Western Kentucky’s track and field team posted numerous personal-best performances Friday and Saturday at the Vanderbilt-hosted Music City Challenge in Nashville.

Additionally, former Hilltopper All-American – and current volunteer assistant coach – Ventavius Sears ran an indoor lifetime best in the 400-meter dash with a 46.51 seconds, which ranks top-35 in the world.

In the 60 meters, Austin Hayes (6.93) and Will Bush (6.94) each posted top-five season marks for the Hilltoppers.

In the 200, Hayes recorded a personal-best 21.53 for WKU’s second-best time of the season. Kymari Gates also added a 21.83 in the event. WKU’s Oliver Alexandre clocked a season-best of 47.64 in the 400 to eighth. Charles Shimukowa clocked a 48.80 while Maor Seged posted a 49.43.

Bryce Swindell ran a 2:03.67 in the 800. In the mile run, Julien Cuyeu registered WKU’s top time of the year with a 4:20.80. Taylor Scarbrough added a finish in 4:31.77 in the mile. Alexander Schell collected a 3,000-meter time of 9:03.18 for his best mark on the season.

In the 60-meter hurdles, Jonathan Hayden ran a preliminary time of 8.07 before clocking a personal-best 7.97 to finish third in the event. Hayden’s mark is the top WKU time on the year and ranks third all-time in the Hilltoppers indoor record book.

Both of WKU’s 4×400-meter relay units set new season-best marks. The ‘A’ unit clocked a 3:08.46, which ranks third in WKU indoor history. The ‘B’ squad crossed the line in 3:15.07 for the Hilltoppers’ second-best time on the season.

In the field events, Alec Tanksley cleared 5.81 meters in the long jump for WKU’s third-best mark on the season. Chard Muhwanga recorded season-best distances in the shot put with a 12.77-meter throw, followed by a 13.61-meter toss in the weight throw.

On the women’s side,WKU’s Juannae Lewis clocked a 25.65 in the 200. Three Lady Toppers, including Ariel Terrell (55.63), Aairiona Hayden-Ransom (58.62) and Rebecca Cook (58.80) collected WKU season top-five times in the 400.

Savannah Ames ran a personal-best 800-meter time of 2:15.42 for WKU.

The Lady Toppers’ 4×400-meter relay team clocked a season-best mark of 3:47.96. WKU’s Brianna Eskridge tallied solid distances in the long jump (5.46 meters) and triple jump (12.01 meters). Morgan McIntyre cleared a 3.79-meter mark for WKU’s fourth-best height on the season.

Adarian Gray (7.69 meters) and Kira Harmon (7.53 meters) posted a pair of WKU top-five distances in the shot put and weight throw, respectively.

The Hilltoppers are back in action next weekend at Birmingham, Ala., with the Conference USA Indoor Championships on the schedule. At last year’s championships, the WKU men’s squad grabbed runner-up honors while the women brought home a fifth-place finish.