Photo by: Michael Wade
Track and Field earns five-second place finishes at WKI
3/15/2019 11:29:00 PM | Track & Field
Results | Decathlon | Heptathlon | Schedule of Events
ABILENE – Abilene Christian's track and field athletes completed the first eight events of the sixth-annual Wes Kittley Invitational throughout Friday at Elmer Gray Stadium, registering 26 personal records and five-second place showings. Two individual athletes additionally moved a bit higher on the school's all-time performer rankings.
Sophomore Annina Brandenburg was one who fit all three of the aforementioned categories as her runner-up javelin throw served as a personal best of 43.65 meters (143 feet - 2 inches) that pushed the Düsseldorf native into fourth place on the all-time performer list.
Brandenburg's mark stands between former Wildcat Amelia Mitchell's toss of 46.44m (152-4) from D2 nationals in Pueblo, and current teammate Reagan Mabery's launch of 43.11m (141-5) from last year's Texas Relays.
Mabery today placed third in the javelin with a top effort of 42.30m (138-9), while the winning distance of 46.34m (152-0) went to North Texas' Kristyn Archuleta.
The Wildcats also had three discus throwers reach the medal stand, but the gold medals went to Texas Tech's Eric Kicinski (63.34m / 207-9) and Angelo State's Daisy Osakue, who set a NCAA D2 record of 60.04m (196-11) in qualifying her for the World Championships. Osakue also was discus champion at the 2017 Wes Kittley Invitational (57.49m / 188-7) and Kicinski is now a two-time discus champion in Abilene.
Seniors Kai Schmidt and Morgan Knight placed second and third with respective marks of 58.27m (191-1) and 57.23m (187-9). Knight's launch was a PR and puts him at No. 7 on ACU's all-time performer list right ahead of Tyler Fleet, who reached 56.12m (184-1) in March 2008.
Schmidt's lifetime collegiate best of 58.28 (191-2) ranks him sixth, and was set in May of 2018 at a last-chance meet hosted by ACU.
On the women's side, seniors Kayla Melgar and Lonnie Smith were the third and fourth-place finishers behind Osakue and Texas Tech's Season Usual, who finished close to eight meters behind the Rambelle with a top throw of 52.30m (171-6).
Melgar topped out with a distance of 51.37m (168-6) and Smith wasn't far behind at 50.57m (165-11).
Additional runner-ups for the Wildcats today included multi-athletes Riley Ellis (decathlon) and Megan Kirby (heptathlon) and sophomore Briahna Gerlach, who dropped her PR in the 5,000-meter run from 19:09.11 to 17:31.34.
Texas Tech's Seselia Dala won the 5K in 17:19.71 to erase the meet and stadium records (17:22.58) previously held by ACU's Michaela Hackett (competing unattached) since 2017.
In the multis, both Ellis and Kirby placed second to Angelo State's Creede Goode and Karlea Duhon. Goode scored 5,950 points to Ellis' 5,897, and Duhon topped Kirby in all three of today's events (long jump, javelin and 800m) to win with 5,116 points.
The third and final day of the Wes Kittley Invitational gets underway Saturday at 10 a.m. with the men's and women's long jumps. Running events commence at 12:20 p.m. with the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase.
