Jayhawks Conclude Successful Weekend in Austin, Emporia

88th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
Mike A. Myers Stadium // Austin, Texas.

Junior Sydney Conley posted the NCAA’s top long jump mark this season Saturday at the Texas Relays.
Texas Relays // ESU Spring Open
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AUSTIN, Texas – An NCAA-leading mark from junior long jumper Sydney Conley as well as a top-10 high jump performance from senior Nick Giancana closed out a strong showing from the Kansas track & field teams at the 88th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays Saturday inside Mike A. Myers Stadium.
 
Conley entered Saturday’s long jump competition well versed is garnering success at the Texas Relays. As a high schooler, she broke the meet record and won the long jump at the meet in 2012. Last season, she went home victorious in the B-Section long jump. Entered in the A-section Saturday, Conley again walked away from Mike A. Myers with some hardware. The All-American began her day with a bang after she soared to a mark of 6.50 meters (21’4″). The jump not only shot her to the top of the leaderboard, but inserted Conley’s name atop the 2015 NCAA outdoor rankings.
 
Conley tallied three more jumps over 20 feet but was unable improve on her opening attempt. She finished as the top collegian, which marked the second time in three seasons a Jayhawk has won the A-Section long jump in Austin.
 
In his first meet in a Jayhawk uniform in nearly two years, senior Nick Giancana showed little signs of rust en route to a third-place finish in the men’s high jump. The Topeka, Kansas product cleared a top height of 2.16 meters (7’1″), just an inch away from his career-best in the event. The mark is the second-highest jump in the Big 12 this season and has Giancana ranked seventh in the NCAA after the first two weeks of the outdoor season.
 
For the second-straight year, Colleen O’Brien tallied the best high jump mark of her career. The senior posted two quick clearance before needing all three attempts to tie her career best at 1.81 meters (5’11¼”). The jump went on to earn her a fifth-place finish in the event.
 
 
EMPORIA, Kan. – Five Jayhawks picked up individual victories as a large Kansas contingent took part in the Emporia State Spring Open Saturday inside Fran Welch Stadium. Junior Anastasiya Muchkayev was the top collegiate finisher in two events while freshman Cole Ceban earned his first win as a Jayhawk with a solid outing in the shot put.
 
The Kansas throwers dominated as four Jayhawks came away with wins in the throwing events. Muchkayev, was impressive in her outdoor debut in both the shot put and discus. The junior posted a best throw of 15.31 meters (50’2¾”) in the shot put to claim the victory, her second win at the ESU Open in three years. In the discus Muchkayev unloaded a top toss of 52.41 meters (171’11”), a mark that was only bettered by former Jayhawk and All-American Jessica Maroszek, who was competing as a post-collegian. Muchkayev’s performance earned her a ranking inside the top-20 of the NCAA rankings following the first two weeks of the outdoor season.
 
On the men’s side, Ceban impressed as he put his name among some of the all-time great Kansas shot putters in just his first outdoor meet as a Jayhawk. The freshman out of Moldova hurled the 16-pound implement to a mark of 17.99 meters (59’0½”), a throw that no other competitor was able to come within a foot of. Ceban’s winning throw made him the No. 8 ranked shot putter in Kansas history.
 
Junior Daina Levy rounded out the solid day for the KU throwers after she claimed the hammer throw title. She turned in a toss of 58.16 meters (190’10”), a mark that earned her the victory by more than six feet. Levy’s performance has her among the top-30 NCAA hammer throwers so far this season.
 
Senior Jaimie House picked up her third-career outdoor title in the pole vault. The El Dorado, Kansas native cleared a top bar of 3.95 meters (12’11½”) for the win.
 
On the track, sophomore Jennifer Angles outpaced teammate Rachel Simon to claim the 5,000-meter title. Angles used a personal best of 17:40.72 to cross the finish first. Simon wasn’t far behind to claim the runner-up spot with her clocking of 17:47.05.  
 
The Kansas track & field squads will return to the Lone Star State next week to take part in the Baylor Invitational in Waco, Texas on Friday, April 3. Action from the Bear’s new track, Clyde-Hart Track & Field Stadium, will begin at 11 a.m., with field events and 3 p.m., with the running events. Track all the Jayhawks’ performances by following on Twitter, Instagram and Vine at @KUTrack.
 
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