Kentucky Track & Field Hosts 30th Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational
LOUISVILLE Ky. – The University of Kentucky Track and Field program will host the 30th edition of its annual indoor home meet—the Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational—in Louisville this weekend. Held on Friday, January 10 and Saturday, January 11 at the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center, the meet will serve as the Cats’ first competition of the new year. Field action will begin at Noon ET on Friday, with running events commencing at 3 p.m. ET. On Saturday, the field events will start at 11 a.m. ET with track action beginning at Noon ET.
Admission to both days of the McCravy is free to the public; however, there will be a $5 parking fee at the Norton Center.
15 schools will contest the field at this year’s Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational, including seven Power Four programs. In addition to the Wildcats, the SEC will be represented by Ole Miss. Ohio State and Purdue represent the Big Ten, UCF and Cincinnati represent the Big 12, and Louisville represents the ACC. Akron, Alabama State, Bellarmine, Cumberlands, Howard, Louisiana Tech, Miami (OH), and Western Kentucky complete the field of teams.
The Wildcats enter their third meet of the season after a successful opening week of action in December that saw three broken records and 12 event wins. At the Sharon Colyer-Danville Opener in Boston, Ed Bird broke the school record in the 3000m while Collins Kiprop Kipngok set a new freshman record in the 5000m. At the Louisville Opener, Olympic finalist Tapiwanashe “Carlie” Makarawu set a new Zimbabwe national record in addition to running the third-fastest time in school history. He will contest the same event at the McCravy on Friday.
Returning All-Americans Luke Brown and Kate Powers highlight field action for the Wildcats as both athletes boast a win in their respective events from their first start of the season. Brown—the defending SEC Champion in the indoor and outdoor Triple Jump—jumped to a comfortable win at the Louisville Opener and will contest his specialty at the McCravy this Saturday. Powers—the holder of a pair of Kentucky freshman records—threw the second-best Weight Throw mark in school history on her way to victory at her season debut in December. She will compete in the Weight Throw on Friday, needing to better her personal best by 3.5 inches to set a new Kentucky record.
On the track, Kentucky sprinters dominated their season opener, sweeping the 60-meter dashes and hurdles. Sharmelle Holmes ran a new personal best in her collegiate debut, taking the 60m title at the Louisville Opener in 7.37 seconds. Miles Jones began his sophomore season with a bang, running a new 60m personal best of 6.67 to take the win, tying the eighth-best mark in school history.
In the short hurdles, All-American Alexis Glasco began her senior season with a win in the Women’s 60m hurdles, while Nigerian 100m hurdles champion Alexander Chukwukelu won the Men’s 60m hurdles.
Following the McCravy, the Wildcats split squads next weekend at the Texas Tech and Vanderbilt. Sprinters and jumpers will head to Lubbock, Texas for the Corky Classic while distance runners and throwers will travel to Music City for the Vanderbilt Invitational. Both meets are set to run from Friday, January 17-Saturday, January 18.
Honoring Rod McCravy
The high level of competition at the meet has turned into a fitting tribute to its namesake: the late Rodriq McCravy.
McCravy, a UK track athlete, died at the age of 19 in 1987 while sleeping in his dorm room. Although only a sophomore, Rod had already become the track team’s leader. His personal charisma and genuine care for others earned him the respect and admiration of all his teammates.
His personal impact on his teammates, friends, and coaches went well beyond athletics. A social work major, Rod is remembered as a dedicated, enthusiastic athlete, a conscientious student, a cherished friend, and most important, an outstanding human being.
A graduate of Louisville Trinity High School, Rod was a two-time class AAA state champion in the 300m hurdles. He once held the UK freshman 400m hurdles record (53.35) and was part of a then-school record 4x400m relay team.
The meet is named in his honor to help members of the UK track and field community remember him as well as provide an ongoing opportunity to speak about Rod and the positive influence he had on everyone who knew him.
