TicketsNASHVILLE, TENN.— The University of Cincinnati men's and women's track and field team broke five program records and three American Athletic Conference records at the Music City Challenge in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday.
"Very proud of how the team competed and supported each other at this meet," head coach Susan Seaton said. Gearing up for the conference championship, it is exciting to bring home five school records and several top 15 NCAA marks. Having the whole squad together made for a great team atmosphere and will allow us to confidently prepare for the AAC Championship."
The women's high jump squad put on a show inside the David Williams II Recreation and Wellness Center, sweeping the top three podium positions and recording a pair of nationally ranked top-15 marks.
The dynamic trio of senior Taylor Beard, and sophomores Annika Kinley and Spirit Morgan all cleared personal best heights and recorded UC all-time top 10 marks. Beard led the way for the women's high jump squad with a mark of 1.88m/6'-2", breaking the American Athletic Conference indoor high jump record and the UC record. Both records were previously held by former Bearcat Loretta Blaut (1.87m/6'-1.75'). The Winchester, Va., native now holds the top spot in the AAC and is tied for third in the NCAA.
Kinley placed second overall in the event with a personal best mark of 1.85m/6'-0.75", tying her for 11th in the nation. Kinley's mark is also the fifth-best mark in school history and is currently second in the AAC. Morgan placed third overall as she cleared a height of 1.81m/5'-11", the sixth-best all-time jump in program history.
Senior Rylee Penn had a meet to remember as she broke two AAC and school records. One day one of the Music City Challenge she broke the women's mile with a time of 4:34.33. Penn broke former Bearcat Elie Leathers' 2022 record mile time of 4:34.89 by 0.56 seconds. Penn won the event and currently ranks 25th in the nation in the mile.
The Corona, Calif., native followed up day one with another record-setting performance by breaking her own 3,00m AAC and Cincinnati record with a time of 9:12.44. Penn finally broke the record at the Bob Pollock Invitational on Jan. 27 with a time of 9:14.54. She took first in both the women's mile and invited 3,000m races.
Four Bearcats turned in UC all-time top 10 times in both the men's and women's 5,000-meter races as senior Maddie Walker broke the UC women's record with a time of 16:19.77. Walker bested Lilian Jelimo's 15-yard-old record of 16:37.10 by almost 20 seconds. Walker placed fifth overall in the race and now ranks first in the AAC.
In the men's 5,000-meter, graduate students Milo Greder, Jamie Dailey and senior Christian Stevens all record UC all-time top 10 times. Greder won the race with a personal best time of 13:53.83, the third fastest time in school history. Gerder joins Aaron Bienenfeld and Alec Sandusky as the only bearcats to record a sub-14-minute time in the event.
Dailey crossed the finish line at 14:10.33, the fourth fastest in UC history and Stevens finished with a time of 14:34.77, eighth in the school record book. Both times rank eighth and 11th in the conference, respectively.
Senior Carmen Licht also joined in on the record-breaking action as she broke the UC 600-meter record with a time of 1:32.84. Licht improved on her personal record by three seconds to rewrite history. She placed fifth overall in the meet.
Sophomore Abby Knouff recorded two personal records in the women's invite pole vault on her way to victory. The Akron transfer first cleared a bar height of 4,12m/13'-10", breaking her personal best 4.10 m/13'-5.25", then demolished that mark by clearing a height of 4.22m/13'-10", the third-best mark in the nation. She now holds the second spot in the conference and is tied for 24th in the NCAA.
Senior Chase VanSickle tied a personal best, clearing a height 2.06m/ 6'-9" to take first in the men's open high jump. The transfer earned his first event as a member of the Bearcats.
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"Very proud of how the team competed and supported each other at this meet," head coach Susan Seaton said. Gearing up for the conference championship, it is exciting to bring home five school records and several top 15 NCAA marks. Having the whole squad together made for a great team atmosphere and will allow us to confidently prepare for the AAC Championship."
The women's high jump squad put on a show inside the David Williams II Recreation and Wellness Center, sweeping the top three podium positions and recording a pair of nationally ranked top-15 marks.
The dynamic trio of senior Taylor Beard, and sophomores Annika Kinley and Spirit Morgan all cleared personal best heights and recorded UC all-time top 10 marks. Beard led the way for the women's high jump squad with a mark of 1.88m/6'-2", breaking the American Athletic Conference indoor high jump record and the UC record. Both records were previously held by former Bearcat Loretta Blaut (1.87m/6'-1.75'). The Winchester, Va., native now holds the top spot in the AAC and is tied for third in the NCAA.
Kinley placed second overall in the event with a personal best mark of 1.85m/6'-0.75", tying her for 11th in the nation. Kinley's mark is also the fifth-best mark in school history and is currently second in the AAC. Morgan placed third overall as she cleared a height of 1.81m/5'-11", the sixth-best all-time jump in program history.
Senior Rylee Penn had a meet to remember as she broke two AAC and school records. One day one of the Music City Challenge she broke the women's mile with a time of 4:34.33. Penn broke former Bearcat Elie Leathers' 2022 record mile time of 4:34.89 by 0.56 seconds. Penn won the event and currently ranks 25th in the nation in the mile.
The Corona, Calif., native followed up day one with another record-setting performance by breaking her own 3,00m AAC and Cincinnati record with a time of 9:12.44. Penn finally broke the record at the Bob Pollock Invitational on Jan. 27 with a time of 9:14.54. She took first in both the women's mile and invited 3,000m races.
Four Bearcats turned in UC all-time top 10 times in both the men's and women's 5,000-meter races as senior Maddie Walker broke the UC women's record with a time of 16:19.77. Walker bested Lilian Jelimo's 15-yard-old record of 16:37.10 by almost 20 seconds. Walker placed fifth overall in the race and now ranks first in the AAC.
In the men's 5,000-meter, graduate students Milo Greder, Jamie Dailey and senior Christian Stevens all record UC all-time top 10 times. Greder won the race with a personal best time of 13:53.83, the third fastest time in school history. Gerder joins Aaron Bienenfeld and Alec Sandusky as the only bearcats to record a sub-14-minute time in the event.
Dailey crossed the finish line at 14:10.33, the fourth fastest in UC history and Stevens finished with a time of 14:34.77, eighth in the school record book. Both times rank eighth and 11th in the conference, respectively.
Senior Carmen Licht also joined in on the record-breaking action as she broke the UC 600-meter record with a time of 1:32.84. Licht improved on her personal record by three seconds to rewrite history. She placed fifth overall in the meet.
Sophomore Abby Knouff recorded two personal records in the women's invite pole vault on her way to victory. The Akron transfer first cleared a bar height of 4,12m/13'-10", breaking her personal best 4.10 m/13'-5.25", then demolished that mark by clearing a height of 4.22m/13'-10", the third-best mark in the nation. She now holds the second spot in the conference and is tied for 24th in the NCAA.
Senior Chase VanSickle tied a personal best, clearing a height 2.06m/ 6'-9" to take first in the men's open high jump. The transfer earned his first event as a member of the Bearcats.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati Track and Field/Cross Country, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. and follow @GoBearcatsTFXC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.