Western Kentucky’s track and field teams wrapped up day one of competition at the Tennessee Invite and Joe Walker Invitational on Friday.

At the Tennessee Invite in Knoxville, Tennessee, WKU’s Aitana Safont Falmoir started the day off with a fourth-place finish in the women’s hammer throw. In the men’s discus, Connor Owens set a new personal best, claiming an eighth-place finish.

In the men’s long jump, freshman Sterling Weldon cracked the top five with a mark of 7.53 meters, which is in the top-25 in NCAA DI.

On the track, the Tops found success with three personal bests in the men’s and women’s 1,500. Addie Frisch managed a top-15 finish with a time of 4:47 in the women’s race. In the men’s event. Trevor Hudnall led the way with a season best mark of 3:56. He was followed up by Hollis Johnson and Wade Balcom, both of whom set new personal bests in the event with times of 4:00.

The men’s 200 saw a pair of PRs. Kameron Horton finished within the top five, claiming fourth with a time of 20.71 — that time stands at No. 10 in all of NCAA DI. Zachariah Taylor followed behind in eighth place with a 21.12 finish, which ranks in the top-100 in NCAA DI.

In the hurdle ranks, Gianna Huerta set a new personal best in the women’s 400-meter hurdles with a mark of 1:03.

To round out the day in Knoxville, the distance Hilltoppers shone bright as Kinley Kunkel claimed a season-best finish in the 5k with a time of 17:48.

At the Joe Walker Invitational in Oxford, Mississippi, a pair of Hilltoppers competed in the first legs of the heptathlon and decathlon. Joey Raybourne competed for the Tops in the decathlon, finishing in the top 15 in three of the five events. In the heptathlon, Rachel Payne managed a top-10 mark in the high jump, clearing 1.55 meters.

A group of pole vaulters also competed for WKU at Ole Miss. In the women’s event, Sophia Roskoski charted a sixth-place finish with a mark of 3.78 meters.

WKU will continue action across the south at the Tennessee Invite and Joe Walker Invite on Saturday. Both meets can be streamed live on ESPN+. Due to possible inclement weather, action in Oxford will start at 9 a.m. CT with the decathlon.

Tennessee Invite

Men’s Results

200

4th – Kameron Horton – 20.71*

8th – Zachariah Taylor – 21.12*

400 Hurdles

9th – Henry Fisher – 55.50

1500

12th – Trevor Hudnall – 3:56

20th – Hollis Johnson – 4:00*

21st – Wade Balcom – 4:00*

5000

17th – Jake Younger – 15:35

Long Jump

5th – Sterling Weldon – 7.53 (24-08.5)

17th – Van Thrasher – 6.73 (22-01)

Discus

8th – Connor Owens – 48.47 (159)*

Javelin Throw

8th – Devon Rogers – 55.29 (181-04)

Women’s Results

1500

14th – Addie Frisch – 4:47*

5000

6th – Kinley Kunkel – 17:48

400 Hurdles

7th – Gianna Huerta – 1:03*

Long Jump

24th – Haley Zell – 5.34 (17-06.25)

Hammer Throw

4th – Aitana Safont Falomir – 52.23 (171-04)

Javelin

6th – Kennedy Coradini – 31.36 (102-10)

Joe Walker Invitational

Men’s Results

Decathlon

100

12th – Joey Raybourne – 11.52

400

10th – Joey Raybourne – 51.92

Long Jump

14th – Joey Raybourne – 6.16 (20-02.5)

Shot Put

13th – Joey Raybourne – 9.52 (31-02.75)

High Jump

16th – Joey Raybourne – 1.58 (5-02.25)

Women’s Results

Pole Vault

6th – Sophia Roskoski – 3.78 (12-04.75)

17th – Natalie Papes – 3.63 (11-10.75)

Heptathlon

100 Hurdles

18th – Rachel Payne – 15.59

200

18th – Rachel Payne – 27.22

High Jump

10th – Rachel Payne – 1.55 (5-01)

Shot Put

18th – Rachel Payne – 8.86 (29-01)