Kansas vaulters find success at Arkansas Invitational
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Kansas men’s and women’s track and field team sent a group of 10 pole vaulters to the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Friday to compete in the Arkansas Invitational, where the Jayhawks took seven of the top-10 spots between the two events.
The Kansas women opened the day by taking three of the top-five finishes in the pole vault. Senior Laura Taylor took third by clearing 4.09 meters (13-5 ft.) on her second attempt after vaulting over 3.99 meters (13-1 ft.) without a mistake. Junior Alexis Romero finished right behind Taylor in fourth with a clearance of 4.09 meters on her second attempt as well, but took two tries to clear 3.99 meters.
Sophomore Andrea Willis, who won the season-opening Bob Timmons Challenge at a height of 4.17 meters (13-8.25 ft.) to become the No. 5 performer in Kansas women’s indoor history, finished fifth on Friday with a vault of 3.99 meters (13-1 ft.).
Freshman Khristen Bryant finished eighth in the women’s vault with a new collegiate-best mark of 3.69 meters (12-1.25 ft.), while sophomore Callie Hicks and junior Morgan Griffiths tied for 12th at 3.49 meters (11-5.25 ft.).
The Jayhawk men were led by junior Hussain Al Hizam, who finished second in the pole vault by clearing 5.35 meters (17-6.5 ft.) on his first attempt before failing to make it over the bar at 5.45 meters (17-10.5 ft.). Senior Nick Meyer finished in third place by clearing 5.35 meters on his third attempt.
Senior Lucas Shaw and freshman Kyle Rogers tied for fourth place by clearing 4.90 meters (16-0.75 ft.) on their second attempt before failing to clear 5.05 meters (16-6.75 ft.).
The Jayhawks are back in action on Saturday, January 13 as they head to Manhattan, Kansas to compete in the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular. Kansas will look to win the tri-meet for the third-straight year. Field events are slated to begin at 10 a.m. inside Kansas State’s Ahearn Field House, with track events scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
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