ACU Results at the Wes Kittley Invitational
Men's 5,000m Run
14. John Baker – 15.55.36 (PR)
15. Conner Miller – 15.55.96 (PR)
19. Travis Nichols – 16.13.90
20. Colton Gates – 16:14.77
Discus
2. Kai Schmidt – 58.27m / 191-2
3. Morgan Knight – 57.23m / 187-9 (PR and No. 7 on ACU's all-time performer list)
5. Joshua Hunter – 55.35m / 181-7
8. Thomas Wilson – 51.57m / 169-2 (PR)
12. Ryan Simmons – 47.85m / 157-0
13. McKennon Cecil – 46.76m / 153-5
Javelin
4. McKennon Cecil – 55.18m / 181-0
5. Ryan Simmons – 50.74m / 166-5
Decathlon Final
2. Riley Ellis – 5,897 pts.
4. Cole Palka – 5,419 pts. (PR)
6. AJ Brown – 4,732 pts.
7. Ross Dean – 4,329
Decathlon (Day One)
1. Riley Ellis – 3,750 points
2. Cole Palka – 3,423 points
4. Ross Dean – 3,145 points
7. AJ Brown – 2,723 points
Decathlon 100m Dash (w1.3)
1. Riley Ellis – 11.06 (PR) [847 pts.]
3. Ross Dean – 11.34 [786 pts.]
4. Cole Palka – 11.36 [782 pts.]
6. AJ Brown – 11.68 [715 pts.]
Decathlon Long Jump
1. Riley Ellis – 6.93m / 22-9 (w1.0) (PR) [797 pts.]
3. Cole Palka – 6.57m / 21-6.75 (w2.8) [713 pts.]
5. Ross Dean – 5.92m / 19-5.25 (w0.9) [569 pts.]
7. AJ Brown – 5.42m / 17-9.5 (w.5.2) (PR) [465 pts.]
Decathlon Shot Put
1. Riley Ellis – 10.82m / 35-6 (PR) [535 pts.]
3. Ross Dean – 10.32m / 33-10.25 (PR) [505 pts.]
4. Cole Palka – 9.95m / 32-7.75 (PR) [483 pts.]
6. AJ Brown – 8.85m / 29-0.50 [417 pts.]
Decathlon High Jump
1. Riley Ellis – 2.00m / 6-6.75 [803 pts.]
3. Cole Palka – 1.94m / 6-4.25 (PR) [749 pts.]
5. Ross Dean – 1.73m / 5-8 [569 pts.]
6. AJ Brown – 1.67m / 5-5.75 [520 pts.]
Decathlon 400m Dash
1. Riley Ellis – 51.02 [768 pts.]
2. Ross Dean – 52.19 [716 pts.]
3. Cole Palka – 52.66 [696 pts.]
6. AJ Brown – 54.81[606 pts.]
Decathlon 110m Hurdles
1. Cole Palka - 15.88 (w3.2) (PR) [746 pts.]
2. Riley Ellis - 16.00 (w2.4) (PR) [733 pts.]
5. AJ Brown - 17.81 (w2.4) [543 pts.]
7. Ross Dean - 20.80 (w3.2) [289 pts.]
Decathlon Discus
3. Ross Dean - 29.41m / 96-6 [453 pts.]
4. Riley Ellis - 27.94m / 91-8 (PR) [424 pts.]
5. Cole Palka - 25.96m / 85-2 (PR) [386 pts.]
7. AJ Brown - 18.54m / 60-10 [245 pts.]
Decathlon Pole Vault
3. Cole Palka – 3.45m / 11-3.75 (PR) [469 pts.]
– Ross Dean – NH
– Riley Ellis – NH
Decathlon Javelin
1. Riley Ellis – 44.51m / 146-0 (PR) [508 pts.]
2. Ross Dean – 39.99m / 131-2 [442 pts.]
4. AJ Brown – 38.41m / 126-0 [419 pts.]
5. Cole Palka – 36.75m / 120-7 (PR) [395 pts.]
Decathlon 1500m
4. Riley Ellis – 5:13.96 [482 pts.]
5. AJ Brown – 5:23.32 [433 pts.]
– Cole Palka – DNF
– Ross Dean – DNF
—————
Women's 5,000m Run
2. Briahna Gerlach – 17:31.34 (PR)
5. Sarah Wagler – 18:51.94
8. Hannah Marut – 19:08.73
11. Aubrey Young – 20:04.82
12. Loren Rivera – 20:44.61
Women's Discus
3. Kayla Melgar – 51.37m / 168-6
4. Lonnie Smith – 50.57m / 165-11
6. Annina Brandenburg – 49.53m / 162-6
15. Calyha Brown – 39.46m / 129-5
Women's Javelin
2. Annina Brandenburg – 43.65m / 143-2 (PR and No. 4 on ACU's all-time performer list)
