The University of Louisville track & field teams kicked off their indoor season on Saturday at the KTCCCA College Opener in Louisville, Ky. The meet proved to be a successful one for the Cardinals, with several athletes achieving personal bests and making their Louisville debut.
Director of track & field and cross country, Joe Franklin, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “It was a very good season opener…shows the progress they’ve made in their training.”
Among the standout performances for the Cardinals was Trey Allen, who won the men’s high jump with a clearance of 2.24m (7-4.25). Brion Stephens finished as the runner-up in the event with a clearance of 2.09m (6-10.25), and Paul Kallenberg took fifth with a personal-best mark of 1.99m (6-6.25).
Jeremiah Willis also had a strong showing in the men’s long jump, claiming victory and setting a new meet record with a jump of 7.58m (24-10.5). In the women’s long jump, Synclair Savage secured the silver medal with a mark of 6.17m (20-3), while Ariel Lawrence tied her personal best of 5.97m (19-7) to finish in fifth place.
The Cardinals also found success in the women’s triple jump, as Sophia Day won the event with a mark of 11.82m (38-9.5). Autumn Bell placed third with a personal-best jump of 11.71m (38-5), and Riley Burger finished fourth with a jump of 11.62m (38-1.5).
In the women’s high jump, Jenna Hensley cleared a height of 1.65m (5-5) to secure the victory. Aubrey Lane made her collegiate debut with a fifth-place finish at 1.50m (4-11).
Louisville also dominated in the pole vault, with Cade DeWitt setting a freshman record clearance of 5.23m (17-1.75) to finish second. Ty McPhail also cleared the same height to place third. On the women’s side, Paris Bond tied for third in her first meet with a clearance of 3.91m (12-10).
In the track events, Jaylen Cole and Kiyah Yeast both finished as runners-up in the 60m races, with Cole clocking a new personal best of 6.78 and Yeast finishing in a time of 7.48. In the women’s 400m, Taylor Boggess set a new lifetime best of 57.10 to finish in second place.
The Cardinals ended the meet on a high note, winning the men’s 4x400m relay with a time of 3:16.31. In the women’s 4x400m relay, the team finished second in 3:42.61.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals will now prepare for Kentucky’s Rod McCravy Memorial Invite, which will take place on January 12-13.
Overall, the KTCCCA College Opener was a strong start to the indoor season for the University of Louisville track & field teams. With several athletes achieving personal bests and making their collegiate debuts, the Cardinals are poised for a successful season.
