January shines as Wildcats open outdoor season as hosts

ABILENE, Texas – The ACU track and field team opened the 2022 outdoor season over the weekend, hosting the Wes Kittley Invitational at Elmer Gray Stadium. Jamal January won two events as one of several Wildcats to turn in a strong weekend. 
 
INSIDE THE MEET:

• Results
• Host: Abilene Christian University 
• Site: Elmer Gray Stadium
• Location: Abilene, Texas  

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Women 

• The Wildcats turned in three top 10 finishers in the 100m dash, with Taylor Tolen (11.68) leading the way with a 2nd-place finish. Savannah Walker (11.93) and Karrington Lewis (12.08) came in fifth and eighth respectively. 
• In the 200, Amy Ambelang came in seventh with a time of 24.34, while Mya Henson's 24.77 rounded out the top ten.
• Briahna Gerlach (2:19.90, 4th place), Prudence Kiyeng (2:23.13, 5th place) and Breonna McCarthy-Reese (2:24.01, 7th place) each turned in strong performances in the 800. 
• Megan Kirby won the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.94, and Paige Boucher (14.29) finished in third in the same event.
• Over in the 400m hurdles, Julia Perry's time of 1:04.79 was good enough for fifth place. Courtney Latham finished on her heels in seventh at 1:05.81. 
• Kyla Peeples and Ja'Dasia Sims tied one another for sixth place in the high jump after both cleared 1.57m (5' 1 ¾").
• Payton Kirk (3.65m/11' 11 ¾") tied for fifth in the pole vault, while Kaydi Pursley (3.35m/10' 11 ¾") finished in a tie for eighth. 
• The Purple and White dominated the long jump, as Kirk (5.91m/19' 4 ¾") won the event, followed by teammates Kirby (5.82m/19' 1 ¼") in second, Paige Boucher (5.60m/18' 4 ½") in fourth, and Luize Velmere (5.39m/17' 8 ¼") in ninth. 
• In the shot put, Kayli Johnson (16.49m/54' 1 ¼") picked up a 2^nd-place finish, while Zoe Burleson came in fifth. 
• Annina Brandenburg (55.18m/181') gave the 'Cats a 2^nd-place finish in the discus, while Burleson (48.91m/160' 5") finished the event in fifth place. 
• Taylor McCoy threw the hammer an even 50 meters (164') to land in fifth place. 
• Jessica Campbell (37.63m/123' 5") and McCoy (35.10m/115' 2") came in sixth and ninth respectively in the javelin. 
• The distance squad remained of the most consistent groups for the Wildcats, with Briahna Gerlach (4:29.40, first), Tessa Holderman (4:49.10, second) and Katelyn Coldicott (5:03.20, fifth) giving ACU three of the top five finishers in the 1500. 

 
Men 

• Jack Marshall (10.44) and Addison Franklin (10.70) came in fourth and eighth in the 100m dash, while Marshall (20.91) came in second in the 200 and Franklin (21.66) finished the event in ninth place. 
• Cooper Goggans picked up a 3^rd-place finish in the 800 with a time of 1:56.70, and Maxwel Kiplagat (1:58.61) rounded out the top ten.
• The 110 hurdle crew again showed out for ACU, as Jamal January (13.80) won the event, followed by teammates JJ Ply (14.30, fourth), Harrison Manuel (14.52, sixth) and Ryan Bornemeier (14.69, tenth).
• In the 400 hurdles, Manuel (54.50) came in fourth, while Bornemeier (54.86) and Jimmie Horton (55.32) came in seventh and tenth respectively. 
• Pole vaulters Grant Baker and Cole Newman tied one another for second place, doing so with a height of 4.90m (16' ¾").
• January won the long jump with a distance of 7.59m (24' 11"), and four teammates (Caleb Lawrence/7.18m/3rd, Ply/7.12m/4th, Bornemeier/6.99m/5th, Ethan Christian/6.96m/7th) helped give ACU its strongest event performance of the weekend. 
• Tyler Richardson had a busy week, turning in a second-place finish in the shot put (16.74m/11' ¼"), a ninth-place finish in the discus (47.86m/157') and a sixth-place finish in the hammer (54.09m/177' 5"). 
• In the 1500, Levi Chambers (3:55.00) came in second place, while Neal Helgerson (4:03.55) followed in third place. Gabe Embree (4:11.24) landed in sixth, and Kevin Kipkosgei (4:12.44) gave ACU half of the top eight. 

 
UP NEXT:

• The Wildcats head to the Texas Relays next week, and the event is slated to take place from Wednesday through Saturday in Austin.