SEC Indoor Championships Finish Was Third, Last Year, and in 1989

UKathletics.com | @KentuckyTrack | /KentuckyTrack

2017-18 INDOOR DECEMBER 8 Hoosier Open (Bloomington, Ind.) JANUARY 12-13 Kentucky Invitational (Lexington, Ky - Nutter FH) 19-20 Clemson Invitational) (Clemson, S.C.) 26 IU Relays (Bloomington, Ind.) FEBRUARY 3 McCravy Memorial (Lexington, Ky. - Nutter FH) M: 1st, W: 1st 9-10 Tiger Paw Invitational (Clemson, S.C.) 9-10 Iowa State Classic (Ames, Iowa) 24-25 SEC Championships (College Station, Texas)

MARCH Broadcast SEC Network | SECN+ streaming on Saturday, Live on SECN Sunday starting at 3:55 p.m. ET 9-10 NCAA Championships Talent: Dwight Stones, Larry Rawson, Jill Montogomery, John Anderson (College Station, Texas) No. 3 Women's Team Notes | UK was third with 72 points last season at SEC Indoors 0 Kentucky won it's only scored meet to date, the home McCravy Memorial on Feb. 3 2018 OUTDOOR 0 Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, a two-time NCAA Champion, and defending SEC 60H Champion leads the MARCH NCAA in that event with time of 7.95 two weeks ago 16-17 UCF Invitational 0 UK's 4x400m relay of Faith Ross, Sydney McLaughlin, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Kayelle Clarke is (Orlando, Fla.) ranked No. 5 nationally, and second in the SEC with a time of 3:31.61. That relay at the Clemson Invi- tational featured a McLaughlin 50-second split, and she is also the NCAA leader in the open 400m. 23-24 Raleigh Relays (Raleigh, N.C) 0 Reigning NCAA outdoor pole vault Champion Olivia Gruver is the NCAA leader. 29-31 Florida Relays No. 11 Men's Team Notes | UK was seventh with 44 points last season at SEC Indoors (Gainesville, Fla.) APRIL 0 Tim Duckworth, the current NCAA heptathlon leader (6,071) is entered in the long jump, and pole 6-7 Spec Towns Invitational vault. Duckworth is favorite for the NCAA heptathlon based on last year's NCAA finish (Athens, Ga.) 0 Louisville product Jacob Thomson is entered in the SEC 3k and 5k. He ranks second in the SEC each of 12-14 Tennessee Relays those events this year (3k: 7:53.87, 5k: 13:41.33) (Knoxville, Tenn.) 0 Freshman Dwight St. Hillaire is ranked fourth in the SEC 200m (20.73), fastest among league freshmen. 20-21 Jesse Owens Classic (Columbus, Ohio) UKTF SEC Precedent 26 Penn Relays 0 The UK women's team's best SEC Indoor Championships finish was third, last year, and in 1989. UK's (Philadelphia) record score at SECs was 92 in 1989 27-28 National Relays (Fayetteville, Ark.) 0 The UK men's team's best SEC Indoor Championships finish was a win in 1960. UK's SEC Indoor hIgh MAY score was 85 in in 1996 5 Kentucky Relays (Lexington, Ky. UK Track) 11-13 SEC Championships If you had just one event to watch (Knoxville, Tenn) 24-26 NCAA East Prelims (Tampa, Fla.) ... of the Women's Team ... of the Men's Team JUNE 0 Kentucky's 4x400m relay is on the cusp of the 0 Thomson, a senior, is a two-time SEC Champion 6-9 NCAA Championships school record, 3:31.43, and will want to contend outdoors (5k and 10k in 2016), and running well (Eugene, Ore.) for a first SEC 4x4 title since 1996, it's only one this year, so he'll want to add to his CV

Meet Notes | SEC Indoor Championships | Feb. 24-25, 2018 | Media Contact: Jake Most ([email protected]) Roster

Men Women Name Events Year City, State Name Events Year City, State Mohammed Abubakar Jumps Sr. Obuasi, Ghana Nicole Bagby PV Fr. Mason, Ohio Saahir Bethea Jumps Jr. Philadelphia, Pa. Celera Barnes Sprints So. Oxnard, Calif. Logan Bryer Throws Sr. Genoa, Ohio Avery Bussjager Dist. Jr. Marietta, Ga. Noah Castle Throws Jr. Wauseon, Ohio Jasmine Camacho-Quinn Hurdles Jr. North Charleston, S.C. David Cline Throws Sr. Cambridge, Ohio Riley Caudill Jumps Fr. Nicholasville, Ky. Fred Dorsey III Jumps Sr. Atlanta, Ga. Kayelle Clarke Sprints Sr. Trinidad and Tobago Cole Dowdy Dist. So. Crestwood, Ky. Latavia Coombs Jumps Fr. St. Catherine, Jamaica Tanner Dowdy Dist. So. Crestwood, Ky. Sarah Crawford Dist. So. Louisville, Ky. Timothy Duckworth Multis Sr. Phoenix, Arizona Alison D'Alessandro Jumps Fr. Chesterlan, Ohio Brennan Fields Dist. So. Richmond, Ky. Marie-Josée Ebwea-Bile Jumps Jr. Paris, France EJ Floréal Sprints Sr. Palo Alto, Calif. Ellen Ekholm Jumps So. Gothenburg, Sweden Nikolas Huffman Throws Sr. Bristol, Va. Nicole Fautsch Throws So. Rochester, Minn. Ian Jones MD Sr. Overland Park, Kan. Kianna Gray Sprints Jr. Woodbrige, Va. Charles Lenford Jr. Throws So. Oceanside, Calif. Olivia Gruver PV Jr. Reisterstown, Md. Elijah Marta Throws Sr. Aptos, Calif. Carly Hinkle Jumps Fr. Winfield, W.Va. Alex Mortimer Dist. Fr. Lexington, Ky. Jacklyn Howell Hurdles Sr. Raleigh, N.C. Kendall Muhammad Dist. Jr. Lexington, Ky. Kennedy Krieg Throws Fr. Grayslake, Ill. Matthew Peare PV Fr. North Canton, Ohio Katy Kunc Dist. Sr. Burke, Va. Travis Riley Jumps Fr. Kingston, Jamaica Michelle McKinney Dist. Sr. Eaton, Ohio Daniel Roberts Hurdles So. Hampton, Ga. Sydney McLaughlin Hurdles Fr. Dunellen, N.J. Ethan Shalaway Throws Sr. Barto, Pa. Jasmine Mitchell Sprints Sr Ameilia County, Va. Daniel Southard Dist. Jr. Owensboro, Ky. Brooke Nohilly Dist. Fr. Cross River, NY Dwight St. Hillaire Sprints Fr. Belle Garden, T&T Whitney O'Bryan Dist. Sr. Owensboro, Ky. Matthew Thomas Dist. So. Louisville, Ky. Janie O'Connor Sprints Fr. Zachary, La. Jacob Thomson Dist. Sr. Louisville, Ky. Madisyn Peeples Dist. Fr. Bowling Green, Ky. Jelani Walker Sprints Fr. Kingston, Jamaica Faith Ross Hurdles So. Chesapeake, Va. Will Walker Hurdles Jr. Charleston, W.Va. Caitlin Shepard Dist. So Lake Zurich, Ill. Caleb Wilt Sprints Jr. Washington Court House, Ohio Ben Young Dist. So. Lexington, Ky.

Pronunciation

Men Women Mohammed Abubakar Mo-Hah-Med Celera Barnes Cee-Lee-Rah Ah-BOO-Bah-Car Avery Bussjager Avery Bus-Yay-Ger Saahir Bethea Sah-Here Jasmine Camacho-Quinn Cah-Macho Cole Dowdy Dow-Dee Kayelle Clarke Kay-Elle Tanner Dowdy Dow-Dee Latavia Coombs Lah-Tay-Vee-Ah EJ Floreal Flo-Ray-Al Coombs Elijah Marta Ee-Lye-Jah Mahr-Ta Marie-Josee Ebwea-Bile Mah-Ree Joe-Say Ethan Shalaway Shall-Ah-Way Eb-Way-Ah Beel Ellen Ekholm Eck-Holme Nicole Fautsch Faut-sche Kianna Gray Kee-Oh-Na Katy Kunc Koonse Sydney McLaughlin Mc-Laukh-Lin (The GH isn't prounounced like an "F")

Track & Field 2018 Visual Roster

FR SO JR JR FR SR FR SO Jasmine Kayelle Clarke Nicole Bagby Celera Barnes Avery Bussjager Camacho-Quinn Riley Caudill Latavia Coombs Sarah Crawford Mason, Ohio Oxnard, Ca. Marietta, Ga. North Charleston, SC Nicholasville, Ky. Trinidad and Tobago St. Catherine, Jamaica Louisville, Ky. @Nicole_Bagby @babycc_ @abussjager @jcamachoquinn @rileycaudill @kayelle_clark @CoombsLatavia @sarah_crawford3 @Nicole_Bags @prettygirlcc_ @abussjager @jcamachoquinn @riley_caudill @kayelleclarke @original_taetae @s_craw

FR JR SO SO JR JR FR SR

Alison D’Alessandro Marie-Josee Ellen Ekholm Nicole Fautsch Kianna Gray Olivia Gruver Carly Hinkle Jacklyn Howell Chesterland, Ohio Ebwea-Bile Gothenburg, Sweden Rochester, Mn. Woodbridge, Va. Reisterstown, Md. Winfield, WV Raleigh, NC @alison_n_d Paris, France @ellenekholm @G_Kianna96 @livgruvvv_ @carlyhinkle11 @alison_n_d @joycekalystyle @ellenlinnea @colieguacamole @g_kianna96 @livgruvvv_ @carly_hinkle

FR SR SR FR SR FR FR FR Kennedy Krieg Katy Kunc Michelle McKinney Sydney McLaughlin Jasmine Mitchell Brooke Nohilly Janie O’Connor Madisyn Peeples Grayslake, Ill. Burke, Va. Eaton, Ohio Dunellen, NJ Amelia County, Va. Cross River, NY Zachary, La. Bowling Green, Ky. @katykunc @micmckinney @gosydgo @mitchelltrack @kennykrieg @katykunc14 @micmckinney @sydneymclaughlin @jjmitchell @Brooke_Robin @its.Janieee

SO SO Faith Ross Caitlin Shepard Chesapeake, Va. Lake Zurich, Ill. @shepardcaitlin @CallMeRozay @caitlinshepard

Bryan Wells Athletic Trainer

Edrick Floreal Hakon Devires Andrew Ninow Toby Stevenson Rondel Sorrillo Antwan Wright Head Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Distance Throws Vertical jumps, multis Sprints Sprints Track & Field 2018 Visual Roster

SR JR SR JR SR SR SO SO

Mohammed Saahir Bethea Logan Bryer Noah Castle David Cline Fred Dorsey III Cole Dowdy Tanner Dowdy Abubakar Philadelphia, Pa. Genoa, Oh. Wauseon, Oh. Cambridge, Oh. Atlanta, Ga. Crestwood, Ky. Crestwood, Ky. Obuasi, Ghana @waSaahB @LBryer_54 @N_Castle5 @DCline63 @YungTD12 @Cole_Dowdy @tannerdowdy @mohjamps.gh @GRP_Saah @LBryer_54 @noah_is_nice @DCline63 @fred_dorseyiii @C_Dowdy @tdow_onthe_track

SR SO jr SR SR SO SR FR Tim Duckworth Brennan Fields EJ Floreal Nikolas Huffman Ian Jones Charles Lenford Jr. Elijah Marta Alex Mortimer Phoenix, Az. Richmond, Ky. Palo Alto, Ca. Bristol, Va. Overland Park, Ks. Oceanside, Ca. Aptos, Ca. RHP • R-SO @timmahduck @brennan1102 @Lil_Flo24 @nik_huffman @Foolie_Surfin @alexmortimer3 @Timothy_Duckworth @brennan1102 @ej_floreal @Buffman_throws @chuck.throws @elijahm_8 @alexmortimer3

JR FR FR SO SR JR FR SO Kendall Muhammad Matthew Peare Travis Riley Daniel Roberts Ethan Shalaway Daniel Southard Dwight St. Hillaire Matthew Thomas Lexington, Ky. North Canton, Oh. Kingston, Jamaica Hampton, Ga. Barto, Pa. Owensboro, Ky. Belle Garden, Trinidad & Tobago Louisville, Ky. @MO_2_Life01 @Matt_Peare @_notw @ezshalaway @dsouthh @matt_thomas37 @Matt_Peare_ @riseofdrob @ezshalaway @danielsouthard @x_dwight_x @matt_thomas37

SR FR JR JR SO Jacob Thomson Jelani Walker Will Walker Caleb Wilt Ben Young Louisville, Ky. Kingston, Jamaica Charleston, Wv. Washington Court House, Oh. Lexington, Ky. @will_waka @calebwilt_ @ben_young @jtcougars5 @will_waka @cawilt @ben_young04