3. Reagan Mabery – 42.30m / 138-9
10. Zoe Spinn – 28.82m / 94-6
Heptathlon (Final)
2. Megan Kirby – 4,701 points
4. Payton Wall – 3,533
DNF – Payton Kirk
Heptathlon (Day One)
2. Megan Kirby – 2,991 points
4. Payton Kirk – 2,453 points
5. Payton Wall – 2,140 points
Heptathlon 100m Hurdles (w4.4)
2. Megan Kirby – 14.24 (PR) [945 pts.]
4. Payton Kirk – 15.90 [727 pts.]
5. Payton Wall – 16.80 [619 pts.]
Heptathlon High Jump
2. Megan Kirby – 1.62m / 5-3.75 (T-PR) [759 pts.]
4. Payton Kirk – 1.44m / 4-8.75 (PR) [555 pts.]
5. Payton Wall – 1.35m / 4-5 (PR) [460 pts.]
Heptathlon Shot Put
2. Megan Kirby – 9.86m / 32-3.75 [520 pts.]
4. Payton Wall – 7.75m / 25-5.25 [383 pts.]
5. Payton Kirk – 7.66m / 25-1.75 (PR) [377 pts.]
Heptathlon 200m (w3.0)
3. Megan Kirby – 26.35 [767 pts.]
4. Payton Kirk – 26.04 [794 pts.]
5. Payton Wall – 27.41 [678 pts.]
Heptathlon Long Jump
2. Megan Kirby – 5.47m / 17-11.5 (w4.2) [691 pts.]
4. Payton Wall – 4.57m / 15-0 (w4.9) [446 pts.]
Heptathlon Javelin
3. Megan Kirby – 29.12 / 95-6 [460 pts.]
4. Payton Wall – 23.35 / 76-7 [351 pts.]
Heptathlon 800m
3. Payton Wall – 2:38.00 [596 pts.]
4. Megan Kirby – 2:41.20 [559 pts.]
ABILENE – Abilene Christian's track and field athletes completed the first eight events of the sixth-annual Wes Kittley Invitational throughout Friday at Elmer Gray Stadium, registering 26 personal records and five-second place showings. Two individual athletes additionally moved a bit higher on the school's all-time performer rankings.
Sophomore Annina Brandenburg was one who fit all three of the aforementioned categories as her runner-up javelin throw served as a personal best of 43.65 meters (143 feet - 2 inches) that pushed the Düsseldorf native into fourth place on the all-time performer list.
Brandenburg's mark stands between former Wildcat Amelia Mitchell's toss of 46.44m (152-4) from D2 nationals in Pueblo, and current teammate Reagan Mabery's launch of 43.11m (141-5) from last year's Texas Relays.
Mabery today placed third in the javelin with a top effort of 42.30m (138-9), while the winning distance of 46.34m (152-0) went to North Texas' Kristyn Archuleta.
The Wildcats also had three discus throwers reach the medal stand, but the gold medals went to Texas Tech's Eric Kicinski (63.34m / 207-9) and Angelo State's Daisy Osakue, who set a NCAA D2 record of 60.04m (196-11) in qualifying her for the World Championships. Osakue also was discus champion at the 2017 Wes Kittley Invitational (57.49m / 188-7) and Kicinski is now a two-time discus champion in Abilene.
Seniors Kai Schmidt and Morgan Knight placed second and third with respective marks of 58.27m (191-1) and 57.23m (187-9). Knight's launch was a PR and puts him at No. 7 on ACU's all-time performer list right ahead of Tyler Fleet, who reached 56.12m (184-1) in March 2008.
Schmidt's lifetime collegiate best of 58.28 (191-2) ranks him sixth, and was set in May of 2018 at a last-chance meet hosted by ACU.
