TRACK: Three Toppers break school records

John Hurley

School records fell similar to the rain this weekend at the Rod McCravy Memorial in Lexington. While the rain puddled outside, Western’s track team was led by a few record breaking performances inside the University of Kentucky’s Nutter Fieldhouse.

The meet didn’t take team scores into account, which seemed to fit the stellar individual accomplishments from three Hilltoppers.

Senior Jonathon Brown, who is currently ranked eighth in the nation for the 200-meter, broke his own school record for the 200-meter which he had previously set in 2002. Brown’s time of 21.17 seconds placed him in second for the NCAA provisional qualifying times.

That will allow him to compete for a national indoor title in the 200-meter sprint. Earlier this month Brown also qualified for NCAA Championships for the 55-meter national title.

“Jonathon ran extremely well,” coach Curtiss Long said of his sprinter’s effort.

However, Brown wasn’t the only performer to break a Western record. Sophomore Angie Gardner, Sun Belt Conference field performer of the week, broke her own school record for the third time this year with a mark of 52-1 1/4 , two feet better than her previous record of 50-7 1/2, which she set January 24, the same day she became the first Hilltopper to

surpass 50 on the 20 pound toss.

“I expected to be better than I was last year,” Gardner said. “But I didn’t expect to be so consistent.”

Despite an eighth place finish, sophomore Shanea Wilson set a new Western standard with a 24.97 second finish in the 200-meter dash.

“This was the best meet of the year for us,” Long said.

Eighteen Toppers finished inside the top 10 in their respected events on Saturday.

It has been a strong indoor season thus far for Western. Wilson has run well and was named SBC performer of the week on Jan. 22.

Gardner said her teammates have done well individually thus far.

“I’m excited to see how we do in conference competition,” Gardner said.

Coming off a good weekend in Lexington, Long said he is impressed with his team’s performance to this point, but doesn’t think it is perfect.

“We need to get better and stay healthy,” said Long.

Western has been hampered by the loss of junior Maurice Wensher.

The mid-distance runner suffers from chronic fatigue syndrom and hasn’t been able to compete. Long said that Wensher has been practicing with the team but not running in meets.

Next up for the Topper track and field team is the Indiana Relays this weekend at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind.

Reach John Hurley at [email protected].