Bryan Wells Athletic Trainer

CREDENTIALS UNIVERSITY All media credential requests should be submitted at least 24 hours prior Location: Lexington, Ky. to home meets. Credentials can be picked up the day of a meet at Nutter Founded: 1865 Field House or the UK Outdoor Track (depending on if indoors or out- Enrollment: 29,727 doors). Requests should be made through the Media Relations Office by Nickname: Wildcats contacting Jake Most. Colors: Blue (PMS 286) and White Conference: Southeastern Conference MEDIA SERVICES (Conference USA (men’s soccer only, GARC in During meets, media will be provided with notes and updated results. rifle) Final results will be available shortly following each meet. Stadium: Nutter Field House (Indoor) UK Outdoor T&F Complex (Outdoor) POST-MEET INTERVIEWS President: Dr. Eli Capilouto (Alabama, 1971) Interviews with athletes and coaches are done in an informal manner on Athletics Director: Mitch Barnhart (Ottawa, 1981) track following each meet. For assistance in locating any member of the Kentucky team, find Jake Most for help. For assistance with opposing ath- TRACK AND FIELD STAFF letes and coaches, please see the opposing SID. Head Coach: Edrick Floreal Alma Mater: Arkansas (1990) PRACTICE/INTERVIEWS Sixth year at UK Player are available for interviews upon request. Six years prior at Stanford All practices take place at the Nutter Field House and the UK Outdoor Assistant Coach: Hakon DeVries Track and Field Complex, depending on season and weather, and are sub- Assistant Coach: Sean Graham ject to change based on class schedules of the athletes and travel as well Assistant Coach: Andrew Ninow as meet schedules. Interviews with coaches and/or athletes are after prac- Assistant Coach: Rondel Sorrillo tice and phone interviews may be arranged. Advance notice is requested Assistant Coach: Toby Stevenson for all interviews. Please arrange all interviews through the Kentucky Director of Operations: Kayla McQueen Media Relations Office and track and field contact Jake Most. TRACK & FIELD HISTORY PHOTOS Best SEC Finishes The UK Media Relations office sometimes provides media with high-res- Women's indoor: third, twice - 72 points in olution digital images for use upon request. Please contact Jake Most to 2017/92 points in 1989 request photos of UK men’s soccer player and/or coaches. Men's indoor: Second, twice - 48 points in 1971/ 20 points in 1960 INTERNET The official website for UK athletics, www.UKathletics.com is the place to Women's outdoor: second in 1981: 150 points find updated rosters, schedules, results and statistics. Men's outdoor: Second in 1971: 114 points ------SOCIAL MEDIA Best NCAA Finishes The Kentucky track and field program’s story is told primarily through its Women's indoor: fifth in 2015: 25 points social media accounts. Be that via facebook, twitter or Instagram, the best Men's indoor: Seventh in 1996: 22 points way to get to know the Wildcats and follow the season in-depth is by following @KentuckyTrack. Women's outdoor: second in 2015: 50 points Men's outdoor: ninth in 2008: 25 points The Week Ahead MEDIA RELATIONS Feb. 22: Travel to College Station, Texas Track and Field Contact: Jake Most Feb. 23: Practice at Gilliam Indoor Media Relations Office: 859-257-3838 Feb. 24-25: SEC Championships in College Station Media Relations Fax: 859-257-4310 Feb. 26: Off Most Office: 859-218-1475 Most Cell: 516-996-3229 Most E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.UKathletics.com Twitter/Instagram: @KentuckyTrack USTFCCCA COMPUTER TOP-25 (MAY 30, 2017) WOMEN Men 1 Arkansas 1 Texas Tech 2 Southern California 2 Florida 3 Kentucky 3 Arkansas 4 Georgia 4 Southern California 5 Oregon 5 Georgia 6 LSU 6 Florida State 7 Texas A&M 7 Texas A&M 8 Florida 8 Alabama 9 Stanford 9 Syracuse 10 Minnesota 10 Houston 11 New Mexico 11 Kentucky 12 Missouri 12 TCU 13 Kansas 13 Oregon 14 Tennessee 14 Penn State 15 Virginia Tech 15 Indiana 16 Purdue 16 Stanford 17 Alabama 17 Virginia Tech 18 Colorado 18 Texas 19 Kansas State 19 Ohio State 20 Arizona State 21 Iowa State 20 Southern Utah 22 Wisconsin 21 UTEP 23 Michigan 22 Michigan 24 Mississippi State 23 South Carolina 25 Cincinnati 24 Kansas 25 Auburn

AWARDS 2017 ALL-SEC 2018 WEEKLY HONORS 2018 BOWERMAN WATCH LIST Women's USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Feb. 7 First Team All-SEC Week Sydney McLaughlin, Olivia Gruver Jasmine Camacho-Quinn Olivia Gruver - Jan. 16 Sha'Keela Saunders Sydney McLaughlin - Dec. 12 Jan. 9 Second Team All-SEC Sydney McLaughlin Javianne Oliver SEC Athlete of the Week Olivia Gruver Runner: Jas. Camacho-Quinn - Feb. 13 Men's Second Team All-SEC Freshman: Sydney McLaughlin - Feb. 13 Nick Anderson Freshman: Sydney McLaughlin - Feb. 6 Freshman: Dwight St. Hillaire - Feb. 6 2017 USTFCCCA Region Freshman: Dwight St. Hillaire - Jan. 16 Southeast Track Athlete of the Field: Olivia Gruver - Jan. 16 Year Jasmine Camacho-Quinn

Southeast Field Athlete of the Year Sha'Keela Saunders Southeast Women's Coach of the Year Edrick Floreal HEAD COACH EDRICK FLOREAL ARKANSAS, 1990 12TH YEAR, 6TH AT UK

In five-plus years at Kentucky, head coach Edrick Floréal has hurdles and 54.09 in the 400m hurdles. built the Wildcats into a national power in track and field. Harrison claimed the U.S. titles in the 60m The UK women's team has made the NCAA podium to earn a hurdles and 100m hurdles in 2017 and went trophy in two of the last three years a statement of intent as to on to place fourth in the 100m hurdles where the Wildcats want to go in track and field. world final. “We’ve come a long way in a few years. We wanted to show Floréal was named the head coach of the Kentucky track is a force to be reckoned with and we’ve done University of Kentucky men's and women's cross country and that. Now we want that national title.” track and field teams in July 2012 after a successful six-year Floreal also event coached two World Champions in 2017 as stint as director of track and field at Stanford. Floreal leads six Omar McLeod won the 110-meter hurdles and Kori Carter took sports programs at Kentucky, including men's and women's 400m hurdles gold at the IAAF World Championships in Lon- cross country, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's don. and women's outdoor track and field. For some time now, the track world taken notice of Floréal's While Floréal has been at UK, Wildcat athletes have won accomplishments as he was named head coach of the United eight event NCAA Championships, earned 110 All-America States Men's National Team for the 2015 IAAF World Champi- honors, 31 Individual SEC Championships, had five Academic onships. There, Team USA won the most medals of any nation All-Americans and 66 all-academic selections. Additionally, and Floréal coached Joe Kovacs (shot put), Christian Taylor Floréal's Wildcats have broken the school record for NCAA (triple jump American record), Ashton Eaton (decathlon world Championships finish five times. record) and the 4x400-meter relay winning gold. He was the event coach for Harrison - who won two NCAA In addition to his accomplishments as head coach of Team Championships and broke two SEC records in 2015, earning a USA at the World Championships, he helped Americans capture spot as a Bowerman Award Finalist and earning a spot on the six medals - two of them gold - at the 2012 London Olympics as USATF team for the IAAF World Championships team - and Team USA's jumps and multi-events coach. Dezerea Bryant - who set the low-altitude collegiate record As a personal coach, he has mentored and trained 11 ath- 22.18 in her NCAA Title winning 200m final. letes (Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Leah Nugent, Rondel Sorrillo, He coached freshman Camacho-Quinn to the SEC 100H title Grace Upshaw, Jackie Edwards, Amaechi Morton, Arantxa King, in 12.69, meaning he coached two fastest women in the history Toby Stevenson [2004 silver medal] , Erica McLain, Ian Thomp- of that event at the SEC Championships -- Harrison ran 12.50 son) at the Olympic Games -- in addition to having competed in in 2015. In 2016 Camacho-Quinn became the first freshman to two Olympics himself. win the NCAA 100H title, also giving UK the NCAA Champion Notably he coached Kendra Harrison to breaking the in that event for the second year in a row as Harrison won the 28-year-old world record in the 100-meter hurdles (12.20) at year previous. the 2016 London Anniversary Games. Harrison is the fastest combination hurdler in history with PRs of 12.20 in the 100m Nicole Bagby - Freshman - Mason, Ohio - Mason HS

PRs: PV: 13’0”

Notables • Placed fifth in her first meet as a Wildcat at the 2017 Hoosier Open, recording a 12’5.5” PV • Recorded a 11’9.75” PV to place 14th in her first home meet at the 2018 Kentucky Invitational • Ohio state bronze medalist in pole vaulting as a high school junior and senior • New Balance National competitor in 2017, placing 25th as senior

Celera Barnes - Sophomore (in) Freshman (out) - Oxnard, Ca. - St. Bonaventure

PRs: 60m: 7.25 | 100m: 11:41 | 200m: 23.70 Notables • Broke her previous 60m PR from January at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational in February to place 3rd. • Ranks eighth in the SEC in the 60 • Ran a 60m PR to take second at the Clemson Invitational in mid-January • Finished third at the USATF Junior Championships in the 100m with a personal best time of 11.41 • Made the semifinals at the IAAF World U20 Championships in the 100m Avery Bussjager - Junior - Marietta, Ga. - Walton HS

PRs: 1500m: 4:39.51 | 3k: 9:49.66 | 5k: 17:01.99 | 10k: 37:10.35

Notables • Ran a PR 3k time of 9:49.66 at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial to place 2nd. • Placed 12th with a mile time of 5:05.4 in the 2017-2018 season opener at the 2018 Kentucky Invitational • Finished as UK’s No. 2 competitor and 50th overall at the 2017 Cross Country NCAA Southeast Regional with a 6k time of 21:48.5 • UK’s No. 2 finisher at SEC Championships, 23rd overall with a 21:10.60 6k • Ran her personal best 5k in 17:01.99 to place ninth at the 2017 Iowa State Classic • Placed fourth at the 2016 Tyson Invitational with a 3k season-best 9:53.71 • 2015-16 SEC Freshman Honor Roll • 2016 Fall and 2017 Spring SEC Honor Roll

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn - Junior - North Charleston, SC - Fort Dorchester HS

PRs: 60H: 7.95 | 100H: 12.58 | 200m: 22.87 Notables • Ran an NCAA leading and new PR 7.95 in the 60H to place as top collegian at the 2018 Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational in February • Ranks fourth in the SEC in the 200m: 23.00 • Won two events at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial, both the 200m and 60H • 2017 NCAA Champion - 4x100m relay, running the second leg. • 2016 NCAA Champion- 100H with a personal best time of 12.68 (+1.6) • Three-Time SEC Champion: 2016 and 2017 100H, 2017 60H • 2016 Olympic Semifinalist (Puerto Rico) - 100H • 2016 NACAC U23 Champion (Puerto Rico) - 100H • Six-Time First Team All-America (2016: 100H, 200m, 4x100m | 2017: 60H, 100H, 4x100) • 2016 SEC Freshman of the Year • 2016 SEC Bronze Medal: 4x100m Relay Riley Caudill - Freshman - Nicholasville, Ky. - Lexington Catholic

PRs: PV: 12’4.75”/3.78m

Notables • Finished 8th at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial with a PR vault of 12’4.75” • Vaulted a PR at the 2018 IU Relays • Placed 14th at the 2018 Kentucky Invitational recording a 11’9.75” jump

Kayelle Clarke - Senior - Owensboro, Ky. - LaRomaine Secondary School

PRs: 100m: 11.31 | 200m: 22.97 Notables • Placed 2nd in the 200m at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial with a time of 23.38 • 2017 NCAA Champion - 4x100m Relay, running the third leg. • Claimed the Trinidad and Tobago silver medal in the 200m with a personal best 22.97 to qualify for the IAAF World Championships in London • NCAA East Preliminary Championships quarterfinalist in the 200m and first-round qualifier in the 100m Latavia Coombs - Junior - St. Catherine, Jamaica - Holmwood Tech

PRs: 60H: 8.55 | 100H: 13.93 | LJ: 20’6.5” | TJ: 44’6” | Hept: 4778

Notables • Win the triple jump at her first home meet for UK • Transfered to UK before the 2018 season from New Mexico CC • 2017 NJCAA Triple Jump, 100m hurdles, high jump and long jump champion • Second in the 2017 NJCAA Outdoor Heptathlon • Won the long jump and high jump at the 2017 NJCAA Indoor Championships

Sarah Crawford - Sophomore - Louisville, Ky. - Assumption

PRs: 800m: 2:22.23 | 1,500m: 4:38.87 | MIle: 4:59.67 Notables • 2017 SEC First Year Honor Roll • Ran the 1,500m four times in 2017, with a season best 4:38.87 coming at the Jesse Owens Classic at Ohio State • Mile season best was 5:16.32 to place 31st at the 2017 McCravy Alison D’Alessandro - Freshman - Chesterland, Ohio - West Geauga HS

PRs: PV: 12’4.75’/3.78m

Notables • Vaulted a collegiate PR at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial to finish 5th • Reached a PR clearance at 12-feet at the 2017 Kurt Frankel Invitational • Placed fifth at the 2017 Ohio State meet in the pole vault

Marie-Josée Ebwea-Bile - Junior - Queens, NY - Benjamin Cardozo HS

PRs: LJ: 20’1.75”/6.14m | TJ: 45’1.75”/13.76m Notables • Jumped a PR of 45’1.75” in the triple jump at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial to win. • Ranked No. 2 in the NCAA in the triple jump, and sixth in the long jump (21’0.75”/6.42m • 2017 Outdoor Triple Jump NCAA Silver Medalist with a 44’11”/13.69m (+2.6) • Indoor Triple Jump school record holder - 43’11.25”/13.39m • UK Freshman record holder - Outdoor Triple Jump • Qualified for her first NCAA Championships indoors in 2017 • SEC First-Year Honor Roll (2016-17) Ellen Ekholm - Sophomore - Sweden

PRs: HJ: 6’0”/1.83m

Notables • SEC First-Year Honor Roll (2016-17) • NCAA Championships qualifier in 2017 outdoors in the high jump where she placed 14th • SEC All-Freshman team indoors and outdoors in 2017 • Represented Sweden at the European U23 Championships in Poland

Nicole Fautsch - Sophomore - Overland Park, Kan. - Rochester John Marshall

PRs: SP: 52’9.5”/16.09m | DT: 155’9”/47.47m | HT: 148’9”/45.35m | WT: 52’’11”/16.13m Notables • Won the 2017 McCravy shot put with a PR of 52’9.5” • USATF Junior Championships competitor in the shot put • Tossed a shot put best 48’9”/14.86m to place ninth at 2017 Indoor SEC Championships • Finished 25th in the weight throw at 2017 Indoor SEC Championships • A top-20 shot putter in the nation in high school Kianna Gray - Junior - Woodbridge, Va. - North Hardin HS

PRs: 60m: 7.26 | 100m: 11.20 | 200m: 22.79 | 400m: 54.48

Notables • NCAA Champion – 2017 Outdoor 4x100m Relay (anchor leg) • Three-Time First Team All-America (2016 & 2017 4x100m relay, 100m - outdoor) • SEC Bronze Medalist - 4x100m Relay (2016) • Set the then-UK Freshman Record in the 200m with a time of 23.47

Olivia Gruver - Junior - Reisterstown, Md. - Franklin HS

PRs: PV: 15’3”/4.65m Notables • On the Feb. 7, 2018 Bowerman Watch List • Cleared 15’3”/4.65m in early Feb. at the McCravy Memorial, putting her fourth on the all-time list. • Gruver remained unbeaten this season, as she also won event titles at the 2017 Hoosier Open, the Kentucky Invitational and the Clemson Invitational. • NCAA Champion 2017 Outdoor Pole Vault clearing a PR 14’9”/4.50m to break her school record • Competed at her first USATF Championships in June of 2017 • NCAA Bronze Medal - 2017 Indoor Pole Vault • SEC Bronze Medal - 2017 Indoor Pole Vault • Two-Time All-America (Pole Vault) • Finished eighth at 2016 SEC Championships with a clearance at 13’6.25”/4.12m, the indoor UK freshman record Carly Hinkle - Freshman - Winfield, WV - Winfield HS

PRs: HJ: 5’9”

