Cards Win Six Events at Louisville Opener

Wednesday, December 11

LOUISVILLE, KY

All Day

University of Louisville

Louisville Opener

Photo by: Chris Carter | Louisville Athletics

December 11, 2024 | Track & Field

Results

The Cardinals totaled 23 podium finishes with 25 personal-best performances in their first home meet of the 2024-25 season.

By: Sam Gercak

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville track & field teams concluded their first home meet of the 2024-25 campaign at the Louisville Opener on Wednesday afternoon.

The three-team meet that pitted the Cards against Kentucky and Texas saw the home team accumulate 23 podium finishes to go with six event wins and 25 personal-best performances in their first of six meets scheduled for the 2024-25 indoor season at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center.

The women's pentathlon began and ended the day for the Cardinals with sophomores Lucy Fellows and Maya Follmer placing first and third, respectively, with a pair of personal-best point totals. Fellows moved to second in program history with a personal-best total of 3,947 points while Follmer moved to fifth after scoring 3,645 points, nearly 400 points better than her previous personal record.

In the field, both pole vault events were won by Louisville athletes with Natalie Lark beginning her final collegiate indoor season with a personal-best mark of 4.30m (14-1.25) to win the women's pole vault and Cade DeWitt claiming the men's crown with a clearance of 5.03m (16-6).

The Cards swept the top of the podium in the men's long jump, led by Grigoris Nikolaou's personal-best and winning mark of 7.15m (23-5.5). Roman Kuleshov leapt to a mark of 7.13m (23-4.75) to finish second, and Miller Jones placed third in his Louisville debut with a jump of 7.02m (23-0.5).

On the track, Lucinda Rourke continued her stellar start to her first indoor season in a Louisville uniform, winning the women's mile in 4:41.40 to move to second in program history in the event while Layla Roebke finished as the runner-up with a time of 4:49.73 to move to fifth in school history.

Ryan Farrell picked up the final event win of the afternoon for the Cards in the men's 600m, blazing to a personal-best time of 1:18.49, the second-quickest mark in Louisville history.

In the women's weight throw, Jade Whitfield earned a runner-up finish in the women's weight throw in her Louisville debut with a final mark of 19.50m (63-11.75) to improve her previous personal-best by nearly nine feet.

Josh Moore also made his first appearance for the Cards after transferring in during the offseason, claiming the silver in the men's high jump with a final bar of 2.00m (6-6.75).

The Cardinals also found success on the track at the 60m distance, as freshman Jaidyn Johnson made his collegiate debut with a time of 6.76 to finish as the runner-up in the men's 60m. In the women's 60m, Kiyah Yeast clocked a personal-best time of 7.37 to finish second and Olivia Jenkins placed third in 7.50.

McKenzie Bell clocked a time of 1:13.26 in the women's 500m to place second, while Jalasia Lewis placed third in 1:17.44 in her collegiate debut. The men's 500m saw freshman Elijah Porter finish second with a time of 1:04.77 in his first appearance for the Cards.

The women's 5000m saw Brooke Lahee cruise to a runner-up finish in 17:05.51 while Ellie Maurer placed third in 17:38.69.

In the women's long jump, Sophia Day finished third with a personal-best mark of 5.96m (19-6.75) while Innocent Ntwali earned a third-place finish of his own in the men's mile in 4:17.56.

The Cardinals closed out the meet with a pair of podium finishes in the 4x400m relays as the women's team of McKenzie Bell, Ruby Nwosu, Sophia Day, and Kiyah Yeast finished second in 3:41.05 and the men's team of Trevor Holbrook, Jaidyn Johnson, Elijah Porter, and Adrian Johnson rounded out the top three teams in 3:16.91.