On the women's side, seniors Kayla Melgar and Lonnie Smith were the third and fourth-place finishers behind Osakue and Texas Tech's Season Usual, who finished close to eight meters behind the Rambelle with a top throw of 52.30m (171-6).
Melgar topped out with a distance of 51.37m (168-6) and Smith wasn't far behind at 50.57m (165-11).
Additional runner-ups for the Wildcats today included multi-athletes Riley Ellis (decathlon) and Megan Kirby (heptathlon) and sophomore Briahna Gerlach, who dropped her PR in the 5,000-meter run from 19:09.11 to 17:31.34.
Texas Tech's Seselia Dala won the 5K in 17:19.71 to erase the meet and stadium records (17:22.58) previously held by ACU's Michaela Hackett (competing unattached) since 2017.
In the multis, both Ellis and Kirby placed second to Angelo State's Creede Goode and Karlea Duhon. Goode scored 5,950 points to Ellis' 5,897, and Duhon topped Kirby in all three of today's events (long jump, javelin and 800m) to win with 5,116 points.
The third and final day of the Wes Kittley Invitational gets underway Saturday at 10 a.m. with the men's and women's long jumps. Running events commence at 12:20 p.m. with the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase.
ACU Results at the Wes Kittley Invitational
Men's 5,000m Run
14. John Baker – 15.55.36 (PR)
15. Conner Miller – 15.55.96 (PR)
19. Travis Nichols – 16.13.90
20. Colton Gates – 16:14.77
Discus
2. Kai Schmidt – 58.27m / 191-2
3. Morgan Knight – 57.23m / 187-9 (PR and No. 7 on ACU's all-time performer list)
5. Joshua Hunter – 55.35m / 181-7
8. Thomas Wilson – 51.57m / 169-2 (PR)
12. Ryan Simmons – 47.85m / 157-0
13. McKennon Cecil – 46.76m / 153-5
Javelin
4. McKennon Cecil – 55.18m / 181-0
5. Ryan Simmons – 50.74m / 166-5
Decathlon Final
2. Riley Ellis – 5,897 pts.
4. Cole Palka – 5,419 pts. (PR)
6. AJ Brown – 4,732 pts.
7. Ross Dean – 4,329
Decathlon (Day One)
1. Riley Ellis – 3,750 points
2. Cole Palka – 3,423 points
4. Ross Dean – 3,145 points
7. AJ Brown – 2,723 points
Decathlon 100m Dash (w1.3)
