UK Women's Track & Field Earns Best SEC Finish since 1982
By Jacob Most
May 16, 2015 –
STARKVILLE, Miss. — The sixth-ranked Kentucky women’s team finished third behind Arkansas and Texas A&M at the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday.
Kentucky earned 99 points, its best finish since 1982 (third) when eight teams were in the league. UK’s best SEC outdoor finish was second place in 1981, the first year the meet was held. UK placed fourth last season.
Arkansas scored 127.5 points, and Texas A&M scored 104.
The Kentucky men placed sixth with 58 points, equaling the team placement from a season ago, which was the best since 1996.
Three Wildcats earned SEC Individual Championships, led by Kendra Harrison, who defended her 100-meter hurdles title in a meet-record 12.50 seconds. Keffri Neal defended his 1,500m championship.
In an upset, Justin Kretchmer won the men’s high jump.
Harrison became the third fastest 100m hurdler in collegiate history with the fourth fastest time ever. Additionally, Harrison now owns the SEC records in the both 60m hurdles and 100m hurdles. Harrison is now the second-ranked 100m hurdler in the world this season, behind only LSU alumnus Jasmine Stowers (12.35), who Harrison defeated for the SEC title last season.
Harrison is now a four-time SEC Champion. She finished the meet having scored 18 points as she placed second to Texas A&M’s Shamier Little — the defending NCAA Champion — in the 400m hurdles.
Keffri Neal used his trademark kick on the final straightway to win the SEC 1,500m for the second year in a row — in 3:44.89.
Justin Kretchmer tied his best high jump clearance as a Wildcat to win the SEC title at 7-feet, 0.25 inches/2.14m in slippery conditions as the meet was delayed twice for lighting, which was accompanied by torrential downpours.
Saturday Medalists
Dezerea Bryant earned two bronze medals to finish the meet having scored 13.3 points. She placed third in the 100m with a time of 11.33, and then ran a 200m personal best of 22.65 for third in the 200m.
Leah Nugent claimed third in the 400m hurdles to earn six points for UK with a time of 56.47.
Saturday scorers
The women’s 4x100m relay of Dezerea Bryant, Keilah Tyson, Kenyattia Hackworth and Dominique Booker broke 43 seconds for the first time in in school history (42.85) to claim fourth./
The women’s 4x400m relay of Leah Nugent, Morganne Phillips, Jasmine Mitchell and Angelica Whaley placed fourth.
Charles Moushey place fourth in the pole vault, having cleared 17’1.5″/5.22m.
Jacklyn Howell placed fifth in the 100m hurdles meaning UK scored 14 points in that event.
Nick Anderson broke the school record with a 110m hurdles time of 13.60 for fifth place.
Kentucky finished five-six in the 400m as Jasmine Mitchell ran a PR of 53.41 and Morganne Phillips ran 53.50.
Adriana Brown placed fifth in the shot put with a mark of 52’1.75″/15.89m. Kentucky went five-six in that event as Madison Jacobs placed sixth with almost two-foot PR in the shot put 51’8.5″/15.76m. She scored nine points for the meet having earned bronze in the discus on Friday.
Robert Sandlin earned two points with a seventh-place finish in the 5k (14:15.33).
Daje Pugh ran a 400m hurdles PR, 58.80, for eighth.
