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<h1 align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;text-decoration:none">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 13, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:black">Baylor TF Qualifies 13 to Big 12 Outdoor Conference Finals</span></b><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white">Ezekiel sets facility record, resets Big 12 meet record in 400-meter hurdles<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">For more information contact:
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Colin Pirtle; 940-564-0351, </span><a href="mailto:colin_pirtle1@baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">colin_pirtle1@baylor.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">NORMAN, Okla. –</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Baylor track and field had 13 Bears with a “Q” next to their name after Saturday’s
full slate of competition, which was interrupted by a lightning delay that lasted just over an hour, at the John Jacobs Track and Field Complex.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The Baylor throws crew landed three more on the podium in the shot put. Cole Hardan threw a 61-4 ¼ chunk for sixth, while Gary Moore Jr. went 58-3 ¾ for seventh. In the women’s
event, Makayla Long finished in eighth with a 50-11 mark on the first attempt. <o:p>
</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Combined, the shot put trio added six points to the BU total on Saturday.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Nathaniel Ezekiel made waves in the preliminary round of the 400-meter hurdles, beating the field by over a second. He reset the Big 12 meet record that he put on the books
last year and now holds the facility record at OU’s John Jacobs Track Complex with his 48.74.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">In the women’s race, Gontse Morake crossed second in her heat to automatically qualify with a 57.43. Jasmine Gryne originally had a finals-qualifying mark in the event but
was disqualified with a hurdle infraction. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Mariah Ayers and Imaobong Uko made it out of the prelims in both the 200 and 400 meters. Ayers went 22.78 in the 200 for a big Q and followed with a 52.11 in the 400 for
another big Q. Uko ran a PB of 23.01 in the 200 after going 52.20 in the 400.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Demar Francis crossed second overall in the first rounds of the 200 meters on Saturday after just 20.43 seconds. Kamden Jackson was just behind at 20.53. Both Bears earned
big Qs with automatic qualifying marks. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Hasani Barr and Dillon Bedell finished back-to-back at seventh and eighth in the 400 meters to advance to Sunday’s race. Barr hit 45.84, while Bedell was 45.86 and second
in his heat. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">One Bear advanced to the 100-meter finals on both the men’s and women’s side, with Jackson taking a wind-legal 10.36 at eighth overall in the men’s event. Bullard ran an
11.29 for ninth and a “q” in the women’s race.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Elijah Morris broke the 14-second barrier again in the 110-meter hurdles, this time with a 13.98-second prelim mark to find a lane in the final race.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The steeplechase nearly had a BU finalist, but Hayden Gold missed the cutoff at 10:50.61, less than a second behind the eighth-place finisher from Kansas State.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Kade Hulett ended his 800-meter campaign with a new personal best of 1:51.74. The newly graduated senior finished in 18<sup>th</sup> before Nicholi Brown in 20<sup>th</sup>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Keviah Ealy led the Baylor long jump crew behind a new PB of 20-0 ¼ for 10<sup>th</sup>, as Koi Johnson finished 17<sup>th</sup> and Nikayla Fitzgerald was right behind at
18<sup>th</sup>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Ukurugenzi Kojo advanced over two bars at the high jump but ended his competition at 6-7 for 12<sup>th</sup> place.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Due to rain, the pole vault competition was moved to the indoor facility connected to the track. Freshman Tenly Kuhn was up and over one bar at 11-9 ¾ before her day came
to an end at 15<sup>th</sup>, as Lillianna Ifft was over two at 12-3 ½ for 12<sup>th</sup>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">After all 10 events, the decathlon came to a close with senior Luke Anthony in 12<sup>th</sup> place with 6,223 points.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">With two days of competition in the books, BU trails in both the men’s and women’s tallies. Baylor men have 17 team points and are seven points behind Kansas State, and the
women are at two points and 14 behind West Virginia. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">WHAT’S NEXT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The final day of the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be streamed on
</span><a href="http://espn.com/espnplus/collections/23357/big-12-now-live-upcoming"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Big 12 Now on ESPN+.</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Live results
from DeltaTiming can be found </span><a href="https://linktr.ee/BaylorTrack"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">online</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">. Tickets are still available for
the final day through the OU ticket office. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">- BaylorBears<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color:black;text-decoration:none">.com</span></span><span style="color:black">
-<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;mso-ligatures:none">_________________________________________</span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#073D1E;mso-ligatures:none">Colin Pirtle</span></b><span style="color:#073D1E;mso-ligatures:none"> </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">| Associate Director of Athletics Communications
(T&F/XC, MTEN) </span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">C: 940-564-0351</span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:3.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> </span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://baylorbears.com/" title="http://baylorbears.com/"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="160" height="44" style="width:1.6666in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D985DB.FB9183D0" alt="signature_2230589939"></span></a><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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