.

In the field events Friday, senior Terri-Ann Grant and freshman Joanne Imbert will compete in the women’s high jump. Grant enters the event coming off a career-best mark of 1.81m/5-11.25 at the Texas Relays. Grant’s jump is the second best in Kentucky history.

Junior Shelby Kennard and senior Samantha Stenzel will compete in the women’s pole vault on Friday. Kennard is coming off a sixth-place finish at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational in which she cleared 3.60m/11-09.75.

On the men’s side, freshman Terence Boyd will compete Friday in the long jump and sophomore Isiah Kent will go in the discus. Kent finished in second in the discus last week at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational.

Live results of the Florida Relays can be accessed at GatorZone.com.

Heat sheets for the Bellarmine Invitational and Multi Events have not yet been made available.

For more news and information on the Kentucky men’s and women’s track and field programs, including daily recaps and results from the Florida Relays and Bellarmine Invitational, follow the Cats on Twitter at “KentuckyTrack” and go to UKathletics.com.

2012 Florida Relays

James G. Pressly Stadium at Percy Beard Track

Gainesville, Fla.

Friday’s Lineup

Women’s 100-Meter Dash

Tamyah Pipkin

Keilah Tyson

Women’s 400-Meter Dash

Julie Nunn

Angelica Whaley

Women’s 800-Meter Run

Allison Peare

Women’s 1,500-Meter Run

Allison Peare

Women’s 5,000-Meter Run

Megan Broderick

Hiruni Wijayaratne

Megan Wright

Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles

Kayla Parker

Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles

Devinn Cartwright

Shiara Robinson

Women’s High Jump

Terri-Ann Grant

Joanne Imbert

Women’s Pole Vault

Shelby Kennard

Samantha Stenzel

Men’s 800-Meter Run

Keffri Neal

Robert Scharold