Event Schedule
| Rod McCravy Memorial: Friday, January 10: ALL TIMES IN EASTERN TIME | |||
| Women’s High Jump | Noon | FINAL | Julia Gunnell |
| Men’s High Jump | Noon | FINAL | Donsten Brown
Devin Sealey |
| Women’s Long Jump | 12:30 p.m. | FINAL | Morgan Davis
Aliyah Adams Sophie Galloway |
| Women’s Weight Throw | 1 p.m. | FINAL | Kate Powers |
| Men’s Weight Throw | Following Women’s WT | FINAL | Logan Coles
DaRoyce Flemons Grayson Brashear Colin Wilson |
| Women’s 60m | 3:00 p.m. | First Round | Victoria Perrow
Sharmelle Holmes Alexis Glasco Morgan Davis Briley Cline Kori Martin |
| Men’s 60m | 3:20 p.m. | First Round | Miles Jones
Clinton Muunga Troy Lane Josh Onwunili Luke Brown Mekhai Williams-Villafane |
| Women’s Pole Vault | 3:30 p.m. | FINAL | Payton Phillips
Kaitlyn Cain Chelsea Wetzel Annie Murphy |
| Women’s 60H | 3:45 p.m. | First Round | Alexis Glasco
Emmi Scales Maya Anderson Camden Bentley Kori Martin Julia Gunnell |
| Women’s 300m | 4:05 p.m. | FINAL | Oneika McAnnuff
Stacey Onyepunuka A’Laji Bradley Hannah Douglas Emmi Scales |
| Men’s 300m | 4:20 p.m. | FINAL | Carlie Makarawu
Brandon Nyandoro Brandon Miller |
| Women’s 600m | 4:35 p.m. | FINAL | Cha’iel Johnson |
| Men’s 600m | 4:50 p.m. | FINAL | Christopher Adams |
| Women’s 200m | 5:10 p.m. | FINAL | Victoria Perrow
Morgan Davis JahQueen McClellan Maya Anderson Ava Alexander Camden Bentley A’Laji Bradley Briley Cline Sharmelle Holmes Oneika McAnnuff |
| Men’s 200m | 6 p.m. | FINAL | Shavique Bascus
Miles Jones Clinton Muunga Troy Lane Joshua Onwunili Mekhai Williams-Villafane |
| Women’s DMR | 6:50 p.m. | FINAL | Kentucky ‘A’
Kentucky ‘B’ Kentucky ‘C’ |
| Men’s DMR | 7 p.m. | FINAL | Kentucky ‘A’
Kentucky ‘B’ |
| Rod McCravy Memorial: Saturday, January 11: ALL TIMES IN EASTERN TIME | |||
| Women’s Shot Put | 11:00 a.m. | FINAL | Shelby Wingler
Amya Livingston Julia Gunnell |
| Men’s Shot Put | Following Women’s Shot Put | FINAL | Colin Wilson
Grayson Brashear |
| Women’s Triple Jump | 12:00 p.m. | FINAL | Aliyah Adams
Sophie Galloway |
| Men’s Triple Jump | Following Women’s Triple Jump | FINAL | Luke Brown |
| Women’s 60m | Noon | Semifinals | TBD |
| Men’s 60m | 12:10 p.m. | Semifinals | TBD |
| Women’s 60H | 12:25 p.m. | Semifinals | TBD
|
| Men’s 60H | 12:35 p.m. | Semifinals | Alexander Chukwukelu
Anthony Waterman |
| Women’s 60m | 12:50 p.m. | FINAL | TBD |
| Men’s 60m | 12:55 p.m. | FINAL | TBD |
| Men’s Pole Vault | 1 p.m. | FINAL | Shane Racey
Brayden Jackson Jordan Frank |
| Women’s 60mH | 1:05 p.m. | FINAL | TBD |
| Men 60mH | 1:10 p.m. | FINAL | TBD |
| Women’s Mile | 1:25 p.m. | FINAL | Aubree Hay
Elly Heine Brooke Berger Ava Hendren Baylor Wolfe |
| Men’s Mile | 1:40 p.m. | FINAL | Cade Byer
Liam Naughton |
| Women’s 400m | 1:55 p.m. | FINAL | Aliyah Allen |
| Women’s 800m | 2:50 p.m. | FINAL | Julia Gunnell |
| Men’s 800m | 2:55 p.m. | FINAL | Patrick Faust |
| Women’s 4×400 | 3:25 p.m. | FINAL | Kentucky ‘A’
Kentucky ‘B’ Kentucky ‘C’ Kentucky ‘D’ |
| Men’s 4×400 | 3:45 p.m. | FINAL | Kentucky ‘A’ |
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