Notables • USATF National Junior Olympic Champion in the high jump in 2016 • West Virginia State Champion in the high jump in 2017 and 2016 • Jumped a PR 5’9” at the USATF Region Five Championships in July 2016

Jacklyn Howell - Senior - Raleigh, NC. - Southeast Raleigh HS

PRs: 55m: 7.15 | 300: 40.28 | 55H: 7.95 | 60H: 8.15 | 100H: 13.79 | 300H 42.94 | 400H: 1:01.07 Notables • Ran a PR 60H in 8.15 at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial • Qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 60m hurdles each of the last two years • 2016 SEC Bronze Medal - 60m hurdles • Won the 2017 USATF National Junior Olympics posting the nation’s No. 14 100H time of 13.79 into a -0.9 wind • Her 400m personal-best time of 1:01.07 was the 25th best by a U.S. high school competitor in 2013 Kennedy Krieg - Freshman - Grayslake Ill. - Grayslake North HS

PRs: SP: 38’6”/11.74m | WT: 49’10.25”/15.20m | Discus: 128’2.5”

Notables • Recorded two new PR’s at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial in shot put and weight throw • Placed 11th at 2017 USATF National Junior Olympic Championships in the discus • Won the USATF Region 7 Championship in the discus

Katy Kunc - Senior - Burke, Va. - Lake Braddock HS

PRs: 1,500m: 4:25.95 | Mile: 4:45.43 | 3k: 9:25.54 | 3k Steeple: 9:55.59 | 6k (xc): 20:12.60 Notables • 2017 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Cross Country • 2017 SEC Champion - 3k outdoor steeplechase • 2017 NCAA Finalist – 3k outdoor steeplechase • 2017 Second Team All-America -- 3k outdoor steeplechase • Two-Time SEC Bronze Medalist - Cross Country (2016 and 2017) • 2017 SEC Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year Michelle McKinney - Senior - Eaton, Ohio - Eaton Community Schools

PRs: 800m: 2:10.32 | 1,500m: 4:22.14 | Mile: 4:47.08

Notables • SEC Honor Roll – 2017 • Won the mile with a PR of 4:47.08 in the mile at the 2018 Clemson Tiger Invitatonal • Scored on Uk’s fifth-place DMR at 2017 SEC Championships • Won the 1,500m at the 2015 UTSA Challenge • Placed 23rd in the indoor 800m at 2015 SEC Championships in Nutter Field House

Sydney McLaughlin - Freshman - Dunellen, NJ - Union Catholic

PRs: 60H: 8.17 | 100H: 13.34 | 200m: 22.95m | 400m: 51.44 | LJ: 20’0.75”/6.29m | 400H: 53.82 Notables • 2016 Olympian for Team USA in the 400H to become the youngest American Olympian since 1976 • Broke a Kentucky freshman record in the 400m in her colleigate debut at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial • NCAA leader in the 400m, and second in the nation in the 200m • Kentucky School Record: 400m: 51.44 • Kentucky Freshman Record - 200m (22.95) • World U20 Record - 400H (53.82) • Gatorade National High School Athlete of the Year in 2016 and 2017 • National HS Record - 300H (38.90) • National HS Indoor Record - 400H • World Record - DMR (10:40.31) • 2015 IAAF World Youth Champion - 400H • 2016 USATF U20 Champion - 400H Jasmine Mitchell - Senior - Richmond, Va.- Amelia County HS

PRs: 200m: 24.22 | 400m: 53.96

Notables • Projects to be a 4x400m relay specialist this season • Qualified for the 2015 NCAA East Regional where she ran a season best time of 53.96 seconds in the 400m • Ran a career best time of 54.43 seconds at the 2015 ACC Indoor Championships in the 400m race en route to a seventh place finish

Brooke Nohilly - Freshman - Cross River, NY - John Jay HS

PRs: 800m: 2:11.05 Notables • Placed 8th in the 800m at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial • New Balance Indoor Nationals competitor in the 800m, taking 11th in 2:13.45 • Took bronze in the 600m indoor and 400m hurdles at the New York State Championships • Took 25th at New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the 2k steeplechase in 2014 Whitney O’Bryan - Senior - Owensboro, Ky. - Daviess County HS

PRs: 3k: 10:15.82 | 5k: 17:44.14

Notables • Won the 5k at the 2015 Bellarmine Classic as a freshman • Placed 18th in the 3k at the 2015 Doc Hale VT Elite Meet

Janie O’Connor - Freshman - Zachary, La. - Zachary HS

PRs: 60m: 7.48 | 110m: 11.52 | 200m: 23.36 | 400m: 53.73 Notables • 11-Time Louisiana State Champion • 2017 The BR Advocate Athlete of the Year Madisyn Peeples - Freshman - Bowling Green, Ky.- Bowling Green HS

PRs: 5k (xc): 17:48.60

Notables • Ran 6k season-best in 22:25.30 to place 93rd at 2017 NCAA Southeast Cross Country Regionals • Sixth at the Kentucky State Cross Country Championships in 2016 and fourth in 2015

Faith Ross - Sophomore - Chesapeake, Va. - Western Branch HS

PRs: 60H: 8.19 | 100H: 13.72 | 400m: 54.49 | 400H: 58.07 | 800m: 2:10.27 Notables • Ran a PR 60H in 8.19 at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial • Placed 13th at the 2017 Outdoor SEC Championships in the 400m hurdles • SEC First-Year Honor Roll (2016-17) • Three-time Virginia State Champion • USATF World Youth Trials Bronze Medalist in 2015 with a 400m hurdles PR 58.07 Caitlin Shepard - Sophomore - Lake Zurich, Ill. - Lake Zurich HS

PRs: 3000m: 10:05.94 | 5k: 17:31.64

Notables • Placed fourth with a PR in the 3000m with a time of 10.05.94 at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial • SEC First-Year Honor Roll • Placed 62nd at the 2017 SEC Cross Country Championships with a 6k time of 22:15.1 Mohammed Abubakar - Senior - Obuasi, Ghana - Obusi Senior Tech

PRs: LJ:25’3.25| TJ: 50’4.75

Notables • Won the long jump at the 2018 Rod McCravy Invitational with a mark of 24’9.25”/7.55m • Placed 14th in the 2017 SEC Indoor long jump • Placed 7th at SEC Relays long jump • Won the Texas Invitational long jump with a windy PB 26’2.25/7.98m (+2.1) • Transfer from Iowa Central CC • 2016 National Junior College Silver Medalist in the long jump

Saahir Bethea - Junior - Philadelphia, Pa. - Cheltenham HS

PRs: 25’5.75” | TJ: 49’3.5” Notables • Third in triple jump and ninth in the long jump at the 2017 NJCAAA Outdoor Championships • Sixth in the long jump and eighth in the triple jump at NJCAA Indoor Championships • Won the 2015 Pennsylvania State Championship indoors and outdoors in the long jump Logan Bryer - Senior - Genoa, Ohio - Genoa HS

PRs: WT: 66’8” | HT: 204’4” | DT: 163’11”

Notables • 2017 SEC Honor Roll • In 2017 placed 8th in the SEC weight throw with a personal best 66’8”/20.32m • Placed 4th at USATF Junior Championships in Oregon with a hammer throw of 219’9”/66.98m

Noah Castle - Junior - Wauseon, Ohio - Wauseon HS

PRs: SP: 60’0”/18.29m | DT: 181’2”/55.21m | WT: 52’1.25”/15.88m Notables • Improved his shot put PR at the 2018 Tiger Paw Invitational, throwing 61’0”/18.59m • Won the shot put at the 2018 Rod McCravy Invitational • Shot putting past 60-feet for the first time this year • Placed 10th at the SEC Indoor Championships in 2017 • 2017 SEC Community Service Team • 4th best discus thrower in the nation for the class of 2015 • Tossed a season best 166’4”/50.70m in the discus at the Kentucky Relays to place 4th in 2016 David Cline - Junior - Cambridge, Ohio - Bishop Rosecrans HS

PRs: SP: 48’11.5” | HT: 213’1”/64.96m | DT: 129’4”/39.43m | WT: 67’8.75”/20.64m

Notables • 2017 SEC Honor Roll and 2017 SEC Community Service Team • Scored SEC points in 2017 with a school-record 67’8.75”/20.64m in the weight throw • Placed second in the hammer throw at the Virginia Challenge as a sophomore

Fred Dorsey III - Senior - Atlanta, Ga. - St. Pius X

PRs: LJ: 25’2.5”/7.68m | 100m: 10.48 Notables • As a sophomore, placed 12 in the NCAA Championship qualifier in the long jump • SEC Honor Roll and 2016 SEC Community Service Team • Placed 9th in the long jump at his first SEC Outdoor Championships Cole Dowdy - Sophomore - Crestwood, Ky. - South Oldham HS

PRs: 3k: 8:32.82 | 5k: 15:21.98

Notables • Placed 7th in the McCravy 5k and 25thin the Kentucky Invitational 3k in 2017 as a freshman • Placed 59th at SEC Cross Country Championships as a sophomore • SEC First Year Honor Roll in 2017

Tanner Dowdy - Sophomore - Crestwood, Ky. - South Oldham HS

PRs: 3k: 8:31.72 | 5k: 15:18.00 Notables • Freshman season best 5k time was 15:18:00 at the Tennessee Relays • Placed 3rd at the Kentucky Relays • 8k season best was 25:23:00 to place 28th at the Bluegrass Invitational as a sophomore Timothy Duckworth - Senior - Phoenix, Arizona - Arcadia HS

PRs: Heptathlon: 6165 | Decathlon: 7973

Notables • Won the high jump and placed 2nd in the 60m at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial • British record in the Heptathlon (6,165) • Current NCAA leader in the heptathlon – 6,071 points. • Top returning placer from NCAA last year – was heptathlon runner-up • Especially good at the long jump (ranked seventh in the SEC in the long jump individual right now (25’6.25”/7.78m) • Also a 7-foot+ high jumper • NCAA Indoor Championships qualifier in the heptathlon as a sophomore • NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier in the decathlon in 2016 • Competed for Great Britain at 2015 European Junior Olympics

Brennan Fields - Sophomore - Richmond, Ky. - Madison Central HS

PRs: 1,500m: 3:50.05 | Mile: 4:09.64 | 3k Steeple: 9:17.11 Notables • 2017 SEC All-Freshman Team- 3k steeplechase • SEC Freshman of the Week twice in cross country 2016, after the Bluegrass Invitational and Texas A&M Invitational • As a junior in high school, he won the Kentucky State Cross Country meet • Placed 4th at the Kentucky Twilight season-opening meet EJ Floreal - Senior - Palo Alto, Ca. - Dunbar HS

PRs: 60m: 6.93 | 400m: 47.63

Notables • Ran a PR in the 400m at the 2018 Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational • Finished 4th in the 100 meter and third in the 200m at the State Championships in high school • Won the Lexington City and Region Championships in the 100m and 200m in 2013 • Played on the UK men’s basketball team the past three seasons (2013-14- 2015-16)

Nikolas Huffman - Senior - Bristol, Va. - Virginia HS

PRs: SP: 61’11.5”/18.89m Notables • Finished 2nd in shot put at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial • Placed 13th at 2017 NCAA Outdoors with an outdoor season best PR mark of 61’8.5”/18.81m • Placed 6th at 2017 SECs Indoors as a junior Ian Jones - Senior - Overland Park, Kan. - St. James Academy

PRs: 800m: 1:48.46

Notables • 2017 NCAA East Preliminary Championships quarterfinalist, placing 23rd as a junior • Ran a PR to score his first SEC points finishing seventh with an 800m PR 1:48.46 as a junior in 2017

Charles Lenford Jr. - Sophomore - Oceanside, Ca. - Oceanside HS

PRs: DT: 177’11”/54.24m | SP: 59’1.25”/18.09m Notables • 2017 NCAA East Preliminary qualifier in the shot put and discus • SEC All-Freshman Team in the shot put • California Discus Champion in 2015 • AAU Junior Olympics Champion in the discus in 2015 Elijah Marta - Senior - Aptos, Ca. - Aptos HS

PRs: JT: 218’7”/66.63m

Notables • Placed 7th, scoring two points at the SEC Championships in the javelin with a season-best mark 211’7”/64.49m as a sophomore in 2016 • 2015 California State Champion in the javelin with a mark of 214’5”/65.36m

Alex Mortimer - Freshman - Lexington, Ky. - Tates Creek HS

PRs: 5k: 16:04.9 Notables • Placed 57th at 2017 SEC Cross Country Championships Kendall Muhammad - Junior - Lexington, Ky. - Dunbar HS

PRs: 1,500m: 3:44.83 | Mile: 4:06.00

Notables • United States U20 Silver Medalist in the 1,500m qualifying to represent Team USATF at the IAAF World U20 Championship in Bydgoszcz, Poland as a freshman. • As a sophomore, qualified for NCAA East Preliminary Championships for the first time placing 44th in the 1,500m • USATF U20 Silver Medal in 2016 in the 1500m

Matthew Peare - Freshman - North Canton, Ohio - Hoover HS

PRs: PV: 16’9.75” Notables • Ohio State Pole Vault Champion in 2015 and 2017 • Took 11th at New Balance Nationals and was second at Midwest Meet of Champions as a senior • Placed seventh at indoor New Balance Nationals in 2016 • Placed third in the state 60m hurdles championships in 2016 Travis Riley - Freshman - Kingston, Jamaica - Calabar HS

PRs: LJ: 25’9.25”/7.85m | TJ: 50’4.5”/15.35m

Notables • Claimed bronze at the National Junior College Championships in the outdoor long jump • Placed silver in the NJCAA indoor long jump a year ago for Western Texas College • Placed second at the Digicel Grand Prix long jump while representing Calabar at the Jamaica National Stadium.

