Jayhawks post 9 wins at Bob Timmons Challenge

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas track & field teams opened the 2018-19 indoor season by hosting the Bob Timmons Challenge at Anschutz Sports Pavilion on Friday, where the Jayhawks took home nine event victories.
 
Among the day’s winners for KU were a pair of new faces for the Kansas squads. On the men’s side, Xavier Wolf won the 600-yard run with a time of 1:12.01, while newcomer Rylee Anderson won the women’s high jump for the Jayhawks at her first collegiate meet, clearing 1.78 meters (5-10 ft.).
 
Senior Joel Long completed the sweep of the high jump events for KU, taking the men’s top spot in the event with a clearance of 2.06 meters (6-8.25 ft.). Long’s win was one of three field event victories for the KU men, with redshirt junior Paulo Benavides winning the pole vault (5.29m / 17-4.25 ft.) and junior Chris Gleghorn taking first in the long jump with a mark of 6.96 meters (22-10 ft.).
 
The Kansas women took three victories on the track, with senior Nicole Montgomery winning the 600-yard run with a time of 1:20.96, senior Courtney Griffiths taking the title in the 800-meter run (2:15.60) and the women’s 4×400-meter relay team of Mariah Kuykendoll, Chloe Akin-Otiko, Honour Finley and Marleena Eubanks clocking in at 3:42.68 for the win.
 
Jayhawks took the top three spots in the women’s pole vault, with junior Andrea Willis leading the pack with a clearance of 4.11 meters (13-5.75 ft.) for the victory. Senior Alexis Romero took second (4.01m / 13-1.75 ft.) and sophomore Khristen Bryant notched a personal-best of 3.86 meters (12-8 ft.) for third place.
 
STANLEY SAID IT
Quotes from Kansas head coach Stanley Redwine
 
On what he saw from the Kansas newcomers…
“I thought Rylee (Anderson) did a really good job. She just continues to get better and better in practice. I think she is going to be a really great one for us and we are really excited about her. Xavier (Wolf) is just a joy to have on the team, but he did really well today. I thought he was really focused on his race. He ran smart, which is great to see from a freshman. Overall, we had a lot of freshmen that made a lot of mistakes, but as we gel together and understand how to compete, I think we will get better.”
 
On what he attributes the mistakes to…
“We put some young people in positions where they have to make some tough decisions. That is the point of having this meet so early­­–as they get more experience, as they watch film, they will start to understand this isn’t the same as high school.”
 
On what the focus is between now and the next meet on Jan. 18…
“First thing is first, they have to make sure they focus on their academics now, but after they leave for winter break, we won’t have a lot of time with them, so we just have to hope that they work out like they are supposed to over the holidays and come back and get in shape. With the tri-meet, it is always a tough battle, they will have to understand that they can’t give half effort and be good at a meet like that.”
 
NOTABLES

  • Nine personal records were set by returning Jayhawks on Friday, with sophomore Javan Reece and senior Teri Huslig setting PRs in two events each. Reece PR’ed in the 60-meter dash (6.98) and the 60-meter hurdles (8.34), while Huslig notched bests in the high jump (1.61m / 5-2.25 ft.) and the shot put (10.54m / 34-7 ft.).
  • Eight Kansas newcomer posted top-five performances on the day in individual events.
  • The nine victories by the Jayhawks gives KU a total of 123 wins at the Bob Timmons Challenge since 2009. 

UP NEXT
Kansas senior distance runner Sharon Lokedi will compete at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston, Massachusetts on Saturday, Dec. 1 in the 5,000-meter run.
 
The entire Jayhawk team will next be in action on Jan. 18 with the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular at Anschutz Sports Pavilion. Associate head coach Tom Hays’ pole vault squad will travel to Reno, Nevada that same weekend for the National Pole Vault Summit, Jan. 18-19.
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