WKU’s men’s track and field team sits first and the women’s team sits third after Day One of the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

The Toppers are leading the meet after scoring 43.50 points on Saturday. Louisiana-Lafayette is second with 35.50 points, followed by Louisiana-Monroe with 30.

Meanwhile the Lady Toppers, who have won 18 straight Sun Belt track titles, sit in third with 40 points. They trail North Texas (47 points) and South Alabama (42 points). 

Senior thrower Monteka Flowers, won her first career Sun Belt shot put title with a mark of 47-03.50. 

Though Flowers was excited for her win, she said that there’s still room for improvement. 

“I’m overly joyed because I got the win to help add points to my teams success, but I wish I really could have pieced together to have a greater throw,” she said. “I came to Middle Tennessee to do one thing and by the grace of God I did that, so I’m happy.”

Flowers will compete in the weight throw at 12 p.m. on Sunday. 

Freshman Topper teammates Karleigh Parker and Cyrus Johnson competed in their first college conference championship. 

Parker earned second in the women’s pole vault by successfully clearing 12-0, while Johnson tied with Arkansas State’s William Oliver for third in the men’s high jump in a marking of 1.95 m. 

Sophomore David Mokone competed in his favorite distance race, the men’s 800 meters. He took home first place in his preliminary heat and earned third overall with a time of 1:56.39.

Mokone ranks No. 15 in the nation for the 800 meters and leads the Sun Belt. 

Sophomore sprinters De’Myco Winston and Marcus Winstead both suffered leg injuries earlier in the month but still competed in the men’s 400-meter dash. 

Winstead and Winston each earned first in their preliminary heats but Winstead was the one to take the win overall. He earned a time of 48.12, while Winston came in sixth with an overall time of 48.83. The top nine runners from that event advance to the finals, taking place at 2:55 p.m. on Sunday.

Day Two of the meet will begin 8:00 a.m. on Sunday and will end with the men’s and women’s 4×400 meter relay race.