Western Kentucky’s men’s and women’s track and field teams wrapped up their first meet of the 2025 outdoor season at the Margaret Simmons Invitational at Murray State University on Saturday in Murray.

On the track, WKU’s Jayden Freeman won the 100-meter dash with a mark of 10.49 seconds. Zachariah Taylor followed with a second-place finish. In the men’s 1,500-meter run, Trevor Hudnall and Wade Balcom both finished in the top five. In the women’s event, WKU’s Addie Frisch managed fifth place.

In the distance ranks, Ava Galloway tallied a fourth-place finish in the 5,000 meters. Michael House claimed a 10th-place finish in the men’s 5,000 to close out individual track events.

In field events, the Hilltoppers’ Devon Rogers led the charge with a victory in the men’s javelin throw. Jayla Gilbert took second place in the women’s shot put event. In the men’s long jump, Van Thrasher claimed the victory with a distance of 7.01 meters and Blake Foster finished in sixth. Kennedy Coradini lodged a fifth-place finish in the women’s javelin to round out the field action for WKU.

WKU will host the 2025 Brent Chumbley Memorial Hilltopper Relays on March 28-29 at the Charles M. Ruter Track and Field Complex. The event is free to attend.

WKU Men’s Results

100 Prelims

1st – Jayden Freeman – 10.49

2nd – Zachariah Taylor – 10.67

1500

3rd – Trevor Hudnall – 3:58

5th – Wade Balcom – 4:03

7th – Hollis Johnson – 4:06

11th – Jake Younger – 4:10

13th – Tyler Pfefferkorn – 4:13

16th – Parker Smith – 4:16

20th – Rowen Wilkinson – 4:19

5000

10th – Michael House – 16:17

4×400

3rd – Hudnall, Balcom, Smith, Johnson – 3:27.46

Javelin

1st – Devon Rogers – 54.15 (177-08)

Long Jump

1st – Van Thrasher – 7.01 (23-00)

6th – Blake Foster – 5.95 (19-06.25)

WKU Women’s Results

100

8th – Jas Hampton – 12.76

400

12th – Morgan Moore – 1:05

800

7th – Sofia Witt – 2:23

1500

5th – Addie Frisch – 4:52

8th – Tatum Maschhoff – 4:56

10th – Arielle Phillips – 4:56

5000

4th – Ava Galloway – 18:47

4×400

4th – WKU – Phillips, Frisch, Witt, Maschhoff – 4:17

Long Jump

8th – Rachel Payne – 5.20 (17-00.75)

10th – Madison Rabe – 5.09 (16-08.5)

Javelin

5th – Kennedy Coradini – 29.10 (95-05)

Shot Put

2nd – Jayla Gilbert – 13.32 (43-08.5)

7th – Rachel Payne – 9.44 (30-11.75)

8th – Madison Rabe – 8.77 (28-09.25)