Middle distance runners shine on second day of split squad action in Ames, Fayetteville
On the second day of split squad action at the Tyson Invitational and ISU Classic, the Kansas track & field middle distance runners lit up the Lied Recreation Center track in Ames, Iowa, with junior Bryce Hoppel and senior Marleena Eubanks notching top-15 times in the NCAA this season.
The No. 2 performer in Kansas men’s history in the 800-meter run, Hoppel entered the ISU Classic as the No. 11 runner in the NCAA this year with a season-best time of 1:48.44 at the Texas Tech Open (Feb. 1-2). With an indoor personal-best of 1:47.09, Hoppel was hoping to get back into the 1:47-range, but came up just shy with a time of 1:48.10. The first-place time didn’t move Hoppel up the NCAA descending order list, but did improve his time at the No. 11 spot.
A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Eubanks ran in the last of seven heats in the 800-meter run at the ISU Classic. Coming into the meet, Eubanks was the No. 3 performer in KU history with a career-best tie of 2:07.94 ran at the Texas Tech Open, but moved up to No. 2 on the KU all-time list, winning with a time of 2:06.01. The clocking proved to be the third-fastest ever ran by a Kansas women’s team member and is the No. 15 time in the NCAA this season.
Nicole Montgomery placed 11th in the 800-meter run at the ISU Classic with a time of 2:08.59, which was a personal-best for the Colorado Springs, Colorado product and moved her into the No. 6 spot on the KU all-time list. Freshman Ally Ryan also placed herself in the Kansas all-time top-10 with a time of 2:09.98 to move into a tie 10th on the program’s all-time performers list.
Along with the mid-distance squad moving up the KU all-time charts in Ames, three Jayhawks improved their standings in the Kansas record books in Fayetteville. Junior Jedah Caldwell finished second in the 200-meter dash with a PR time of 23.51 seconds to move up to No. 4 on the KU all-time performers list and sophomore Honour Finley notched a time of 24.31 seconds to become the No. 10 performer in program annals.
Freshman Rylee Anderson improved to No. 4 on the all-time performers list at Kansas with a high jump clearance of 1.80 meters (5-10.75 ft.) to place second in the invitational section at the Tyson Invitational. The clearance is the No. 9 performance in program history and is tied for 10th in the NCAA this season.
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks will have one final weekend to tune up before the Big 12 Indoor Championship in Lubbock, Texas, February 22-23, when the team splits up for the Arkansas Qualifier on February 15 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Indiana on February 16.
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