WKU Track & Field ends C-USA Championships with pair of podiums

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Credit: WKU Athletics

Graduate Marlowe Mosley running on Feb. 7, 2021 at the Jaguar Invitational. Mosley claimed the 400-meter title in the third event of the spring. 

Jake Moore, Sports Editor

WKU Track & Field picked up a pair of podium finishes on Sunday, the final day of competition in the 2021 Conference USA Outdoor Championships.

Freshman thrower Kaison Barton scored eight points and set a new personal record (17.01m) in the shot put event to claim a silver medal.

“Kaison stands out with his second-place finish,” Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Brent Chumbley said. “He had an amazing PR today and didn’t step outside the ring once between his flight and finals. He’s competing with the best of them in the conference.”

Senior sprinter Marlowe Mosley scored 11 points across the 200 and 400-meter events, the most points scored by a Hilltopper throughout the day. Mosley finished third in the 400-meter and set a new personal record (46.23) while securing the bronze medal. His time qualifies him for the NCAA East Regionals that will be held in Jacksonville, Florida on May 27-29.

Mosley also set a new personal best in the 200-meter event (20.94), finishing fourth.

“[Mosley] just missed qualifying for Regionals in the 200 but he did qualify for the regionals in the 400,” assistant coach Tosha Ansley said. “…I’m very happy and pleased with him in that aspect. He hasn’t had PRs like that in a very long time so it was very exciting to watch.”

Freshman distance runner Casey Buchanan finished fourth in the 800-meter event, setting a new personal best (1:52.51) while doing so. Junior distance runner Dedrick Troxell came home fifth in the 1500-meter event with a time of 3:48.38, beating his previous best time by over two seconds. His time was just outside the top-10 in program history.

Sophomore sprinter Alexis Williams scored five points on the day, placing sixth and seventh in the 200 and 100-meter events respectively. Williams is on the bubble in terms of qualifying for the East Regionals. 

“Happy to have Alexis back and able to run after everything she’s dealt with in the last couple weeks,” Ansley said. “…We’ll be taking both her and Marlowe down there [to Jacksonville] to qualify and try and run in the first rounds of Nationals.”

Sophomore high jumper Grace Turner scored points in the high jump event for the second consecutive season. Turner’s mark of 1.65 meters tied her for fifth place.

“Grace came through once again in high jump with a fifth-place finish,” Chumbley said. “She battled all weekend through some illness, so it was great to see her come out near the top.”

WKU’s men finished 10th and collected 30 points and the women finished 12th with 10.5 points.

“I am so proud of the season these kids have had with all the PRs and breakthrough performances despite all the adversity we had,” assistant coach Brooks LeCompte said. “…We have a lot of work ahead of us still, but we are hungry to get after it with everyone returning and a big 2021 incoming class of talented runners joining us in the fall.”

Sports Editor Jake Moore can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Charles_JMoore.