High Jump Sweep, Ramsey’s Crown Highlight Day One of SBC Indoor Championships
Jonesboro, Ark. - A Hilltopper sweep in the high jump and a dominate shot put win by Lady Topper Jessica Ramsey headlined a successful first day for WKU at the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Junior Derrick Hill, freshman Donovan Halsel and sophomore Cyrus Johnson finished 1-2-3 in the high jump, with all clearing a career-best 6-feet-10 3/4 inches in the process. None of the trio could clear the next mark but Hill earned the title due to fewer misses on previous jumps. The 6'10 3/4 mark was the highest any Hilltopper jumper had leaped since 1977. The trio snagged all-Sun Belt Conference honors for their efforts.
Junior thrower Jessica Ramsey brought home the first WKU victory of the day during the morning session, equaling her school-record mark of 50-feet to win the event. The title was the first of Ramsey's career and she now owns the top two indoor shot put performances in WKU history.
WKU nabbed a pair of all-Sun Belt Conference performances from junior David Mokone and Joseph Chebet in the 3,000-meter run, as the distance duo finished second and third, respectively. For the Lady Toppers, freshman Lindsey Hinken score important points with a fifth-place finish in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:06.00.
The versatile Sharika Smith earned her third-career all-Sun Belt Conference honors in the long jump as her 20-foot-2 inch leap landed her second place honors. Arkansas State's Sharika Nelvis bested Smith by .03 inches.
Sophomore Travis Gerding scored crucial points for the Hilltoppers in the shot put, heaving the shot a personal record of 53-feet-1 inches. The mark was over three feet longer than his previous personal best.
Heading into tomorrow's final action the Hilltoppers sit in first place at 46 points. The Lady Toppers enter tommorow in fourth place with 26 points.
In preliminary action, both teams took care of buisness on the track. Defending Sun Belt Conference Most Outstanding Track Athlete David Mokone cruised to victory in his heat of the 800-meter run. Mokone's clocking of 1:48.65 on Jan. 13 is the fatsest time in the conference this season and currently ranks 15th in the NCAA.
The Hilltoppers advanced three to the finals in the 400-meter dash as newcomers Elvyonn Bailey and Chris Chamness won their respective heats while Marcus Winstead qualified seventh. Winstead earned runner-up honors in the 400-meters at the 2012 Indoor Championships.
WKU was able to move three more to the finals in the 200-meter dash with Bailey, Winstead and freshman Ja'Karyus Redwine all qualifying. Redwine also won his heat of the 55-meter dash and is seeded second headed into tomorrow's finals at 6.43 seconds, a personal record.
Junior sprinter Gelela Cooley qualified for the 400-meter dash finals by winning her heat with a time of 57.99 seconds. The Lady Toppers were also able to move three athletes on to the finals as Cooley, Maikea Davis and Sherria Hester all qualified.
Field events will kick off day two of the championships tomorrow at 9 a.m. (CT) while the track events will begin at 1 p.m. For live updates follow @WKU_GameDay on Twitter.
Monday Feb. 25
Track: 55-meter dash finals (M-W), 55-meter hurdles finals (M-W), 200-meter dash finals (M-W), 400-meter dash finals (M-W), 800-meter run finals (M-W), Mile Run (M-W), 5,000-meter run (M-W), 4X400 Relay (M-W)
Field: Weight Throw (M-W), Triple Jump (M-W), Pole Vault (W)
Multis: Pentathlon (55m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump, 800m run).