Daniel Roberts - Sophomore - Hampton, Ga. - Hampton HS

PRs: 60H: 7.71 | 110H: 13.82 Notables • Opened 2017-18 season with a PR 7.71, which currently ranks No. 5 in nation • Scored in the SEC 110m hurdles running a PR 13.82 (+0.2), a new UK freshman record • NCAA East Preliminary Championships quarterfinalist in the 110m hurdles, finishing 21st overall Ethan Shalaway - Senior - Barto, Pa. - Boyertown HS

PRs: Javelin: 227’9.75”/69.44m

Notables • NCAA Championships qualifier in the javelin placing 22nd in Eugene • Season best mark was 223’6”/68.12m to win at the Tennessee Relays • 2017 SEC Honor Roll. • PRIOR TO UK AT PITTSBURGH • ACC Bronze Medalist in the javelin with a toss of 212’5”/64.74m as a freshman at Pittsburgh • ACC Bronze Medalist for the second year in row as a sophomore at Pittsburgh

Daniel Southard - Junior - Owensboro, Ky. - Daviess County HS

PRs: 3k: 8:27.43 | 5k: 14:38.39 | 3k Steeple: 9:28.69 Notables • Ran his second 5k PR of the season with a time of 14:48.39 at the 2018 Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational • Has run his 3k and 5k PRs this year • Won the 5k earlier in 2018 at the Clemson Invitational 14:42.00 • Ran three 5ks with a best of 14:52.59 to place seventh at the Husker Invite in 2017 • UK’s No. 3 finisher at SECs running 24:32.50 to finish 22nd overall in 2017 as a cross country senior • 2017 8k season best was 24:17.20 to place 10th at the Bluegrass Invitational Dwight St. Hillaire - Freshman - Belle Garden, Trindad and Tobago - Bishops

PRs: 200m: 20.73 | 400m: 46.20

Notables • Set the UK freshman record in the 400m with a time of 46.20 at the 2018 Rod McCravy Memorial • Set the UK freshman record in the 200m during 2018 indoor season at Clemson Invite (20.73) • Two-time SEC Freshman of the Week this season • World U20 Finalist in the 200m • A member of T&T’s men’s 4x400m team which finished sixth in the finals at the 2016 World Under 20 Track and Field Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland • Placed fourth in the 400m finals at the T&T Junior Championships

Matthew Thomas - Sophomore - Louisville, Ky. - St. Xavier

PRs: Mile: 4:10.58 | 3k: 8:21.43 | 3k steeple: 9:19.50 | 5k: 15:53.10 | 8k: 24:42.70 Notables • Placed second in the Clemson Invitational mile with a time of 4:10.58 • As a freshman, ran a 3k steeplechase season best 9:19.50 to win the Kentucky Relays • Placed 46th at SECs in Cross Country • Placed 77th at NCAA Southeast Regionals with a 10k time of 31:09.60 as a sophomore • SEC First Year Honor Roll Jacob Thomson - Senior - Louisville, Ky. - Holy Cross

PRs: 1,500m: 3:44.93 | Mile: 4:01.42 | 3k: 7:53.87| 5k: 13:41.33 | 10k: 28:47.55

Notables • Broke his own 5000m school record at the 2018 Iowa State Classic • Double SEC Outdoor Champion for the 5k and 10k in 2016 • First- Team All- America in 2016 • SEC Silver Medalist in Indoor 5k (2016) • SEC Bronze Medalists in Outdoor 10k (2017) • All- SEC Cross Country in 2015 • Two-time SEC Scholar Athlete of the year for Cross Country in 2016 and 2017 • Transferred to UK after two years at NC State where he was on a NCAA Championship qualifying cross country team and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor 5k Championship

Jelani Walker - Freshman - Kingston, Jamaica - St. George’s College

PRs: 100m: 10:36 | 200m: 21:28 | 400m: 48.43 Notables • Placed second in DMR with a time of 9:49.95 at the 2018 Kentucky Invitational, his first appearance as a Wildcat. Will Walker - Junior - Charleston, WV - George Washington HS

PRs: 400H: 49.19

Notables • Ran a season-best 55.11 to finish 20th at the Virginia Challenge as a freshman • Season best was 53.64 to place 10th at the Baldy Castillo Invitational as a sophomore • SEC Honor Roll in 2017

Caleb Wilt - Junior - Washington Court House, Ohio - Miami Trace HS

PRs: 60H: 7.91 | 110H: 14.23 Notables • Placed 11th in the prelims at the SEC Championships as a freshman • Placed ninth in the 110m hurdles at USATF Junior Nationals (36-inch hurdles) • Placed 12th in the 60m hurdles at the SEC Championship Indoor as a sophomore • SEC Honor Roll in 2017 Ben Young - Sophomore - Lexington, Ky. - Tates Creek HS

PRs: 1,500m: 3:44.97 | Mile: 3:59.59 | 3k: 8:09.86

Notables • Ran a PR and became the fifth Wildcat to run a sub-four minute mile in 3:59.59 at the 2018 Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational • SEC All-Freshman team in cross country • Qualified for NCAA East Prelims for the first time, placing 43rd in the 1,500m • Placed 56th at NCAA Southeast Regionals with a 10 time of 30:43.20 as a junior • SEC Honor Roll in 2017 CLIPPINGS

THE TRACK PHENOM WHO CHOSE ington, with her UK team—Snap- fire emoji-worthy moments at UK COLLEGE OVER RICHES chatting and dancing on a sunny and beyond. "Right now, I'm just LIAM BOYLAN-PETT| Bleacher Saturday morning in September, getting ready for the 2020 Olym- Report one week before track practice pics," she says. Sydney's doing Oct. 24, 2017 begins. While UK's men's basket- that by tackling a new event—the It's a Snapchat-worthy moment: ball team has brought in recruits- 100-meter hurdles—as she sprints Sydney McLaughlin is squeezed in turned-NBA-All-Stars like John Wall her way to becoming the new face between members of the Univer- and Karl-Anthony Towns under the of track and field. sity of Kentucky track team on a tutelage of coach John Calipari, Sydney stutter-stepped into a small set of bleachers, throwing the highest-profile recruit to land hurdle, then soared over another deuces and mean-mugging into on campus this year isn't hooping. by a foot or two before landing her phone with her squad. They're She's running. off balance. "There was no form in Lexington, Kentucky, to support Sydney's popularity heading whatsoever," Mike McCabe, who the UK women's cross-country into the school year garnered the coached Sydney in high school, team at a meet while snapping attention of classmates who came remembers. But she still won. By a the entire experience. "Ohhh," the to campus with questions for the lot. team members react, throwing newcomer. "What was it like to run It was April 2014, and it was the their hands in the air, bobbing up in Rio?" and "How high are those first time Sydney ran the 400-me- and down to the beat as Marian hurdles you're jumping?" The Lex- ter hurdles for Union Catholic Hill's "Down" starts to blare from ington locals are familiar with her High School in Scotch Plains, New speakers nearby. Sydney starts resume too. "Oh, I know about the Jersey. Her time, 1:01.4, was a milly rocking and flips her long track phenom," one Uber driver in school record and fast enough to brown hair off her shoulders. She's the basketball-crazed town said. make plenty of D-I rosters. Three no longer in her phone screen. The "She's already an Olympian, right?" months and many practices later, 18-year-old is in the moment. The spotlight is still surreal for she avoided stutter-steps and low- If you've followed Sydney for Sydney, even after actor Michael B. ered her leaps to clock in at 55.63. the last two years, you know she's Jordan, of Creed and Fruitvale Sta- With that performance she broke good at creating moments—his- tion fame, gave her props this sum- the national high school freshman tory-making moments. In 2016, mer. When SportsCenter shared record. It was the ninth-fastest at the age of 16, she became the video of Sydney's record-breaking time in the U.S. that year. Sydney youngest track and field athlete relay split on Instagram, Jordan re- was only 14 years old. to make the U.S. Olympic team acted with four fire emojis. Sydney But that kind of performance since 1980 (she turned 17 during was hyped, even if she didn't know wasn't anything new. She won her the Rio Games). She lit up social exactly who he was. "Michael B. first race—a 100-meter event at a media when she ran a national Johnson commented," she tells New Jersey youth track meet when high school record 49.85-second B/R Mag, not quite remembering she was six, according to her dad, 400-meter relay split in June. And his name. "He just looked, like, Willie, a former sprinter (Sydney's while many teen track and field really famous and then I saw his mother, Mary, was also a runner). runners on the rise with creden- profile and I was like," she leans There was more daylight between tials less impressive than Sydney's back and shakes her head, "'What her and second place than Bolt have gone pro in recent years, the is happening?'" had between him and the field in New Jersey native decided to pass What's happening is this: As Beijing. "It was pretty much the up what could have been seven Allyson Felix enters the twilight of same that you saw in high school," figures annually as a pro. her career and Usain Bolt puts an Willie says of her early track career. end to his, Sydney is steadily on "That's what it's always been like. That's why she's here, in Lex- the come up, poised to make more She's always been winning by a CLIPPINGS lot." UK women and one relay team to following in her footsteps in solidi- Sydney, however, didn't win this a combined eight national champi- fying herself as one of the best on year. At the U.S. championships in onships and the UK team to a sec- the track. "Allyson is almost like a Sacramento in June, the two-time ond-place team finish at the 2015 big sister, but almost like a mom," Gatorade National Girls Athlete of outdoor NCAA championships. Sydney says. "She's just done ev- the Year ran the fastest 400-meter He also coaches a stable of pros, erything right and I think presents hurdle race of her career (53.82 including Harrison and Carter. herself very well, and that's kind of seconds), but came across the With Sydney, he's tasked with what I aspire to do as well." finish line in sixth place. Only the taking one of the best high school Going pro isn't for everyone, top three qualified for the World track athletes in history and mak- though. Championships in London. Sydney ing her one of the greatest track "You have to have everything hasn't raced since. and field stars. He knows it won't in place," says Felix, who attended She's at Kentucky to make sure happen instantly. Sydney's hurdling the University of Southern Califor- that she doesn't fall short again. ability, according to Floreal's cri- nia, but did not compete for the "It's going to get so much better tique, isn't world class. "She's way Trojans, her first few years as a pro. for her in college," McCabe says. too high over the hurdles," he says "[Sydney's] decision is a personal He believes a better track (Union (the less time a hurdler spends in choice. You have to go with what's Catholic's oddly shaped track has the air, the better). "Her trail leg best for you and what fits your three turns) and Kentucky weath- was too high. Her hips were too personality. I think that it can look er will benefit Sydney, as well as high. She would run really fast and glamorous and look great, but the working with some of the best jump." reality of it is that it's really, really coaching and training partners in Floreal is putting Sydney in difficult. Track and field—it's hard the world. For once, Sydney isn't the 100-meter hurdles this year to be on the road and compete on going to be the one leading the instead of her specialty, the 400 the circuit." way. At Union Catholic, she took hurdles. She won't be away from College life isn't easy either, an already successful team and the 400 hurdles forever. If she can but it's more Sydney's pace. She's helped turn it into a national pow- master the steps and jumps in the on her own 680 miles from home, er. 12 to 13 seconds it takes to run the doing her own laundry now and "When you see someone who 100, she will be able to improve learning how to cook, she says. can split 51 in the 400, you start in the longer sprint, too. Floreal is So far Sydney has only made thinking you can run 54, at least," already running drills with Sydney, scrambled eggs. She says she's not McCabe says of Sydney's influence and he's seeing improvement. homesick yet, but does miss her on teammates. McCabe believes "She's sucking up the information cockapoo, Gamble. She stays in that working with training partners like she's thirsty," he says. "I'm a touch with her brother Taylor, who like Keni Harrison, who set the nerdy teacher, and she has a desire runs the 400-meter hurdles for the 100-meter hurdles world record to learn." Soon, Floreal says, Syd- University of Michigan. She miss- in 2016, and Kori Carter, who ney's hurdling mechanics can be es New Jersey too, but its music won the 400-meter hurdles at the perfected. is always with her. DJ LILMAN, DJ World Championships in London in Even with her imperfect hur- Telly Tellz and DJ Taj are still on her 2017, will have the same effect on dling, Sydney could have skipped pre-race playlist. "I definitely don't Sydney. When you're surrounded the UK track team and gone pro forget about my Jersey club music by the best, you become the best. last summer. Nine-time Olympic while I'm out here," she says. "I At UK, Sydney is coached by medalist Allyson Felix did when keep that with me." Edrick Floreal, who, since taking she graduated high school in 2003. She is changing, though. In New over at Kentucky as the director of Felix and Sydney were teammates Jersey, Sydney had a small circle track and field in 2012, has led five in Rio, and Sydney wouldn't mind of friends and family she trusted. CLIPPINGS

She's being forced to make new the pro track life to focus on having to Lexington. friends in Lexington. "I interact fun at UK, with her teammates and Most notably, two current with people more than I would without the pressures that come members of the UK staff earned back home," she says. "I've been with being a teenage professional World Championships gold in put in a situation where I need to runner. It's what she wished for. "I London. make myself comfortable and I've wanted the experience of being a Coach Omar McLeod claimed definitely opened up as who I am college kid," Sydney says. "To walk his second global title. McLeod as a person." on a campus, live on my own, get won the 110m hurdles at the Sydney has made friends with experiences to mature as a person World Championships in London members of the UK track team, but and in the sport." she's spending most of her time But Tokyo is the long-term goal. (following up his gold from the with the sprint and hurdle crew at "Coach Flo and I definitely have Rio Olympics). practice, where they bond over hill a plan when it comes to [the Olym- Coach Kori Carter won her sprints and early-morning interval pics], and we know what our goals first major international gold sessions. She knows not to be late. are each year. It's going to be a claiming the competitive 400m If someone on the UK track team progression, of course. Regardless hurdles in London. shows up even a minute behind of freshman year, sophomore year, UK class of 2015 and current schedule, everyone on the team NCAAs, or going pro," Sydney says. Wildcat coach Keni Harrison has to get on the ground and roll "That's always going to be in the finished fourth in the 100m the length of the football field— back of our minds." hurdles final - her first final in everyone except the person who As Sydney preps for another a major international champi- was tardy. run at making the Olympic team, onships in that event. Harrison Sydney won't start working on Floreal hopes she becomes more won the USATF 100H title to go her hurdle form specifically until introspective during these forma- along with her US indoor 60H December or maybe even January, tive years. "I want her to embrace Championship from earlier in when the indoor track season be- who she is," he says, "and come the year gins. Until then, it's all condition- to terms with the fact that she's Also representing both UK ing. She laughs nervously talking unique, different and special." about the difficult workouts on And quite possibly track and and their nation were Leah the horizon. "I'm scared," she says. field's next big star. □ Nugent (semi-finalist 400m "Oh my goodness, I'm terrified." hurdles, Jamaica), Sha’Keela After the races at the UK UKTF Shines at 2017 World Saunders (long jump, USA – 21st cross-country meet, Sydney is get- Championships in London place), Andrew Evans (discus, ting ready to leave when a group By Jake Most | Aug. 13, 2017 USA 20th place), Luis Orta of high school boys approach (Marathon, Venezuela – 67th her. They ask her for a picture. LONDON – The Kentucky track place), Mikel Thomas (110m She knows the drill—she's used and field program leapt to the hurdles, Trinidad & Tobago to it from her high school days, forefront of the world stage this – 37th place), Kayelle Clarke when fans lined up for selfies with summer. (200m, Trinidad & Tobago – her—and obliges. But with one Current team members, 35th place) and Hiruni Wija- caveat: She brings in some of her alumni and volunteer coaches yaratne (Marathon, Sri Lanka). new teammates. One more person had made headlines across the We had some other inter- comes up and asks for a picture world over the course of 2017, national competitions from with her. Sydney gathers her team- culminating in bringing some some teammates this summer mates again. including Ellen Ekholm (High She's relishing her decision to ditch serious precious medals home CLIPPINGS

