TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas men’s and women’s track and field teams were back in action at the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility on Saturday, when a group of Jayhawks competed at the Washburn Rust Buster in Topeka, Kansas.
The Jayhawks competed across eight events, notching three event wins in the men’s pole vault, men’s 800 meters and the women’s pole vault. The meet was Kansas’ third of the 2022-23 indoor season.
Among Kansas’ entries at the Washburn Rust Buster, 12 of them were in the men’s and women’s pole vault where Kansas saw great success. In the men’s pole vault, sophomore Clayton Simms tied a personal best 5.50m (18-0.5 ft.) to win the event. Simms’ mark ranks ninth in the NCAA entering today’s competition, while the Jayhawks occupied the top-four places in the event.
In the women’s pole vault, sophomore Gabby Hoke won the event with a jump of 4.00m (13-1.5 ft.), while senior Samantha Van Hoecke and junior Taylor Starkey tied for second at 4.00m (13-1.5 ft.).
On the track, junior AJ Green III ran to a victory in the men’s 800 meters, where he notched a facility record 1:49.67. Teammate TJ Robinson finished right behind Green in second in 1:49.76, which is a new indoor personal best. Senior Justice Dick would finish third in 1:51.04.
In the women’s 800 meters, senior Avryl Johnson and junior Addie Coppinger ran a strong race by finishing second and third, respectively. Johnson crossed the finish line in 2:09.48, while Coppinger finished in 2:10.19.
The Jayhawks return to Lawrence to host the Jayhawk Invitational on Friday, January 27 inside Anschutz Sports Pavilion. The Jayhawk Invitational will be the final home meet of the 2022-23 indoor season, before Kansas hosts the 100th Anniversary of the Kansas Relays on April 13-15, 2023 at Rock Chalk Park.
