TF’s Ezekiel Sets NCAA 600-Yard Record to Close Corky Classic

Sat Jan 20 18:12:03 CST 2024

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Jan. 20, 2024

Baylor TF’s Ezekiel Sets NCAA 600-Yard Record to Close Corky Classic
Bears tally nine podium finishes in two days
For more information contact: Colin Pirtle; 940-564-0351, colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu<mailto:colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu>

LUBBOCK, Texas – Baylor track and field wrapped up the Corky Classic on Saturday evening at Texas Tech’s Sports Performance Center. In record-breaking fashion, junior Nathaniel Ezekiel posted the best 600-yard time on a banked track in NCAA history as the Bears ended the meet with nine competitors landing in medal position.

THE RUNDOWN

Taking the track for the 600-yard timed finals, Ezekiel blasted out and held the lead for the entire race. Clocking in at 1:07.44, he put the fastest NCAA 600-yard race on a banked track in the record books. Worth noting, the mark keeps him at No. 2 in Baylor history, as Floyd Thompson’s record set in 2000 (No. 1 NCAA all-conditions best from 2000-2022) was contested on Iowa State’s flat, 300-meter indoor track surface. Nicholi Brown also competed, finishing seventh.

Back in action, the freshman duo of Molly Haywood and Alencia Lentz, who were already ranked top-10 in the nation, improved their season-best marks in the pole vault both crossing 14-5 ¼. Haywood took second and Lentz took third with the first over 14-foot pole vault result since the 2022 Larry Wieczorek Invitational when Tuesdi Tidwell won the event MVP honors.

In the 60-meter finals, both De’montray Callis (6.62) and Laurenz Colbert (6.67) recorded personal-best marks. Callis crossed second, only nine-thousandths behind the winner and Colbert got fourth. Callis moves to five all-time at Baylor, while Colbert lands at ninth.

Not long after, Colbert returned to the track for a silver medal in the men’s 200-meter after a 20.67 indoor personal best. Demar Francis ran his first race of the meet in the 200, taking third in another 20.67-second mark and was followed by Callis in fifth. Freshman Jack Jackson took 16th in the first 200-meter race of his college career.

Demario Prince returned to action after his season-opening win in College Station to take fifth in the event finals. The freshman improved to 7.69 seconds and was bumped to No. 2 in program history.

Gary Moore Jr. returned to the throws again with a fiery performance, throwing a personal-best mark of 59-8.5. That throw improed him to No. 2 on the Baylor program record lists and won him the silver medal. Makayla Long competed in the women’s competition, taking fourth with a 50-2 throw.

The women’s triple jump saw Koi Johnson advance to the finals to place fourth. Her 43-3 is a new indoor-best mark. Bella Copeland followed in 12th, at 39-5 ¼.

In a packed women’s 200-meter field, three Bears earned top-20 finishes. Mariah Ayers led in 10th with a 23.70, Tiriah Kelley was 13th in 23.82 and Michaela Francois was 20th in 24.19. Other Bears included Kavia Francis in 22nd, Alexis Brown in 23rd and Bria Bullard in 26th.

There were three Bears that found a top-10 finish in the B section of the women’s 200-meter dash, as Kayla Hunt (24.35) led in fourth with Gontse Morake (24.37) in fifth and Jasmine Gryne (24.68) in sixth. Kourtney Kennard also ran, finishing 15th with Cierra Wash in 19th.

The women’s 4x400-meter relay was contested with two Bear squads. The “A” team of Gryne, Francis, Morake and Imaobong Uko put up a 3:41.35, with Uko’s leading split of 52.88. The “B” squad ran with Summer Sergeant, Sima Lucero, Kelley and Kourtney Kennard to take 15th in 3:52.85. The men’s 4x400 closed out the meet after a 3:09.77 performance by Francis, Ezekiel, Brown and Aren Spencer.

In the pole vault B section, sophomore Tenly Kuhn and Lilliianna Ifft finished fourth and fifth, respectively, as freshman Katelyn Andrews tied with Ifft. Kierstyn Ballard tabbed eighth while Raynah Cheng was ninth.

Behind a strong effort in the 60-meter prelims, Alexis Brown narrowly missed the finals by three-thousands of a second at 7.41. Also running was Francois in 12th, Kelley in 14 and Bullard in 16th.

The long jump featured Spencer, who put up a 22-10.5 performance to take fourth in the men’s competition. One pit over, Alexandra Rutenis took 15th in the women’s event.

The Hodges both competed in their respective one-mile race, as Ellie posted a 4:51.92 for third in the women’s edition and Ryan ran a 4:14.43 for fifth in the men’s.

The 1,000 meters opened the day for Baylor with a large showing, as the green and gold were represented with six across both races. In the women’s 1k, Jackie Addy and Hayden Gold finished back-to-back in seventh and eighth, respectively. Following in the men’s, Straton Miller took sixth, Aiden Ramshaw took seventh, Devin Duran took eighth and Ben Archer recorded his first collegiate mark in ninth.

Lucero competed in her second collegiate meet on Saturday, finishing 24th in the preliminary round of the women’s 60-meter hurdles.

QUOTABLE

Head coach Michael Ford

On Saturday’s meet…

“We had a solid second meet. We had many personal bests, especially in events like the pole vault. Molly [Haywood] and Alencia [Lentz] did a great job finishing over 14-feet. They will definitely be in the top-16 rankings and should have a great shot at nationals. De’montray [Callis] had another solid meet, running a PR with Laruenz [Colbert]. The 200 group, guys and ladies, did awesome overall too. It is good to keep moving and keep getting better every week. Nathaniel [Ezekiel], to run the fastest time ever in that race on the banked track was just amazing. Just overall very pleased. Now we can get some work in before going to Nebraska with the team and I look forward to the direction we are headed in.”

UP NEXT

Baylor has an off week before heading to Nebraska for the Frank Sevigne Husker Classic on Feb. 2-3.

- BaylorBears.com –

_________________________________________
Colin Pirtle | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (T&F/XC, MTEN, FB)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 940-564-0351

[signature_2230589939]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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