Jump, Sweden) and Marie Josee event or ranked in the national For now, Harrison, a 24-year- Ebwea-Bile (Triple Jump, France) top 48 (collective listing) in a relay old American from a family of 13, and Tim Duckworth (Decathlon, event on the official NCAA POP list is in the uncommon position of Great Britain) competing at the provided by TFRRS.org. being a world-record holder who U-23 European Championships • For the outdoor season, a has yet to win a medal of any color and Fred Dorsey running 100m student-athlete must have partic- in a major global championship. for his native British Virgin Is- ipated in any round of the NCAA That could change in a hurry on Division I Championships (includ- at the world championship final lands. ing preliminary rounds). in the 100-meter hurdles — the tricky, technical and spectacular Both UKTF Teams, 17 Individu- All-Academic Teams event that Harrison redefined last als Earn USTFCCCA All-Academic • Women’s Team: 3.227 GPA year when her time of 12.20 sec- Status • Men’s Team: 3.09 GPA onds at a Diamond League meet By Jake Most | Aug. 17, 2017 here broke Yordanka Donkova’s All-Academic Individuals 28-year-old world mark of 12.21, LEXINGTON, Ky. – Both the Ken- Women (seven) long considered untouchable. tucky men’s and women’s track • Ellen Ekholm “Being back in London is and field teams in addition to 17 • Amy Hansen definitely a confidence booster,” individual students – 10 men and • Katy Kunc Harrison said in an interview at seven women – picked up All-Aca- • Caroline McCaslin the United States team’s hotel in demic honors from the U.S. Track • Michelle McKinney central London. “I know the crowd & Field and Cross Country Coaches • Brandi Walker is going to be amazing. I love the Association. • Jill Weston track. It is fast, obviously, so I’m To earn All-Academic status, just getting ready for that moment teams had to have a cumulative Men (10) and to live it fully.” GPA better than 3.0. Teams with • Logan Bryer Harrison, whose first name is that GPA and top NCAA finishes • Noah Castle Kendra but who prefers her nick- are considered for Scholar Team of • David Cline name Keni, considers herself an the Year. • Fred Dorsey introvert. She projected calm on All told, 360 NCAA Division I • Ian Jones Wednesday for a nearly hourlong teams were honored for their aca- • Kendall Muhammad interview, speaking thoughtfully demics by the USTFCCCA. • Ethan Shalaway and seldom shifting in her seat. Breaking it down further, 218 of • Jacob Thomson Anyone who grew up with 10 those were women’s teams com- • Caleb Wilt siblings — she is the middle child pared to 142 men’s programs. • Ben Young — can clearly handle pandemo- To qualify for individual USTFC- nium. But sangfroid is not yet her CCA All-Academic honors, the stu- trademark in the biggest races. In dent-athlete must have compiled Keni Harrison, a World-Record her first world championships in a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and have Holder, May Finally Win a Title 2015, she did not reach the final. met at least one of the following By Christopher Clarey - Her world record in London last athletic standards: The New York Times | Aug. 9, 2017 year came just two weeks after she had faltered as the favorite at • For the indoor season, a stu- LONDON — After hurdling for re- the United States Olympic trials in dent-athlete must have finished demption at London Stadium last Eugene, Ore., finishing sixth and the regular season ranked in the year, and getting plenty of it, Keni failing to make the team for the national top 96 in an individual Harrison is back in the same place, hurdling for a title and only a title. Games in Rio de Janeiro. CLIPPINGS

It was a brutal blow to Harri- make a statement that ‘I’m not a began to adopt, he said, the agen- son and an illuminating moment choker. I just had a bad meet,’” he cies continued to contact them to her coach, Edrick Floréal, who said. “And I think had that meet and they continued to be eager to had been convinced that Harrison, and that moment not happened, bring new children into their lives. who had already set an American I’m not sure that world record “I guess once we were in the record, 12.24, was in the right would ever have been broken. It system they just kept them com- place and head space and blamed was the perfect storm.” ing,” Keni Harrison said with a himself for not sensing the trouble. Will it thus be impossible to laugh. “I have two siblings who He and Harrison stayed up until generate another one? are African-American, two that are “4 or 5 in the morning” the night “I do think it could happen biracial, two that are Korean, two after the defeat, he said, talking it again,” Floréal said. “I think she’s in that are Bolivian and two that are through. He insisted that she re- the right place right now.” my parents’ biological kids. I don’t port the next morning to the track. Harrison has the world’s lead- even think about it. “I’m pretty sure I was crying ing time again in 2017: a 12.28 last “My family came to visit this throughout the workout because I month in Hungary. She also feels morning, and a lot of people on didn’t want to be there,” she said. fresh, partly because she broke her the team don’t really know I’m “The reality hits you: ‘You didn’t left hand warming up at a Dia- adopted, and they were like, ‘Who make the team. You are No. 1 in mond League meet in Doha, Qatar, are these people, Keni?’ And I’m the world. You didn’t make the in May (she still won the ensuing like, ‘It’s my family,’ and they’re team. You even broke the Amer- race), forcing her to take time off. like, ‘O.K.!’ Clearly people on the ican record. You didn’t make the “I don’t feel tired,” she said. outside see it, but I don’t really see team.’ All those thoughts in your “I don’t feel like I ran too many it as different races.” mind, but he kept pushing me, and meets, so I think it was probably a Gary Harrison, a former Navy that’s what got me through.” blessing in disguise.” pilot who recently retired after Floréal, who also coached Har- Win or lose, Harrison has quite 20 years with the Department rison at the University of Kentucky a cheering section in London. Her of Homeland Security, said the before she turned professional, parents, Karon and Gary, and six of Harrisons also had hosted eight told her he would travel to London her siblings made the journey. exchange students through the for last year’s Diamond League “We’re a traveling road show,” years that they consider part of the meet on one condition. Gary Harrison said on Wednesday extended family. “He said, ‘If you don’t think amid touring London in the rain. “Once we went past two kids, it you’re going to do something “We’re kind of overwhelming really doesn’t make any difference amazing, then I’m not going to when we show up.” how many you have,” he said. “It’s go,’” Harrison said. The Harrison children range not that hard.” Once there, he shepherded in age from 19 to 34. The oldest, Still, logistics could be challeng- her through her routines. “Basi- Casey, and youngest, Kara, are the ing. “I think one year we were on cally 24/7: breakfast, lunch and Harrisons’ biological children. “If 13 different soccer teams,” he said. dinner together,” Floréal said in you want to irritate your wife, get Gary Harrison once bought a an interview this week. “She was a mother of 10 pregnant,” Gary Marriott Hotel shuttle bus to trans- embarrassed about the Olympics, Harrison joked. port the family, which featured had her head down, didn’t want The Harrison’s other nine chil- a seat near the front called “the anyone to see her face.” dren were adopted in a wide range timeout seat.” He never quite got But after the first round, he of circumstances. around to painting over the “Mar- said, her confidence returned. Gary Harrison said he and his riott” on the side of the bus, he “And when the gun went off in wife had not initially planned for said. the final, she was determined to such a large family. But once they Remembering all of the chil- CLIPPINGS dren’s current ages remains a last year as the American women with three individual NCAA Cham- challenge. “I have a spreadsheet,” swept the medals in the 100 hur- pions – two individuals plus the he said. dles in Rio). But the former Olym- 4x100m relay Championship team. Keni Harrison, born premature- pic stadium in London has already UK’s individual national champions ly to a black single mother, was provided her with quite a show- also led the way in terms of indi- adopted as a newborn shortly after case for her fast-twitch talents. vidual All-America honors for 2017. her sister Tasha had been adopted. Time for an encore? Jasmine Camacho-Quinn was “They are like twins in terms of “Coach Flo put it this way: He First Team All-America in the 100m their ages, so we got two babies in said breaking that world record hurdles outdoors where she was like a month,” Gary Harrison said. is the hardest thing you can do,” national runner-up, in the 4x100m “Keni was in the I.C.U. for 30 days, Harrison said. “The next thing is relay where she ran the winning and I picked her up on Day 31.” to go get some medals. That’s a second leg and in the 60m hurdles She did not grow tall — she is lot easier than trying to chase the indoors. She’s now been named 5 foot 3 inches, short for an elite record. That’s how I’m thinking of First Team All-America six times sprinter — but she did grow up to it, anyway.” □ and Second Team twice over her be agile and fast, and her speed on two-year career. the soccer field eventually caught Kentucky Picks Up 28 Sha’Keela Saunders was a First the attention of track coaches in All-America Honors for 2017 Team selection in the long jump in- Clayton, N.C. Track & Field Season doors and out, and second team in She received a full track schol- By Jake Most | Aug. 18, 2016 the outdoor 4x4 and indoor triple arship to Clemson, and then jump. She finished her incredible transferred to Kentucky, where she LEXINGTON, Ky. – Twenty-eight UK career as a 12-time All-Ameri- is now part of an elite professional Kentucky Wildcats earned can (six in long jump, four in triple group training under Floréal that All-America honors from the U.S. jump, two in 4x400m relay). includes Omar McLeod, the reign- Track & Field and Cross Country Destiny Carter picked up First ing world and Olympic champion Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Team status in the 4x1 to go along in the men’s 110 hurdles. during the 2017 season indoors with Second Team honors in the Harrison ran both the 100 and outdoors. 100m, 200m and long jump. and 400 hurdles in college and is Nineteen Wildcats earned Including her junior season after considering a return to the longer All-America status during the re- transferring before the 2016 sea- distance next season, which would cently completed outdoor season. son, she finished her eligibility as mean a shot at an unprecedent- UK had 10 first team honorees an eight-time All-American (second ed double gold at the 2019 world (from five entries – UK had five team in 2017 indoor long jump). championships. She volunteers as Wildcats from the 4x100-meter Nick Anderson picked up First an assistant coach at Kentucky and relay rounds and final earn the sta- Team All-America status for the helped recruit Sydney McLaughlin, tus) and nine pick up second team third time. the 18-year-old from New Jersey status outdoors. Olivia Gruver, NCAA Champi- who competed in the Olympics First team honors went to the on in the outdoor pole vault, and in the 400 hurdles last year. Mc- first through eighth placers (scor- bronze medalist in the same event Laughlin, the youngest track and ers) at the NCAA Outdoor Champi- indoors picked up her first two field athlete in 26 years to make onships. Ninth through 16th place First Team honors. the U.S. Olympic team, will attend earned second team status, while Fred Dorsey (long jump), Tim Kentucky this fall. honorable mention was given to Duckworth (decathlon), Justin Harrison will have to wait for those who finished 17th through Kretchmer (high jump), Ethan Shal- her Olympic moment (she watched 24th. away (javelin) and Jacob Thomson at her parents’ house on television Kentucky finished the season (10k) picked up honorable mention CLIPPINGS

accolades. points, and sixth indoors with 26. day,” fifth-year Kentucky head Sarah Blake (javelin), and the The UK men’s team placed 59th coach Edrick Floréal said. “Our 4x100m relay of Destiny Carter, outdoors with four points, and success in events like the 4x1, pole Kayelle Clarke, Precious Hitchcock 22nd indoors with 10. □ vault and triple jump shows that and Sha’Keela Saunders were the we are growing and adding to our UK women’s team’s honorable UK Women’s Team Fourth at brand. We’re not just a hurdles mention awardees. NCAATF Outdoor Championships university. Indoor By Jake Most | June 10, 2017 “We fought like Wildcats and Nine Kentucky track and field did UK proud.” Wildcats combined to earn 12 EUGENE, Ore. – The Kentucky In addition to breaking the facil- All-America honors from the in- women’s track and field team fin- ity record at a track that has been door season. ished on the podium at the NCAA the site for the NCAA Champion- The Kentucky women claimed Outdoor Championships for the ships five years in a row and plenty 10 of those honors – five on the second time in the last three sea- more elite meets, the time ranks first team five on the second team. sons, placing fourth with 40 points No. 3 time in meet history. UK ran Everyone on the Kentucky on Saturday before 12,992 track the 10th fastest relay ever by a col- men’s team sent to College Station, fans at Oregon’s Hayward Field. legiate team and moved into No. 4 Texas for the NCAA Championships UK earned its second best team on all-time collegiate performers’ were named to the First Team as finish and point total at the NCAA list, which factors in only the top both Tim Duckworth and Nick An- Outdoor Championships in histo- time by each school. derson scored. ry. The Wildcats were NCAA run- UK was fifth in the event last Duckworth claimed the hep- ner-up with 50 points in 2015. season. tathlon silver medal with the UK’s women’s 4x100-meter “As anchor leg, I knew that, British record score, while Nick relay of Destiny Carter, Jasmine despite the fumble (on the ex- Anderson placed seventh in the Camacho-Quinn, Kayelle Clarke change), I had to bring home the 60m hurdles. and Kianna Gray built momentum win so I just did what I could do Duckworth was an indoor right from the start. They won the best and ran her down,” Gray said. All-America for the second year first track event of Saturday in a Camacho-Quinn ran a lifetime in a row. He earned First Team Hayward Field and school record: best in the 100m hurdles, 12.58, honors for the first time as he 42.51 seconds. Precious Hitchcock but came up .01 shy from defend- was named to the second team in had run the first leg in the semifi- ing her NCAA title in the event multi-events indoors and out last nals on Thursday. as Texas El Paso sophomore Tobi year. He’s a three-time All-America Starting the day with 10 points, Amusan leaned just in front of overall. UK’s first NCAA 4x1 title, led to UK Camacho-Quinn at the finish line. Javianne Oliver was a First scoring 26 points on the final day Still, the eight points went a long Team selection in the 60m for the of the meet. ways for UK’s ultimate cause. second year in a row. UK finished the championships Camacho-Quinn has scored 18 SEC Champion Katy Kunc with two NCAA Champions – the points in the NCAA 100m hur- earned second-team honors after 4x1 and Olivia Gruver in the pole dles over the last two years to go making her first NCAA final in the vault on Thursday. Additionally, along with the 10 Kendra Harrison 3k to go along with the All-America sophomores Jasmine Cama- earned in the event 2015 as senior. honors she earned in cross country cho-Quinn (100m hurdles) and Ma- Camacho-Quinn scored 12.5 for 2016. rie-Josée Ebwea-Bile (triple jump) the 2017 meet when adding her Kentucky’s women’s team claimed silver medals. share of the 10 in the 4x1. finished fourth at the 2017 NCAA “Very proud of our team and Ebwea-Bile leapt to a wind-aid- Outdoor Championships with 40 the effort they put out on the final ed PB 44’11”/13.69m to take silver CLIPPINGS