Louisville Opener
December 11, 2024
Louisville, Ky. | Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center

* = Personal Record
(Q) = Qualified for Finals
DNF = Did Not Finish
NH = No Height
DQ = Disqualified

Women's 60m – Prelims
Kiyah Yeast – 7.43 (Q)
Olivia Jenkins – 7.52 (Q)
Synclair Savage – 7.59 (Q)
Chelsea Williams – 7.63 (Q)
Zylah Sturdivant – 7.72 (Q)
Maya Taylor – 7.82 (Q)

Women's 60m – Finals
Kiyah Yeast – 7.37 *
Olivia Jenkins – 7.50
Synclair Savage – 7.57
Chelsea Williams – 7.62
Zylah Sturdivant – 7.77
Maya Taylor – 7.79

Men's 60m – Prelims
Jaidyn Johnson – 6.82 (Q)

Men's 60m – Finals
Jaidyn Johnson – 6.76

Women's 300m
Zylah Sturdivant – 39.19
Ruby Nwosu – 41.20
Nia Booker – 41.40
Olivia Jenkins – 41.83

Men's 300m
Trevor Holbrook – 34.80 *

Women's 500m
McKenzie Bell – 1:13.26
Jalasia Lewis – 1:17.44

Men's 500m
Elijah Porter – 1:04.77
Adrian Johnson – DQ

Men's 600m
Ryan Farrell – 1:18.49 *
Dylan Christian – 1:21.59 *
JB Terrill – 1:23.12 *
Jacob Puhalla – 1:24.91

Women's Mile
Lucinda Rourke – 4:41.40 *
Layla Roebke – 4:49.73
Julia Schmitt – 4:59.33

Men's Mile
Innocent Ntwali – 4:17.56
Ethan Meyer – 4:18.52
Spenser Wolf – 4:18.76 *
Forest MacKenzie – 4:24.01 *

Women's 5000m
Brooke Lahee – 17:05.51
Ellie Maurer – 17:38.69
Audrey Shelton – 18:06.74
Lexi Raquet – DNF

Women's 4x400m Relay
McKenzie Bell, Ruby Nwosu, Sophia Day, Kiyah Yeast – 3:41.05
Chelsea Williams, Nia Booker, Jalasia Lewis, Zylah Sturdivant – 3:47.29

Men's 4x400m Relay
Trevor Holbrook, Jaidyn Johnson, Elijah Porter, Adrian Johnson – 3:16.91
Ryan Farrell, Dylan Christian, Jacob Puhalla, JB Terrill – 3:32.05

Men's High Jump
Josh Moore – 2.00m (6-6.75)

Women's Long Jump
Sophia Day – 5.96m (19-6.75) *
Rachel Darden – 5.81m (19-0.75) *
Anna Panenko – 5.67m (18-7.25)
Autumn Bell – 5.27m (17-3.5)

Men's Long Jump
Grigoris Nikolaou – 7.15m (23-5.5) *
Roman Kuleshov – 7.13m (23-4.75)
Miller Jones – 7.02m (23-0.5)
Jamaur Williamson – 6.73m (22-1)

Women's Pole Vault
Natalie Lark – 4.30m (14-1.25) *
Paris Bond – 4.05m (13-3.5) *
Iliana Triantafyllou – 4.05m (13-3.5)
Lydia Stuart – 3.75m (12-3.5)

Men's Pole Vault
Cade DeWitt – 5.03m (16-6)
Lucas Couron – NH

Women's Weight Throw
Jade Whitfield – 19.50m (63-11.75) *
Carys Gossett – 16.38m (53-9)
Demaria King – 15.60m (51-2.25)

Women's Pentathlon
Lucy Fellows – 3,947 points *
Maya Follmer – 3,645 points *

Women's 800m – Pentathlon
Lucy Fellows – 2:23.47 *
Maya Follmer – 2:26.37 *

Women's 60m Hurdles – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 8.84 *
Lucy Fellows – 8.92 *

Women's High Jump – Pentathlon
Lucy Fellows – 1.64m (5-4.5) *
Maya Follmer – 1.61m (5-3.25) *

Women's Long Jump – Pentathlon
Lucy Fellows – 5.77m (18-11.25)
Maya Follmer – 5.60m (18-4.5) *

Women's Shot Put – Pentathlon
Lucy Fellows – 12.29m (40-4) *
Maya Follmer – 9.34m (30-7.75) *

For the latest information on Louisville Cross Country/Track & Field, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram and Twitter account at @louisvilletfxc or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleTFXC.