Hayden’s hurdles win leads Tops at Vanderbilt meet

Western Kentucky’s track and field team opened its season Saturday in Nashville at the Vanderbilt Indoor Opener, posting 10 top-eight finishes.

Jonathan Hayden won the 60-meter hurdles after finishing in 8.10 seconds. Julius Morris finished second in the 400 with a time of 48.0.

In the 60 meters, Austin Hayes finished sixth with a 7.03.

On the distance side, Taylor Scarbrough and Julien Cuyeu finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 3,000-meter run. Scarbrough ran an 8:56.39. Cuyeu posted a 9:00.15 time.

The 4×400-meter relay of Hayes, Eli Minor, Julius Morris and Denzel Villaman finished third in 3:17.42.

For the Lady Toppers, the 4×400-meter relay of Ariel Terrell, Aairiona Hayden-Ransom, Rebecca Cook and Juannae Lewis finished fourth in 3:55.29.

Earning top-eight finishes as individuals for the Lady Toppers were Savannah Ames, who took seventh (10:47.44) in the 3,000-meter run, and Terrell, who was eighth in the 60-meter dash (7.68).

The Hilltoppers will head to the Purdue-hosted Fred Wilt Open in West Lafayette, Ind., on Jan. 12-13.