and eight points in the women’s program is pushing toward cham- expected to do it. … Without those triple jump. She was UK’s first tri- pionship level. two, if we get top five, I think ple jump medalist. Two years ago, led by senior that’s realistic.” On Thursday, Olivia Gruver won stars Kendra Harrison and Dezerea Since Floreal came to UK in the first NCAA pole vault title in Bryant, UK finished as national 2012, hurdlers have fueled Ken- Kentucky history to score 10, and runner-up to Oregon. tucky’s rise. A UK athlete — Har- Sha’Keela Saunders was fifth in the Last year, the UK women were rison in 2015, freshman Jasmine long jump to add four. ranked No. 1 in the country for Camacho-Quinn last year — has Oregon won the NCAA wom- several weeks. That made finishing won the women’s 100-meter hur- en’s title with 64 points, needing 11th in the NCAA Outdoor Track dles at the NCAA outdoor champi- 10 points in the 4x400m relay to and Field Championships hard to onships the past two seasons. edge second place Georgia (62.2). stomach. Now a sophomore, Cama- Southern California edged past “Last year, we were a disaster,” cho-Quinn will try to keep that Kentucky in the final event scoring Floreal says of UK in the NCAA streak going. “Judging by the level eight in the 4x4 to finish on 43, meet. “The kids were not focused of training she is doing, she is not three ahead of the Wildcats. at all on doing well and were just going to go down there without a Katy Kunc was 11th in the 3k kind of focused on other things. fight,” Floreal said. steeplechase and Ellen Ekholm was This (year’s) group is more astute UK’s hopes for a strong team 12th in the high jump on Saturday. or aware or cognizant of how well showing also ride heavily on long □ they have to do.” jumper Sha’Keela Saunders and, because each is qualified for four The coach most likely to produce UK will have 22 entrants — 16 in events, sprinters Destiny Carter UK’s next NCAA title? It might women’s events, six in men’s — in and Kianna Gray. surprise you the 2017 NCAA outdoor cham- A senior from Suffolk, Va., By Mark Story | Herald-Leader pionships this week (Wednesday Saunders won the NCAA indoor June 5, 2017 through Saturday) at the University championship in the long jump in In its entire athletics history, the of Oregon. March. Carter, a senior from Dan- University of Kentucky has won 10 If Kentucky had all its most ville, Ill., is slated to compete in the team NCAA championships. talented women’s competitors 100- and 200-meter dashes, the UK’s women’s cross country healthy, Floreal thinks the Wildcats long jump and the 4-by-100 relay. squad ran its way to glory in 1988. would be among 2017’s NCAA title “Destiny Carter has to do about The Kentucky rifle team, a coed favorites. Instead, injuries to Kiah a thousand events and she has to operation, shot its way to the top Seymour (second last year in the do well in all of them,” Floreal said. in 2011. Wildcats men’s basketball NCAA outdoors in 400-meter hur- “If she has any kind of a mishap, teams have claimed eight NCAA dles) and Javianne Oliver (second we’re dead.” crowns. in NCAA indoor 60-meter hurdles Gray was an 11-time Kentucky Given that five different head this year) make a championship high school state champion at coaches have led UK men’s hoops this year unlikely, Floreal says. North Hardin. The sophomore is to NCAA titles, that program is “I think there’s a very long qualified for the NCAAs in the 100- always the most likely to produce shot,” Floreal said of UK winning and 200-meter dashes and will Kentucky’s next national title. it all in 2017. “But I don’t think we run on UK’s 4-by-100 and 4-by-400 Yet there is a different UK team have enough bullets to be able to relays. that might get there first. It would do that. If Kiah Seymour is healthy “She’s a significantly better be an upset if it happens this year, and competing, and Javianne athlete than she is performing,” but under Coach Edrick Floreal, the Oliver, then I think we have a Floreal said of Gray. “I try not to Kentucky’s women’s track and field legitimate chance and should be put that pressure on her because CLIPPINGS

she’s still young and a little fragile “I’m going in there with a fire in “This is my final shot to win a as far as expectations.” my eyes,” Saunders said. “I feel like national championship outdoor,” For the Kentucky men, hurdler I’m just ready to attack and score Saunders said. “Some people think Nick Anderson, second last year in some big points for the team.” it’s a pressure on me but not really the 110-meter hurdles, and dis- Saunders will go into Outdoor -- I’m just ready to go out there tance runner Jacob Thomson, sixth Championships looking to win the and attack and go for the win.” in 2016 in the 10,000 meters, seem top prize in the long jump. Saun- If Saunders performs well, she the best hopes to medal. ders has accomplished many great will put her team in a good posi- Floreal says Kentucky’s goal of things during her career at UK, tion to make the podium. The Cats becoming a national track power but she has never won an outdoor are ranked No. 5 going into nation- is more advanced on the wom- national title. als; behind defending champion en’s side than the men’s because She has come close to winning and SEC rival No. 2 Arkansas. female prospects value different in the past however. Saunders has “I think we jumped up about things in recruiting than do males. finished runner-up at nationals two spots in the national rankings, “Women tend to make decisions a three times in her career, once at which is pretty good but we still little more based on relationships the Outdoor Championships her want better for ourselves and I and loyalty,” Floreal says. “Guys freshman year, and twice at the think were ready to attack that,” make decisions based on (track Indoor Championships her sopho- Saunders said. and field) tradition.” more and junior season. Saunders will go for the win on In November, the UK women’s Saunders also jumped to a third June 8, when the women’s long program scored a recruiting coup place finish at Outdoor Nationals jump event starts at 6 p.m. The when Kentucky signed New Jer- her sophomore year. In total, Saun- event can be watched on WatchES- sey prep star Sydney McLaughlin. ders has posted nine All-American PN.com (subscription required). A 2016 U.S. Olympian in the 400 finishes in her career, five in the Regardless of what happens, hurdles, McLaughlin is one of long jump, three in the triple jump, Saunders has had an illustrious the most promising high school and one in 4x400 meter relay. career at UK and is one of the top athletes — in any sport — in the Despite all the close calls, long jumpers in program history. country. Saunders’ closest finish might have The multiple school record hold- “I don’t think there’s anything been at the 2016 Olympic Trials, er has come a long way from the she can’t do,” Floreal says. when she was one inch and 3/4 rough start early in her college Assuming there’s no unexpect- quarters away from making the career to now chasing a champion- ed roster attrition, the “champi- U.S. Olympic Team. ship. onship window” for the Kentucky Saunders has won a national “Coming into Kentucky, tore an women’s track and field program championship before, as she had ACL, I never thought the success should be open wide in 2018. □ the meet of a lifetime at the NCAA would be this great,” Saunders Indoor Track & Field Champion- said. “Edrick Floréal has really just After many close finishes, ships just a couple months ago, made me a lot better than I ever Sha'keela Saunders is ready to win winning the long jump. Her final imagined that I could be. Being an outdoor title jump of 6.90 meters was just one ranked as one of the top compet- By Chris Leach| Kentucky Kernel centimeter away from the colle- itors at nationals is just a great June 2, 2017 giate indoor record. opportunity.” □ Senior long jumper Sha’Keela However, in the sport of NCAA Saunders has one thing on her track & field, the Outdoor Champi- Thomson might have opening he mind as she heads into her final onships are the more desired meet needs to win NCAA title NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Cham- to perform well than the Indoor By Chris Leach| Herald-Leader pionships; it’s time to attack. Championships. June 5, 2017 CLIPPINGS

Jacob Thomson has done a lot of Thomson had a chance to win UKTF Concludes Successful Run as winning since transferring to the last year’s race as part of a six-man NCAA East Prelims Host with 23 University of Kentucky from North lead pack with one lap to go but Qualifiers Carolina State in 2015. faded in the final stretch while By Jake Most | UKathletics.com In his almost two years here, Oregon’s Edward Cheserek kicked May 28, 2017 the junior distance runner from to a national championship. Saturday – really Kentucky’s whole Louisville Holy Cross has collect- Thomson sees an opportunity three-day stint as host institution ed four Southeastern Conference this week as Cheserek, who has of the NCAA East Preliminary medals — two golds, a silver and a won 17 NCAA titles, suffered a mi- Championships -- was a day for big bronze. The two golds came at the nor back injury and scratched from numbers at the UK Outdoor Track 2016 SEC Outdoor Championships the championships. Cheserek’s and Field Complex. when Thomson won the 10,000- absence makes Thomson the top Ten more Wildcats advanced to and 5,000-meter races. returning runner. Eugene, Oregon where the NCAA This season, Thomson’s high- “With him (Cheserek) out of Championships will conclude June lights include winning the 5,000 at the field, there’s really probably 7-10. For the weekend, UK quali- the historic Penn Relays, becoming eight or 10 guys who all expect fied 22 entries – 16 women’s, six the second athlete in UK history to to go in there and compete for men’s. run sub-29 minutes in the 10,000, a national championship, and I Tim Duckworth had already placing third in the 10,000 at the see myself as one of those guys,” qualified in the decathlon, mean- SEC Outdoor Championships and Thomson said. ing UK will have 23 entries in earning a spot on the All-SEC Sec- Despite Cheserek’s absence, Eugene. ond Team. the 10K field is loaded with many Then, despite having to navi- “Winning makes the sport a lot of the NCAA’s top runners. gate pesky – but of course serious more fun, it’s a lot more enjoyable Tulsa’s Marc Scott, Alabama’s – electrical storms through the when you win races,” Thomson Alfred Chelanga and Butler’s Erik mid-afternoon into the evening, said. “That definitely makes you Peterson are all expected to com- 4,721 people still came to the UK excited, gives you a little extra pete with Thomson for the title, Track Complex on Saturday. That spark in your step.” but Thomson’s preparations have total brought the three-day figure That spark is evident this week gone well. for NCAA East Prelims to 10,072 as Thomson attempts to fill one of “Workouts, everything has at the track meet this weekend, the few remaining blanks on his been going great the last couple of reflecting by some measure Lexing- collegiate running résumé. weeks so I’m really excited heading ton’s status as a community with Thomson will try to win his in,” Thomson said. a growing total of track and field first national title when the NCAA If Thomson finds himself in con- aficionados. Outdoor Track and Field Champi- tention late in the race like he did And those thousands were onships get underway Wednesday last year, he will be ready for any treated to the elite competition, night at Eugene, Ore. Start time for challenges that come up. and exciting performances, they the 10,000 meters is 10:08 p.m. “When it comes to the bell lap, were promised. Six facility records Thomson qualified for the 10K you’ve just got to take the gloves were broken on Saturday – high- finals on May 26 when he placed off and fight and the best man lighted by the second fastest 200 fourth at the NCAA East Prelimi- comes out on top,” Thomson said. meters race in collegiate history nary Championships in Lexington. “Last year, I think there were six – meaning NCAA athletes posted Last season, Thomson placed of us who took the bell together, 12 changes to the facility records sixth in the NCAA 10K finals in and it came down to a really tough when the weekend was all said Oregon, good enough to earn First finish, and I don’t expect this year and done. Team All-America honors. to be any different.” □ UK’s NCAA qualifiers CLIPPINGS

Sixteen of a possible 24 wom- nationals by about as narrow a enough. “I had a lot of mistakes, en, and six of a possible 20 men margin as they come. So his clear- but I’m going to work on it with advanced to Eugene in addition to ance of 7’0.5”/2.15m to place sixth my coach. I’m going to work on Duckworth in the decathlon. was likely all the more sweet. my approach because every time I UK advanced eight women’s Camacho-Quinn qualified get excited, I foul. And it’s kind of entries – the 4x100 and 4x400m No. 1 in the east to continue her immature, so I’m going to try to be relays, Destiny Carter and Kianna NCAA 100m hurdles title defense better and act like a professional.” Gray in the 200m, Jasmine Cama- in Eugene. She ran 12.80. She’ll The UK women’s 4x400m relay cho-Quinn in the 100m hurdles be joined in Oregon by Jacklyn of Saunders, Hitchcock, Clarke and and 200m, Jacklyn Howell in the Howell, who was third in her heat Gray ran 3:35.72 to place second 100m hurdles and Marie-Josee giving her an automatic qualifying in heat two and get a Big "Q" to Ebwea-Bile in the triple jump on spot to NCAAs. advance to the NCAA semifinals in Saturday. Three Wildcats advanced on Eugene. Nick Anderson lowered his to Eugene in the women’s 200m Friday NCAA qualifiers school record to 13.53 to earn a led by Kentucky’s Ms. Versatility: Four women – Destiny Carter and return trip to Eugene where he’ll Destiny Carter. She booked her Kianna Gray in the 100 meters, aim to do one better than his silver fourth entry into the Eugene field Ellen Ekholm in the high jump and medal performance in the 110m by qualifying third in the women’s Katy Kunc in the 3,000m steeple- hurdles from a year ago. 200m with a heat-winning time of chase – and one man – Nikolas “The goal for this weekend 22.70. Carter also qualified in the Huffman in the shot put – added was always go in, win the race and long jump and 100m. their names to the flight manifest qualify for Nationals,” Anderson Not to be completely eclipsed for the trip to Eugene, Oregon on said. “I had nothing else but that in terms of quantity of events Friday.. as my goal. To achieve my main qualified in, Gray had the sixth Thursday NCAA Finals Qualifiers goals for the season I had to get fastest qualifying time 22.86 to get Seven Wildcats – four women’s there. Now I’ll take this next week a big “Q” for automatic qualifica- entries and three men’s entries and half and just work hard. I’ll fix tion, while Camacho-Quinn made advanced to Eugene of the first day some things, listen to Coach Flo NCAAs in the 200m for the second of the meet. and get ready for Nationals.” year in a row by running 22.88 – UK qualified Carter and Saun- The women’s 4x100m relay eighth best in the east. ders in the long jump, Sarah Blake school record fell on Saturday as Gray qualified in two relays, the in the javelin and Olivia Gruver well. The team of Destiny Carter, 100m and 200m. Camacho-Quinn in the pole vault on the women’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Kayelle qualified in the 100m hurdles, side for day one. Jacob Thomson Clarke and Kianna Gray ran 42.79 200m and 4x100m relay. in the 10k, Ethan Shalaway in the to advance to Eugene with the Ebwea-Bile had the fifth- javelin and Fred Dorsey in the long second fastest time in the east. best mark in the triple jump to jump advanced for the UK men on Collegiate record holder LSU quali- qualify for the NCAA Champi- Thursday. □ fied first. onships. Ebwea-Bile’s jump of : Justin Kretchmer made his last 43’11.25”/13.39m was her person- UK Eager to Host, Compete in East Preliminary Championships al record. NCAA Prelims into the first iteration of said meet By Guy Ramsey| UKathletics.com to see him advance to Eugene. The “I just wanted to qualify and get May 24, 2017 senior had placed 13th in 2015 – my ticket to Eugene,” Ebwea-Bile With the outdoor season reach- two weeks after he had won the said. “No matter what I placed, ing its crescendo, this is when the Southeastern Conference Cham- I just wanted to qualify. It’s a meets really start to matter. pionship – on a jump off, missing good personal record, but it’s not First come the East Preliminary CLIPPINGS