1. Riley Ellis – 11.06 (PR) [847 pts.]
3. Ross Dean – 11.34 [786 pts.]
4. Cole Palka – 11.36 [782 pts.]
6. AJ Brown – 11.68 [715 pts.]
Decathlon Long Jump
1. Riley Ellis – 6.93m / 22-9 (w1.0) (PR) [797 pts.]
3. Cole Palka – 6.57m / 21-6.75 (w2.8) [713 pts.]
5. Ross Dean – 5.92m / 19-5.25 (w0.9) [569 pts.]
7. AJ Brown – 5.42m / 17-9.5 (w.5.2) (PR) [465 pts.]
Decathlon Shot Put
1. Riley Ellis – 10.82m / 35-6 (PR) [535 pts.]
3. Ross Dean – 10.32m / 33-10.25 (PR) [505 pts.]
4. Cole Palka – 9.95m / 32-7.75 (PR) [483 pts.]
6. AJ Brown – 8.85m / 29-0.50 [417 pts.]
Decathlon High Jump
1. Riley Ellis – 2.00m / 6-6.75 [803 pts.]
3. Cole Palka – 1.94m / 6-4.25 (PR) [749 pts.]
5. Ross Dean – 1.73m / 5-8 [569 pts.]
6. AJ Brown – 1.67m / 5-5.75 [520 pts.]
Decathlon 400m Dash
1. Riley Ellis – 51.02 [768 pts.]
2. Ross Dean – 52.19 [716 pts.]
3. Cole Palka – 52.66 [696 pts.]
6. AJ Brown – 54.81[606 pts.]
Decathlon 110m Hurdles
1. Cole Palka - 15.88 (w3.2) (PR) [746 pts.]
2. Riley Ellis - 16.00 (w2.4) (PR) [733 pts.]
5. AJ Brown - 17.81 (w2.4) [543 pts.]
7. Ross Dean - 20.80 (w3.2) [289 pts.]
Decathlon Discus
3. Ross Dean - 29.41m / 96-6 [453 pts.]
4. Riley Ellis - 27.94m / 91-8 (PR) [424 pts.]
5. Cole Palka - 25.96m / 85-2 (PR) [386 pts.]
7. AJ Brown - 18.54m / 60-10 [245 pts.]
Decathlon Pole Vault
3. Cole Palka – 3.45m / 11-3.75 (PR) [469 pts.]
– Ross Dean – NH
– Riley Ellis – NH
Decathlon Javelin
1. Riley Ellis – 44.51m / 146-0 (PR) [508 pts.]
2. Ross Dean – 39.99m / 131-2 [442 pts.]
4. AJ Brown – 38.41m / 126-0 [419 pts.]
5. Cole Palka – 36.75m / 120-7 (PR) [395 pts.]
Decathlon 1500m
4. Riley Ellis – 5:13.96 [482 pts.]
5. AJ Brown – 5:23.32 [433 pts.]
– Cole Palka – DNF
– Ross Dean – DNF
—————
Women's 5,000m Run
2. Briahna Gerlach – 17:31.34 (PR)
5. Sarah Wagler – 18:51.94
8. Hannah Marut – 19:08.73
11. Aubrey Young – 20:04.82
12. Loren Rivera – 20:44.61
Women's Discus
3. Kayla Melgar – 51.37m / 168-6
4. Lonnie Smith – 50.57m / 165-11
6. Annina Brandenburg – 49.53m / 162-6
15. Calyha Brown – 39.46m / 129-5
Women's Javelin
2. Annina Brandenburg – 43.65m / 143-2 (PR and No. 4 on ACU's all-time performer list)
3. Reagan Mabery – 42.30m / 138-9
10. Zoe Spinn – 28.82m / 94-6
Heptathlon (Final)
2. Megan Kirby – 4,701 points
4. Payton Wall – 3,533
DNF – Payton Kirk
Heptathlon (Day One)
2. Megan Kirby – 2,991 points
4. Payton Kirk – 2,453 points
5. Payton Wall – 2,140 points
Heptathlon 100m Hurdles (w4.4)
2. Megan Kirby – 14.24 (PR) [945 pts.]
4. Payton Kirk – 15.90 [727 pts.]
5. Payton Wall – 16.80 [619 pts.]
Heptathlon High Jump
2. Megan Kirby – 1.62m / 5-3.75 (T-PR) [759 pts.]
4. Payton Kirk – 1.44m / 4-8.75 (PR) [555 pts.]
5. Payton Wall – 1.35m / 4-5 (PR) [460 pts.]
Heptathlon Shot Put
2. Megan Kirby – 9.86m / 32-3.75 [520 pts.]
4. Payton Wall – 7.75m / 25-5.25 [383 pts.]
5. Payton Kirk – 7.66m / 25-1.75 (PR) [377 pts.]
Heptathlon 200m (w3.0)
3. Megan Kirby – 26.35 [767 pts.]
4. Payton Kirk – 26.04 [794 pts.]
5. Payton Wall – 27.41 [678 pts.]
Heptathlon Long Jump
2. Megan Kirby – 5.47m / 17-11.5 (w4.2) [691 pts.]
4. Payton Wall – 4.57m / 15-0 (w4.9) [446 pts.]
Heptathlon Javelin
3. Megan Kirby – 29.12 / 95-6 [460 pts.]
4. Payton Wall – 23.35 / 76-7 [351 pts.]
Heptathlon 800m
3. Payton Wall – 2:38.00 [596 pts.]
4. Megan Kirby – 2:41.20 [559 pts.]
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