UKTF Wins 13 Total Events at UCF Black and Gold Invite

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Kentucky track and field teams won six events and had the top collegian in another events on Saturday, giving the Wildcats 11 total wins and 13 total top collegians at the outdoor-season-opening Black and Gold Invitational on the first of two days of competition at the UCF Soccer & Track Complex.

Molly Leppelmeier won the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 211’9″/64.55m. On Friday, she took second, but was the top collegian, in the shot put (52’0″/15.85m).

Rahman Minor won the men’s high jump, clearing 7’0.25″/2.14m, just two inches from his PB.

Uk’s women’s 4x400m relay of Dajour Miles, Karimah Davis, Masai Russell and Bryanna Lucas won the last event of the meet with a time of 3:42.51.

Fresh off an All-America indoor season, Karimah Davis won the women’s 100m with a time of 11.29 (+1.6) that earned her the No. 7 spot on the UK all-time performers list.

Rodney Heath won the men’s 100m in 10.32 (+1.8). Tai Brown won the 110m hurdles with a 13.59.

Shadajah Ballard and Darci Khan were the top two collegians in the women’s 100m hurdles, second and third overall, with respective windy times of 13.20 and 13.27 (+3.5).

Freshman Logan Coles placed seventh in the men’s hammer throw with a mark of 189’4″/57.72m, moving to No. 8 on the UK all-time list.

Alex Justus placed third in the men’s 800m stopping the clock at 1:52.38.

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Kentucky track & field ran for five event wins and swept the men’s 200-meter dash among collegiate competitors on the first of two days of competition.

Four Wildcats either improved their current standing or made it onto the UK all-time top times/marks list.

Day One
The Wildcats earned event wins in the men’s pole vault, men’s discus, men’s and women’s 400m hurdles and the men’s 200m on day one.

Dwight St. Hillaire ran for first in the men’s 200m with an outdoor personal best of 20.24 seconds, improving upon his already second fastest time in UKTF history. An unattached competitor finished second while UKTF swept third through sixth.

Keaton Daniel tied his best vault of the year (18’0.5″/5.50m) for an event win. Daniel is the school record holder in the event both indoors and outdoors and is the reigning 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships silver medalist in the pole vault.

Josh Sobota won the discus with a personal best throw of 191’8″/58.44m. He now ranks ninth for UK all-time in the event.

Masai Russell ran a speedy 56.52 in the 400H for the win, only .34 off her personal best from 2021 outdoor NCAAs.

Kenroy Williams won his best event, the 400H, with a time of 50.30 which is only .12 off his personal best.

Siobhan Szerencsits placed second in the women’s pole vault (13’5.25″/4.10m), as did Phoebe McCowan in the 1500m (4:27.29).

Beck O’Daniel placed second in the men’s 400H (52.27).

The third-place finisher in the men’s 200m was Jacob Smith (20.86). Tai Brown earned fourth (20.89), Brian Faust placed fifth (20.90) and Myles Anders finished sixth (21.03). Only Brown’s time was wind legal.

Also earning third place was Robbie Springfield III in the long jump with a personal best 24’10″/7.57m jump that earned him a spot on the UK all-time list at 10th.

Matt Peare vaulted for third in the men’s pole vault (16’9.25″/5.11m), followed by Jacob Sobota in fourth (16’5.25″/5.01m)

Competing teams at the event were Alabama State, Albany, Bethune-Cookman, Connecticut, Dartmouth, Embry-Riddle, Flagler, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida Memorial, Florida Tech, Kentucky, Marshall, Mercer, Michigan, Minnesota, NC State, North Florida, NYU, Rhode Island, Rutgers, Saint Leo, Southeastern U., Stetson, Tampa, Temple, UCF, UMass Amherst, University of The Bahamas, Vanderbilt and VCU.

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