Championships and later nationals, facility transform into a world-class be contending with the dilemma when both team and individual facility.” that the preliminary round causes. NCAA champions will be crowned. UK bid for the right to host the On one hand, they want to put It’s a routine that has become fa- event both to showcase its state- their best feet forward competing miliar for Kentucky track and field of-the-art facility and to create with some of the best athletes in recent years with Edrick Floréal a home-track advantage for its anywhere. On the other, they only leading nationally relevant squads, athletes. have to finish in the top 12 to get but this year offers a wrinkle. “It’s a huge advantage,” Saun- where they really want to go. The first step of this season’s ders said. “The crowd here is “You’re just trying to qualify NCAA journey will be taken at amazing. If you’ve ever been to our for the NCAAs, so sometimes the home for the Wildcats. UK is host- home meet, the Kentucky Invite, athletes get caught up and try to ing the NCAA Division I Track and it’s just amazing. And the Big Blue do huge things,” Floréal said. “You Field East Preliminary Champion- Nation, the fans are amazing. They just gotta be top 12.” ships this week. know how to come and they know All those elite athletes vying for The magnitude of the change how to put on a show.” a limited amount of spots makes has sunk in quickly this week for With that crowd also comes for some good viewing, says Flore- the Cats, who have watched their a new variable with which to al. home track – the UK Outdoor Track contend. What the Cats can’t let “I would advise anyone that and Field Complex – be trans- happen is for that extra motivation has any interest in sports or just formed. to turn into crippling pressure. supporting young people or sup- “This track looks totally differ- “Sometimes that can backfire,” porting Kentucky track or Kentucky ent,” UK’s Sha’Keela Saunders said. Floréal said. “It could be extra athletes in general, you should “It looks like we’re at a nation- pressure that they put on them- really be out here supporting these al-caliber track home right now. It selves. ‘I have to do well because young people and giving them a doesn’t look like we’re just at UK. everybody’s here watching and chance to show what they’ve been We’re at the UK this time.” all my friends and my athletic working on and their talents,” The meet will serve as the qual- director’s watching me.’ That extra Floréal said. “I’m hoping that the ifying round ahead of next month’s pressure sometimes backfires on Kentucky faithful, the Big Blue national-championship meet in you.” Nation, shows up and shows Ken- Oregon. Twelve athletes from the Saunders understands pressure. tucky track and field some love.”□ two prelim sites will qualify for na- The long jumper won the tionals, with hundreds of athletes indoor national championship this Camacho-Quinn’s 100H Win Leads from dozens of schools competing season, but failed to even qualify UKTF Women to Third at SECs for that right Thursday through for outdoor nationals a year ago. By Jake Most | UKathletics.com Sunday. Her event is one that provides for May 13, 2017 UK has 44 total entries, with 24 only three attempts and the fouls COLUMBIA, S.C. – Jasmine Cama- competing for the seventh-ranked she committed last year kept her cho-Quinn defended her 100-me- UK women’s team and 20 for the from going for gold. ter hurdles title, while Destiny men’s team. “Sometimes it’s very hard,” Saun- Carter scored a team-high 13 “You can tell the difference in ders said. “… You just have to make points – including taking silver in practice this week,” Floréal said. sure you do what you’re used to the 200m – to help the Kentucky “They just walked out here today doing and then once you get one women’s track and field team fin- and they see the track is set up to in and you’re safe, then you go for ish third at the Southeastern Con- host and everybody’s attitude and the win.” ference Outdoor Championships mood changed quickly. It’s kind of Saunders and every other for the third year in a row. a good sense of pride to see your athlete in Lexington this week will Kentucky’s men’s team placed CLIPPINGS

11th with 31.5 points. Earlier Saturday, Carter scored fifth in the 5k on Saturday. He ran The Arkansas women’s team four points in the 100m with a 13:54.98 as he moved as far up as won with 127 points, while LSU fifth-place time of 11.25 (+1.0). second with 200m to go, but was was second with 100, 19 ahead of She ran the second leg of caught on the home stretch by UK. The Wildcats edged Georgia by UK’s fourth-place 4x100m relay three members of the chase pack four, Florida by five and Texas A&M (composed of Precious Hitchcock, he was a member of for much of by seven. Carter, Kayelle Clarke and Kianna the race. Texas A&M won the men’s Gray), to score four points in 43.49. Nikolas Huffman scored four team competition on 119 points. Carter received a point for her role points in the shot put with a Camacho-Quinn appeared to on that relay. fifth-place mark of 60’1”/18.31m. lead Georgia’s Kendall Williams Kiah Seymour repeated as SEC Charles Lenford Jr. tossed a PB narrowly over all 10 hurdles, and bronze medalist in the 400m hur- mark of 57’9.75”/17.26m to place then really separated in the last dles battling to a third-place time eighth and add a point. 10.5 meters. She ran a time of of 58.06. UK scored seven points in the 12.81 (+1.0), .11 better than Wil- Katy Kunc won UK’s first SEC 110m hurdles with Nick Anders liams. title in the women’s 3,000-meter scoring four via a fifth-place 13.73, “I’m glad to have come out steeplechase on Friday. and Daniel Roberts scoring three here and defended my title,” More Saturday Scorers with a sixth-place 13.82 (+0.2). Camacho-Quinn said. “I just knew Marie-Josee Ebwea-Bile finished Roberts lowered his UK freshman I had to stay calm throughout the two inches shy of a triple jump record. race and not overthink it. It was medal, fourth overall, with a mark Tim Duckworth completed just a pretty good race.” of 43’6”/13.26m to score five a five-point meet with a sixth- Kentucky scored 15 points in points. place pole-vault clearance at the event as Camacho-Quinn tal- Sarah Blake broke her javelin 16’7.5”/5.07m. He scored three in lied 10, while Jacklyn Howell added school record en route to a fifth- the pole vault, and two in the high five points with a fourth-place time place mark of 174’3”/53.12m to jump. of 13.24. score four. Ian Jones scored the first two Camacho-Quinn won the SEC UK’s women’s 4x400m relay individual points of his SEC career 100m hurdles for the second year of Sha’Keela Saunders, Hitchcock, with a seventh-place PB 1:48.46. in a row, and gave UK the league Clarke was buoyed by a 53.04 an- SECTF Strength title in that event for the fourth chor leg from Kianna Gray – while Kentucky’s women’s team is straight year (Kendra Harrison won encountering some traffic on the ranked No. 6 in this week’s U.S. in 2014 and 2015). home straight – to place fifth in Track & Field and Cross Country Camacho-Quinn has won 3:35.56 to score four. Coaches Association computer three-straight SEC short hurdles Ellen Ekholm was the top fresh- rankings – which are a forecast of titles, accounting for the 2016 SEC man placer, seventh overall, in the team finish at the NCAA Champi- Indoor Championships with her women’s high jump having cleared onships, not the SEC Champion- outdoor titles the last two years. 5’8.75”/1.75m to score two. ships. She claimed her fourth SEC medal Three of the five women’s teams accounting for the indoor 200m Michelle McKinney earned the ranked ahead of the UK women silver she claimed in February. first SEC point of her career, plac- are SEC squads (No. 1 Texas A&M, Destiny Carter scored eight ing eighth with a mark of 4:24.56. No. 4 LSU, No. 5 Arkansas), six of points in the 200m with a wind-le- Men’s Saturday scorers the top-10 are SEC teams, and a gal personal-best-tying 22.92 Jacob Thomson added four points 11 SEC women’s team rank in the (+0.6) to earn her first SEC individ- to the six he earned with a 10k top-25. ual medal. bronze from Friday by placing Four of the top-five and six of CLIPPINGS the top-10 men’s teams are in the Kentucky finished fifth with 25 -- 12 points, which roughly equates SEC. Twelve of the top-25 men’s points in 2015. to one second. teams in the country rank in the Men’s team finish context Duckworth’s 6,165 points broke top 10. Kentucky’s men’s team finished his British record by 159, and UK’s SEC precedent tied for 22nd with 10 points as Tim with third place Karl Saluri having UK’s best SEC outdoor finish Duckworth claimed silver in the scored 6,051 it was the first NCAA was second place in 1981, the first heptathlon, and Nick Anderson meet to feature three heptathletes year the meet was held. placed seventh in the 60-meter with more than 6,050 points. A year ago Kentucky placed hurdles. Duckworth’s score tied for the 10th in the men’s competition with The UK men’s program earned seventh best in collegiate history 48.50 points. its first NCAA indoor top-25 finish (Williams’ 6,177 ranks fourth best Indoor 2017: At the SEC Indoor since placing 19th with 13 points in in NCAA all-time). Championships in February, the 2009. Gruver became the first Wild- Kentucky women’s team tied the Saturday medalists cat to score in the NCAA pole school record for team finish at the Oliver’s 60m silver and Gruver’s vault, and took bronze to boot. SEC Indoor Championships – third pole-vault bronze complement- Her bronze medal clearance was overall with 71 points. ed the long-jump gold Sha’Keela 14’5.25”/4.40m. She cleared her The UK women’s program Saunders earned with a leap one first two attempts at 13’9.25” finished third at the SEC indoor centimeter shy of the collegiate and then 14’1.25”, before get- meet for the first time since 1989, record on Friday. ting over 14’5.25” on her second its only other top-three finish at Oliver took the early lead out attempt. She was unable to get indoor SECs. of the blocks with her patented over 14’7.25”/4.45m – the winning The UK men’s team improved explosive start, and looked to be height. by 12 points and four spots from a ahead up until the final steps, Saturday scorers year ago in placing seventh with 44 getting outleaned across the line Sophomore Jasmine Camacho points at 2017 SEC indoors. □ by Oregon’s Hannah Cunliffe 7.14 -Quinn placed seventh in the seconds-7.16. Oliver scored eight women’s 60m hurdles to score two UKTF Women’s Team 6th at NCAA points. She was sixth in the same points at her first NCAA indoor Indoor event last season. meet. By Jake Most | UKathletics.com After sleeping on the day-one Senior Nick Anderson placed March 12, 2017 heptathlon lead, Tim Duckworth seventh in the men’s 60m hurdles COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Led by tied his PR 8.10 in the 60m hurdles with a time of 7.85, after running Javianne Oliver and Olivia Gruver’s to open day two by scoring 957 a PR 7.69 in the prelims. He scored medal performances on Saturday, points. two points at his first NCAA indoor the Kentucky women’s track and He then made a major move in meet. □ field team finished sixth with 26 the pole vault, clearing a two-inch- points at the 2017 NCAA Indoor plus PR 17’3”/5.26m to score 991 Sha’Keela Saunders Wins NCAA Championships inside Texas A&M’s points and take a 224-point lead Indoor Long Jump Gilliam Indoor Stadium. over second place Devon Williams By Jake Most | UKathletics.com Women’s team finish context (Georgia) into the heptathlon-con- March 11, 2017 UK’s sixth-place performance cluding 1k. COLLEGE STATION, Texas – At long was the second best at an NCAA There, he finished with a time last, Sha’Keela Saunders rose to indoor meet in women’s program of 3:04.24 to score 623 points. the top of the NCAA long jump history. UK 26 points were the UGA’s Williams ran 2:41.26 to podium. women’s program record for a score 859, and take the heptathlon Runner-up in the long jump at NCAA Indoor Championships. gold by the narrowest of margins the NCAA Indoor Championships CLIPPINGS each of the past two years, and with a leap of 22’0.75”/6.72m. freshman year indoors, didn’t go three times overall (including the Saunders became the first as well as I had hoped, but it pro- silver she took at the 2014 NCAA NCAA Champion in the women’s vided me motivation and I started Outdoor Championships as a fresh- long jump in school history. Bill to put it together outdoors. So I’m man), she finally broke through on Lightsey won the men’s long jump glad to have reached this goal and Friday. in 1971. □ most importantly to have helped But if Saunders’ star-crossed our team finish third.” history at the NCAA meet proved Camacho-Quinn Wins Hurdles Camacho-Quinn needed a anything, it was that she’d need a Gold, Leads UKTF to Third at SEC .01-second PR of 8.02 to outclass historic performance to finally take Indoor a top-notch field, which featured home gold from the 2017 NCAA In- By Jake Most | UKathletics.com defending SEC Champion Mikiah door Championships held at Texas Feb. 25, 2017 Briscoe (LSU) to take ownership of A&M’s Gilliam Indoor Track Stadi- NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Kentucky the SEC indoor 60m hurdles crown um. As prepared as ever to reach women’s track and field team tied to go along with the outdoor 100m deeper than she’d ever conceived, the school record for team finish hurdles title she won last May. on Friday she finally reaped the at the Southeastern Conference In- Looking back now, last year’s reward. door Championships – third overall SEC indoor meet now appears Leaving the brightest fireworks with 71 points – this weekend. a blip on the map of Kentucky’s for the last round, she exploded Kentucky’s Jasmine Cama- tightening grip on SEC women’s to a 22-feet, 7.75-inch/6.90-meter cho-Quinn once again displayed hurdles game. Kendra Harrison mark on the final attempt of the her tantalizing potential, scoring won the SEC Indoor 60m hur- competition to take gold with the 19 points, highlighted by a 60-me- dles and 100m hurdles titles in third-farthest indoor jump ever by ter hurdles win that solidified her 2014 and 2015, and now Cama- a collegian, and the seventh best standing as the SEC’s premier short cho-Quinn is reigning conference by any American. hurdler both indoors and out. gold medalist in the 60m hurdles It was a quarter of an inch/one The UK women’s program and 100m hurdles. centimeter shy of the Whitney finished third at the SEC indoor Camacho-Quin set the tone on Gipson’s five-year-old collegiate meet for the first time since 1989, Championship Saturday by win- record. its only other top-three finish at ning the hurdles – the first running “Finally broke that pattern of indoor SECs. event of the day. She came back finishing second,” Saunders said. “I Arkansas won the women’s title later in the day and scored eight just had this fire in me. I was sitting with 106.5 points, while LSU was points out of the outside lane in in second place going into the last second with 94. With 72 points. the 200m with a Silver-Medal time jump. I said ‘you know, we’ve been Kentucky finished eight points in of 23.31. here before. It doesn’t feel good so front of Georgia’s 64, while Ole She also earned a one-point we’ve got to do something about Miss was fifth with 61.5. share of Kentucky’s four in the this.’ I had faith, and I went out The UK men’s team improved by 4x400m relay dropping a 52.9 split there and jumped, held my fingers 12 points and four spots from a on the second leg of UK’s 3:36.25 together to wait for the mark and year ago in placing seventh with 44 performance for fifth place. Only then cheered because I received points. Arkansas edged Alabama Missouri’s Karissa Schweizer (20 the victory.” 98-93 for the men’s team title. points) scored more individually Saunders had taken the lead in “I’m happy to come out with than Camacho-Quinn. round two with a 21’11.75”/6.70m the win in the indoor hurdles,” But while Camacho-Quinn’s 19 before defending champion Camacho-Quinn said. “It’s kind of a points in the sprints in a confer- Quanesha Burks of Alabama sur- validation of the work we’ve been ence known for its high-end depth passed her late in the fifth round putting in because last year, my in those events were formidable, CLIPPINGS they made up but a small fraction weekend though. He scored 10 to go along with Duckworth’s five, of the 72 UK needed to take third. points with a pair of fourth-place from a mark of 25’7.25”/7.80m Sha’Keela Saunders finished finishes – in the long jump and Both David Cline and Logan Bry- her last SEC indoor meet with her high jump – on Friday before er set new PR’s in the weight throw coveted second conference long scoring another three with a sixth- to score points, with each making jump gold in addition to two points place in the pole vault on Friday. the final from the first flight. Cline in the triple jump and a point for His clearance at 17’0.25”/5.20m broke Andy Fryman’s school record running leadoff on the 4x400m was a new PR and made him the with a mark of 67’8.75”/20.64m to relay. No. 2 performer in the event in place sixth and score three points. Javianne Oliver ran a 60m dash school history. Bryer placed eight with a mark of time of 7.22 to place second to Kendall Muhammad, long-jump 66’8”/20.32m. LSU’s Hobbs (7.18). seventh-placer Fred Dorsey, Ian Thomson finished sixth in the Katy Kunc scored nine points Jones and Ben Young ran 9:40.63 3k scoring three points with a time for the meet as she added three to place fourth in the DMR with a of 8:07.19. points via a sixth-place (16:19.66) five-point earning time of 9:40.63. Friday Women’s team scorers finish in Saturday’s 5k, to go along Jacob Thomson earned four Kunc ran a PR 9:25.54 to score five with her four points from a fifth points in Saturday’s 5k with a fifth- points by finishing fourth in the place in the 3k on Friday. place time of 14:11.91, to go along women’s 3k. That time made her Destiny Carter scored a total with the three he earned in the 3k the No. 8 performer in UK history. of 5.5 points this weekend, having on Friday. Carter reached an indoor PR finished tied-sixth in the 200m Nikolas Huffman placed mark 20’10”/6.35m to place sev- with a time of 23.51 to score 2.5 to sixth with a shot-put mark of enth in the long jump and score go along with the two she earned 60’5.25”/18.42m to earn three two points. □ from Friday’s seventh-place long points. jump, and the one she earned on Friday notables Kentucky seniors work on final the third leg of UK’s fifth-place, Saunders and Olivia Gruver earned fractions as indoor track season 3:36.25 mile relay. Freshman Faith medals – Saunders gold, Gruver takes its mark Ross ran anchor on that relay. bronze to headline Friday. By Jared Peck | Herald-Leader Marie-Josee Ebwea-Bile Friday Men’s team scorers Jan. 12, 2017 placed sixth in the triple jump to Duckworth – currently ranked No. Four centimeters. score three points with a mark of 2 in the NCAA in the heptathlon – Last summer at the U.S. Olym- 43’11.25”/13.39m. elected to enter three individual pic Trials in Eugene, Ore., Sha’Kee- Michelle McKinney, Jill Weston, events instead this weekend and la Saunders, now a redshirt senior Jacklyn Howell and Caroline Mc- that decision paid a strong initial at Kentucky, missed her Olympic Caslin scored four points with a dividend on Friday. dream in the long jump by that fifth-place distance medley relay much. time of 11:18.84. By generous accounting, he totaled But more than four years ago, Men’s team recap a combined 10 points by plac- when she arrived on campus with Nick Anderson won his first SEC ing fourth in both the high jump an ACL tear suffered two months indoor medal, and the second SEC and long jump. Xaivier McAllis- earlier, Saunders felt as far away hurdles medal of his career (2016 ter tied Duckworth for fourth in from her athletic aspirations as she 110H) with a new PR of 7.74 for the high jump as they cleared could possibly be. bronze in the 60m hurdles. 7’0.25”/2.14m. Coach Edrick Floreal, who’d In terms of raw points, Tim Dorsey was seventh in the long inherited Saunders when he took Duckworth carried the banner jump having reached a mark of over the UK track and field pro- for the Wildcats men’s team this 25’2.5”/7.68m scoring two points, gram in fall 2012, didn’t let her CLIPPINGS

