UKTF Punches Two Tickets To Eugene On Day One of NCAA East First Rounds
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Track and Field men’s program opened day one of the NCAA Division I East First Rounds at the Outdoor Track and Field Facility today marking the first time the event has been held in the Bluegrass since 2017. Despite numerous schedule changes, the Wildcats got on with business punching two tickets to Eugene in the men’s pole vault and qualifying three runners for Friday’s quarterfinals.
Seniors Keaton Daniel and Dalton Shepler punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Shepler finished 11th but cleared a personal best 17’5.50”/5.32 meters that sees him tied for third on the UK all-time performers list. It also marks the first time Shepler has qualified for the outdoor championship meet.
Daniel tied for the win in the event, clearing 17’9.25”/5.42 meters to earn his spot in Eugune. It marks Daniel’s third time qualifying for the championship meet.
Freshman Alexander Chukwukelu finished 15th overall but earned an automatic qualifier to the quarterfinals of the 110-meter hurdles crossing the line in 13.84Q (+0.8). He is one of only three freshmen who advanced to the next round.
Graduate student Kennedy Lightner also earned an automatic qualifier to Friday’s quarterfinals in the 200-meter crossing the line in 20.35Q (-1.2) while junior Clinton Muunga qualified on time in the 100-meter dash and will also run on Friday.
The UKTF women will get their postseason underway tomorrow on an adjusted schedule. All changes to the schedule can be found here.
Live results can be found here and the event will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Meet information including a schedule of events, and parking can be found here.
Tickets for the event are still available for purchase here.
WEDNESDAY’S RECAP
SPRINTS & HURDLES
110mH
Freshman Alexander Chukwukelu finished 15th overall but earned an automatic qualifier to the quarterfinals of the 110-meter hurdles crossing the line in 13.84Q (+0.8). He is one of only three freshmen who advanced to the next round.
100m
Junior Clinton Muunga qualified on time with a time of 10.34q (-0.9).
200m
Graduate student Kennedy Lightner earned an automatic qualifier to Friday’s quarterfinals in the 200-meter crossing the line in 20.35Q (-1.2)
JUMPS
Pole Vault
Seniors Keaton Daniel and Dalton Shepler punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Shepler finished 11th but cleared a personal best 17’5.50”/5.32 meters that sees him tied for third on the UK all-time performers list. It also marks the first time Shepler has qualified for the outdoor championship meet.
Daniel tied for the win in the event, clearing 17’9.25”/5.42 meters to earn his spot in Eugune. It marks Daniel’s third time qualifying for the championship meet.
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Event Lineup (all info tentative and subject to change before the meet)
| NCAA EAST FIRST ROUNDS: Wednesday, May 22: ALL TIMES IN EASTERN TIME | |||
| Men’s Hammer Throw | First Round | 14. Logan Coles: 209’3”/63.78m | |
| Men’s Pole Vault | First Round | T-1. Keaton Daniel: 17’9.25”/5.42mq
11. Dalton Shepler: 17’5.50”/5.32mq | PR | Ties for 3rd on the UK all-time performers list |
|
| Men’s 110mH | First Round | 15. Alexander Chukwukelu: 13.84Q (+0.8) | |
| Men’s 100m | First Round | 13. Clinton Muunga: 10.34q (-0.9)
44. Miles Jones: 10.66 (-1.4) |
|
| Men’s 400m | First Round | 40. Ethan Brown: 48.38 | |
| Men’s 200m | First Round | 8. Kennedy Lightner: 20.35Q (-1.2) | |
| NCAA EAST FIRST ROUNDS: Thursday, May 23: ALL TIMES IN EASTERN TIME | |||
| Women’s Hammer Throw | 10:00 a.m. | First Round | Kate Powers |
| Women’s Pole Vault | 12:00 p.m. | First Round | Kaitlyn Cain
Payton Phillips |
| Women’s Long Jump | 3:00 p.m. | First Round | Morgan Davis |
| Women’s 100mH | 3:00 p.m. | First Round | Alexis Glasco |
| Women’s 1500m | 3:30 p.m. | First Round | Phoebe McCowan |
| Women’s 100m | 4:00 p.m. | First Round | Victoria Perrow |
| Women’s 400m | 4:25 p.m. | First Round | Jania Martin
Oneika McAnnuff |
| Women’s 800m | 4:50 p.m. | First Round | Bryanna Lucas
Sydney Steely |
| NCAA EAST FIRST ROUNDS: Friday, May 24: ALL TIMES IN EASTERN TIME | |||
| Men’s 4x100m Relay | 5:00 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Shavique Bascus, Miles Jones, Troy Lane, Kennedy Lightner, Clinton Muunga |
| Men’s 3000m Steeplechase | 5:40 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Jackson Watts |
| Men’s Triple Jump | 6:00 p.m. | First Round | Luke Brown |
| Men’s 110mH | 6:15 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Alexander Chukwukelu |
| Men’s 100m | 6:35 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Clinton Muunga |
| Men’s 200m | 7:50 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Kennedy Lightner |
| Men’s 5000m | 8:10 p.m. | Semifinals | Ed Bird |
| Men’s 4x400m Relay | 8:45 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Shavique Bascus, Ethan Brown, Kennedy Lightner, Brandon Miller, Brandon Nyandoro |
| NCAA EAST FIRST ROUNDS: Saturday, May 25: ALL TIMES IN EASTERN TIME | |||
| Women’s High Jump | 2:00 p.m. | First Round | Charity Hufnagel |
| Women’s 1500m | 5:15 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Phoebe McCowan |
| Women’s 100mH | 6:15 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Alexis Glasco |
| Women’s 100m | 6:35 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Victoria Perrow |
| Women’s 400m | 6:50 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Jania Martin
Oneika McAnnuff |
| Women’s 800m | 7:05 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Bryanna Lucas
Sydney Steely |
| Women’s 4x400m Relay | 8:45 p.m. | Quarterfinals | Alexis Glasco, Cha’iel Johnson, Jania Martin, Oneika McAnnuff, Reynei Wallace |
