No. 6 Kentucky at Kentucky Invitational
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Dezerea Bryant’s heavily-anticipated UK debut did not disappoint as she shattered school-records in both the 60 and 200 meters during Saturday’s Kentucky Invitational.
Taking the Nutter Field House track for the first time, Bryant smashed former Olympic Bronze Medalist Passion Richardson’s 18-year-old 60m record (7.34 seconds) with a nation-leading and personal-best tying time of 7.19. Bryant began the day by running 7.21 in the preliminary heat.
Bryant upped the excitement less than two hours later by once again smashing a school-record and posting the nation’s No. 2 performance, this time crossing the 200-meter finish line in 23.04.
Bryant’s time bettered the previous UK record, which had been held by Michelle Brown since 1997.
Indeed Bryant was not the only Wildcat to rewrite the school’s record book on Saturday. Fellow transfer Kendra Harrison posted the nation’s fastest 60-meter hurdles time (8.19) in the preliminary heats, breaking teammate Kayla Parker’s school record, 8.24, a mark which stood for barely more than one month.
Harrison also won the 400m with a time of 54.49, which ranks No. 8 nationally.
In all, Kentucky won five of 30 events.
No. 2 Texas A&M at TAMU Invitational
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Kamaria Brown blistered a 22.96 to better a meet record held by Jessica Beard (23.06) while Olivia Ekpone won the 60 in a personal record of 7.33 and Janeil Bellille clocked a 54.48 for the 400 win.
The Aggies capped of the meet with a world-leading times in the 4x400 relay as the team set a meet record of 3:37.16.
Running on the women’s 4x400 unit were Ekpone (54.58), Mayungbe (54.50),Brown (53.19) and Bellille (54.90). They bettered the meet record of 3:40.51 set by A&M in 2012 with Baylor placing second in 3:42.82.
Brittany Wooten cleared a personal best in the pole vault, getting over 12-10.75 (3.93) on her third try to place fourth. The clearance for Wooten moves her to No. 4 on the Aggie all-time list. Wooten also had three attempts at 13-2.5 (4.03), which was the winning height for McKenzie Johnson of Rice as well as runner-up Annie Rhodes of Baylor.
Hillary Montgomery set a personal best in the mile, placing fourth with a 4:53.37 that places her No. 5 on the Aggie all-time list as the No. 8 performer.
No. 5 Georgia and No. 8 LSU at Auburn Invitiational
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Georgia posted a series of the nation's top marks to highlight the season-opening Auburn Indoor Invitational on Saturday.
Freshman Leontia Kallenou surged into the No. 2 spot on this year's national list and No. 3 in the school record books by being the top collegiate finisher in the high jump. Kallenou cleared 6 feet, 2 inches on her first attempt, which is the top mark for Georgia since Levern Spencerset the school record at 6-2.75 in 2008.
On Saturday, Spencer competed unattached and was the overall winner with a height of 6-3.25, which is fourth on this year's world's list. Kallenou redshirted the 2013 indoor season before taking fourth at last year's NCAA Outdoor Championships in the high jump.
In the pole vault, Morgann Leleux opened her third year by winning with a meet record mark of 13-11.25 on her first try. This is the best effort in the SEC this year and is tied for No. 3 on the national list.
Junior Carly Hamiltonpicked up where she left off last indoor season by taking second in the 3000-meter run. Her time of 9:21.88 was just one second off her school record set in 2013 and not only leads the SEC, but is also No. 6 on the national list.
No. 10 Kansas at Holiday Inn Invitational
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Two more victories from senior Diamond Dixon and a pair of career bests from junior Lindsay Vollmer led the way for the Kansas women as the Jayhawk Track & Field teams competed on the final day of the Holiday Inn Invitational Saturday afternoon. In all, the Jayhawks were victorious in six events at the meet held inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Vollmer continued her early-season heroics Saturday after again taking down a pair of her own personal bests. The combined-event specialist began the day in the shot put and saved her best throw for last, hitting a mark of 12.19 meters (40'0") on her third attempt. The throw bested her previous indoor best by nearly four inches and ended up earning her a 17th-place finish.
In the prelims a day earlier Vollmer posted the fastest qualifying time at 8.55, but made sure Friday that she would not leave Lincoln without taking down her personal record in the event for the second-consecutive week. Vollmer used the final 20 meters to pull away from the field and cross the finish in 8.45, which shaved .02 seconds off her previous best, which she set at the Bill Easton Classic a week ago. The time earned the junior an easy victory and puts her at No. 14 in the national standings.
Vollmer's day still wasn't done however as she joined forces with Nashia Baker, Lydia Saggau and Natalie Becker in the distance medley relay. The freshman, Baker, got the team off to a strong start in the 1,200m leg before handing off to Vollmer, who extended the Jayhawks' lead over her 400-meter leg midway through the race. From there, Saggau and Becker were never challenged. Becker crossed the finish as the clock read 11:42.06, giving the Jayhawks the victory by nearly 12 seconds. As of Saturday the quartet's time ranked No. 2 in the NCAA so far this season.
