The Kentucky Track and Field team had a historic day at the Red Raider Open in Lubbock, Texas, as Masai Russell set the collegiate record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.75 seconds. This record eclipsed the previous mark of 7.78 seconds set by Grace Stark of Florida at the 2022 NCAA Championships and Brianna Rollins of Clemson in 2013. Russell also broke the Kentucky standard of 7.87 seconds held by Keni Harrison, an eventual Olympic medalist, since 2015. Harrison’s 7.87 was her winning time in the 2015 NCAA Final.
This achievement by Russell puts Kentucky in the all-time collegiate top-10 list and makes him the fifth Wildcat to hold a collegiate record, joining a distinguished group that includes Abby Steiner (200m indoor and outdoor, 2022); Sydney McLaughlin (400m hurdles, 2018); and UK’s 2022 4×400 outdoor relay (Megan Moss, Steiner, Karimah Davis, Alexis Holmes).
The sprinters and hurdlers were in Lubbock, while the distance runners and field athletes competed in Nashville’s Vanderbilt Invitational. In total, Kentucky had six wins on the day. Russell’s triumph was followed quickly by Jordan Anthony, who won the men’s 60m dash in 6.55 seconds, breaking the UK freshman record for the second week in a row and moving within 0.01 of the school record held by Wildcat Olympian Tim Harden. Senior Dajour Miles claimed the 400m dash with a time of 52.45, moving to No. 5 in Kentucky history in that event. Senior Kennedy Lightner notched UK’s fourth win in Lubbock with a 200m dash of 20.64 seconds, advancing to No. 7 on the all-time UK list.
Meanwhile in Nashville, senior Keaton Daniel made it three wins in as many meets this season in the pole vault. He ascended to 18 feet, 1.25 inches / 5.52 and has won all three meets with clearances of at least 18 feet. The Wildcats were also strong in the women’s 1,000-meter run, placing 1-3-4-5 with Jenna Schwinghamer taking first place in a personal-best time of 2:42.39.
The Wildcats totaled 16 personal bests on the day, with 11 coming in Lubbock and five more in Nashville. Kentucky’s strong performance at the Red Raider Open and Vanderbilt Invitational shows that the team is on the right track to continue their success in the upcoming meets.