give up hope. “He’s developed physically, mark ever recorded by a female “I had the surgery, and he was he’s developed technically. We NCAA athlete that early in the promising I’d be this big NCAA star, just have some mental stuff to get indoor season. and I was like, well, teach me how over,” Floreal said. “After the Olympic trials, I kind to walk first,” Saunders said Tues- To knock hundredths of a sec- of knew what it took to jump that day as she and the rest of the UK ond off your times takes a com- far,” Saunders said. “In December, I team prepared for this weekend’s plete combination of the physical, wasn’t too confident that it would Kentucky Invitational indoor meet technical and mental aspects of be that far, but I was confident that at Nutter Field House. “But as time the run. Anderson has shown he it would be a good opener. When went on, he’s become like a father can put that together. Now, Floreal I saw the jump, obviously, I was figure, and he really knows what wants to see it every meet. surprised and kind of excited for he’s talking about. He’s a genius at “Nick is the most wonderful the season.” track and field, and I trust every- young man you’d ever want to be Saunders is a four-time NCAA thing he says now.” around. Very calm, but as a hur- medalist — earning three silvers That hasn’t always been the dler, an aggressive event where and one bronze — and is an eight- case, according to Floreal. He has you’re hitting 42-inch hurdles at time All-America athlete in the questioned her commitment at full speed, you need to have a long jump, the triple jump and the times as the distractions and pres- little bit more of that, I don’t know 4-by-400 relay. sures of being a college kid have what you want to call it, ‘anger’ or Instead of heading home to stunted her results in his eyes. ‘moxie,’ he’s just not that kind of Chesapeake, Va., for the holidays, “I think there are going to be person,” Floreal said. “I need him Saunders continued to train over some challenges ahead, but what to go over a 42-inch hurdle at full the break at UK. She has set her she’s doing now is off the Richter speed and take the head of the sights on medaling not just at scale: training, diet, even school- competition off their neck, and the NCAAs, but also at the World work, she’s darn near straight-A’s,” we’re working our way to that.” Championships this year. Floreal said. The Kentucky Invitational this “What I figured out is that For fellow senior Nick Ander- week features 22 teams from everything that coach says is son, the indoor season is a chance schools in and around Kentucky, true,” Saunders said. “Seriously, to work on some of his weakness- including Ohio State, Louisville the sleep, the diet, studying film, es and improve on the form that and Cincinnati, and serves as a every single thing. I did everything won him a silver medal in the tune-up for the following week’s that he said and even that wasn’t 110-meter hurdles at last year’s Rod McCravy Memorial, which will enough. I missed it by about an NCAA outdoor championships. feature 14 of the top programs in inch. So, I just decided I’m going to “My workouts have been going the country. do everything coach says this year really well,” Anderson said. “I feel The UK women’s team comes and see how that works out for this is probably the strongest and in ranked No. 8 in the country, me. It’s turned out well, so far.” □ fastest I’ve been since I’ve been led by reigning NCAA 100-meter here at Kentucky.” hurdle champion Jasmine Cama- Kentucky freshman Gray, top- Anderson, who was part of cho-Quinn, an Olympic semifinalist ranked Cats pack untapped poten- Floreal’s first recruiting class, did for Puerto Rico last year. tial not have blazing high school times Saunders will also play a ma- By Jared Peck | Herald-Leader to earn Floreal’s interest initially. jor role in the team’s success. In May 11, 2016 But a persistent father got the UK December, she set a personal best At 11.12 seconds, Kentucky fresh- coach to take a look at the Orlan- indoor mark and won the long man sprinter Kianna Gray has run do, Fla., native at a meet in Tampa. jump at the Hoosier Open. Her the fourth-fastest 100 meters in Floreal liked the potential. jump of 6.73 meters was the best NCAA competition this outdoor CLIPPINGS season. That’s just 0.01 off the best pushed me, but our coach is like 10 times, respectively. Junior Kiah time of junior teammate Destiny times harder. At first I hated it, but Seymour ranks third in the 400 Carter and only 0.15 seconds off now I love it.” hurdles. the No. 1 spot. Gray is part of what has be- Kentucky also has a top-15 pole But, according to UK track and come the nation’s No. 1 ranked vaulter in freshman Olivia Gruver field coach Edrick Floréal, she’s not women’s track and field team and the No. 2 long jumper in junior anywhere close to her potential. heading into the conference and Sha’Keela Saunders. Carter’s long “Technically we’re probably a NCAA outdoor championships. It’s jump is ninth best this season. C-minus if I’m being generous,” not a position some would expect Freshman Marie-Josée Ebwea-Bile Floréal said last week of Gray's of a team that lost NCAA track and Saunders are both top-20 technique as his team rested and athlete of the year Kendra Harrison triple jumpers. prepared for this weekend’s South- and last year’s NCAA 200-meter The list goes on: senior Beckie eastern Conference outdoor cham- champ Dezerea Bryant among oth- Famurewa is top 10 in both the pionships. “It’s more like a D-plus ers. But Floréal, who led the Cats discus and hammer throw with technically as far as understanding to a runner-up finish in the NCAA sophomore Adriana Brown posting the race and execution. She’s just a outdoors in 2015 and coached the 13th-farthest discus throw this big ball of talent. I think she’s going last year’s Team USA in the World season. to be, once she figures it out, even Championships, said he thought And Kentucky’s 4-by-100 relay, better.” this team would have the opportu- which includes Gray, Carter, Oliver Gray holds Kentucky state re- nity to be even better. and junior Precious Hitchcock, has cords in the 100, 200 and 400 me- “I think the good thing about posted the third-fastest time, just ters for North Hardin High School our team is that we’re pretty 0.46 seconds behind Oregon’s best in Radcliff. She was a three-time diverse,” Floréal said. “We got mark of 42.68. The Cats’ fourth- state Gatorade track athlete of the jumpers, sprinters, hurdlers, pole ranked 4-by-400 relay also includes year and an 11-time state cham- vaulters, steeple chasers and Gray and Carter, along with Sey- pion. But that didn’t prepare her distance runners. As far as the mour and junior Jasmine Mitchell. for the success she’s had, so far, at makeup of the team, we’ve got a Even with all that, “we haven’t Kentucky. much better balanced team than really completely unleashed the “Honestly, I did not know how everybody else does. … We just beast,” Floréal said. “I think we’ve fast I was,” she said. “Every time I have people scoring in every event got a lot more in the tank, and I PR (set a personal record), I’m still area and that’s a cool thing in that think their confidence is just now shocked. Never in high school had if one area is kind of down, then growing a little bit, which is good. I ever thought I would be running we’ve got other people that can But it’s still not to the level that it this fast.” step up.” needs to be.” Her state record time in the 100 In addition to Gray and Carter, Floréal expected his women’s meters was 11.73, 0.61 seconds junior Javianne Oliver has cracked team to come together sooner slower than her best mark at UK the top 10 in the 100 meters. Gray and he hoped for some hardware less than a year later. The workouts and Carter are top 25 in the 200 during the indoor season. □ and the competition are far more meters. Junior Ariah Graham has intense. And while the adjustment posted the eighth-fastest 800-me- Kunc, UK Cross Country Have High to college, Coach Floréal and SEC ter time. Freshman Jasmine Cama- Expectations for SEC Champion- competition was difficult, at first, cho-Quinn, who’s already made ships she’s embracing the challenge. the Puerto Rican Olympic team, By Stepper Toth| UKathletics.com “Coach is really hard on me,” and sophomore Jacklyn Howell, Nov. 7, 2017 she said. “In high school I didn’t have posted the second- and The 2016 season was a first real really have that. I had a coach that fourth-fastest 100-meter hurdle test for Katy Kunc and the rest of CLIPPINGS

the University of Kentucky Cross her teammates. Country team. “We are such a different team Kunc, a junior from Burke, than we were last year,” Kunc said. Virginia, gives credit to her high “I really think we can be top four school’s prestigious running pro- or five as a team if we all have a gram for getting to where she is great race. Individually, I am trying now, running both cross country to get top five.” □ and track for UK. Kunc began running cross country to stay in shape so she could play college soccer, but shortly realized her running potential. “In high school, my teammate Hannah (Christen) and I both made Footlocker Nationals and that was really rare for two people at the same high school to go to the meet,” Kunc said. “When I went there, I was like ‘maybe I should run in college’. It was really cool being recruited by a bunch of coaches. That’s when I realized I could be a good runner in college.” On Friday, Kunc and Christen will be reunited, competing against each other in the SEC Champion- ships. Christen is a junior at Ole Miss. Kunc has had a big fall already, winning three times. She started the season by winning the Wildcat Opener in Lexington, followed by another victory at the Bluegrass Inviational, a win that earned her SEC Runner of the Week honors. She won for the third time on Oc- tober 14 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, taking home first place in the Ala- bama Crimson Classic . According to Kunc, the entire UK team has stepped up and got- ten a lot better, allowing the them to mesh together. This helped Kunc get better through her workouts. Kunc has high expectations for this weekend for both herself and

2018 SEC Indoor Championships

Time (CT) Sunday Running Events Round Start List 5:01 PM Men 60 Meter Hurdles Final 5:06 PM Women 60m Hurdles Final 5:11 PM Men 60 Meter Dash Final 5:14 PM Women 60 Meter Dash Final 5:20 PM Men 1 Mile Run Final 5:29 PM Women 1 Mile Run Final 5:39 PM Men 400 Meter Dash Finals 5:49 PM Women 400 Meter Dash Finals Jacob Thomson 6:00 PM Men 5000 Meter Run Finals Daniel Southard 6:42 PM Men 800 Meter Run Final 6:48 PM Women 800 Meter Run Final 6:54 PM Men 200 Meter Dash Finals 7:03 PM Women 200 Meter Dash Finals 7:12 PM Women 5000 Meter Run Finals Katy Kunc 7:58 PM Men Distance Medley Finals UK 8:12 PM Women Distance Medley Finals UK 8:27 PM Men 4x400 Meter Relay 3 sections Sec. 1 | Ln. 5: UK 8:42 PM Women 4x400 Meter Relay 3 sections Sec. 3 | Ln. 6: UK

Time (CT) Sunday Field Events Round Start List 5:00 PM Women Weight Throw Finals Matthew Peare 5:00 PM Men Pole Vault Finals Timothy Duckworth Fl. 2 | #2 Latavia Coombs 5:00 PM Women Triple Jump Finals | 2 flights Fl. 2 | #12 Marie-Josée Ebwea-Bile 5:00 PM Men Triple Jump Finals Carly Hinkle 5:00 PM Women High Jump Finals Ellen Ekholm Fl. 2 | #3 Noah Castle 5:00 PM Men Shot Put Finals | 2 flights Fl. 2 | #10 Charles Lenford Fl. 2 | #11 Nikolas Huffman