Cards Set DMR Program Record on First Day of PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational

Friday, January 31

LOUISVILLE, KY

All Day

University of Louisville

PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational

Photo by: Chris Carter | Louisville Athletics

Cards Set DMR Program Record on First Day of PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational

January 31, 2025 | Track & Field

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The quartet of Lucinda Rourke, Sophia Day, Julia Schmitt, and Layla Roebke teamed up to set the second program record of the season for the Cardinals.

By: Sam Gercak

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville track & field teams concluded their first day of competition at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational on Friday, highlighted by a new program record in the women's distance medley relay.

The quartet of Lucinda Rourke, Sophia Day, Julia Schmitt, and Layla Roebke combined for a time of 11:32.46 to knock nearly three seconds off the previous school record and finish as the runner-up in the event.

The Cards accounted for two of the top three spots in the elite section of the women's long jump, with Synclair Savage's season-best leap of 6.26m (20-6.5) standing as the best mark in the field. After acting as the 400m leg on the record-breaking distance medley relay team earlier in the meet, Day posted a personal-best long jump mark of 6.06m (19-10.75) to place third and move her up to 10^th in program history.

Kiyah Yeast led the charge on the track for the Cardinals with an event victory of her own, as the senior clocked a time of 23.83 to win the seeded section of the women's 200m.

The Cards also got a pair of solid performances in the throws cage as Noah Koch recorded a heave of 20.48m (67-2.25) to finish as the top collegian and second overall while Jade Whitfield set a new personal-best of 19.52m (64-0.5) on her way to a runner-up finish in the women's weight throw.

After the first four events in his heptathlon debut, KJ Byrd's total of 3,407 points ranks him second in the field, less than 100 points off the lead. The freshman posted the top high jump (1.95m) and long jump (7.17m) marks in the field to put him in prime position heading into the final three events.

Lauren Bettencourt raced to a time of 9:41.19 in the women's unseeded 3000m to finish third individually and move into 10^th in program history in the event.

In the women's unseeded 400m, Ruby Nwosu placed fourth in 57.43 while Elijah Porter set a new personal-best in the men's unseeded 400m, blazing to a time of 49.13 to round out the top five individual finishers.

Soledad Jean continued her stellar start to the season with a fourth-place finish in the seeded section of the women's high jump, clearing a final bar of 1.78m (5-10) to set a new season-best.

Cade DeWitt set a new season-best in the men's seeded pole vault with a final clearance of 5.04m (16-6.5) to place fourth, and Lucas Couron followed in fifth place after vaulting to a mark of 4.89m (16-0.5).

The unseeded section of the women's long jump saw Sharvari Parulekar make her Louisville debut, as the graduate student finished fifth in the event with a leap of 5.52m (18-1.5).

A pair of Louisville athletes advanced out of the preliminaries to round out the first day of competition for the Cards and qualify for tomorrow's 60m semifinals. Olivia Jenkins clocked a time of 7.58 to post the top preliminary time in the women's 60m and Clarence McLean recorded the second-fastest time in the men's 60m preliminaries with a time of 6.89.

The second and final day of the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational will begin at 10:00 a.m. ET with the continuation of the men's heptathlon. Admission to the meet is $10 with an additional fee for parking.

PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational – Day One
January 31, 2025
Louisville, Ky. | Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center

* = Personal Record
(sr) = School Record
(Q) = Qualified for Semifinals
F = Foul
DNF = Did Not Finish

Women's 60m – Preliminaries
Olivia Jenkins – 7.58 (Q)
Maya Taylor – 7.82
Nia Booker – 7.95

Men's 60m – Preliminaries
Clarence McLean – 6.89 (Q)
Jaylen Cole – 7.47

Women's 200m – Seeded
Kiyah Yeast – 23.83

Women's 200m – Unseeded
Olivia Jenkins – 24.94
Maya Taylor – 25.10 *
Ruby Nwosu – 25.61
Jalasia Lewis – 25.77
McKenzie Bell – 27.12
Nia Booker – DNF

Men's 200m – Unseeded
Clarence McLean – 21.75 *
Adrian Johnson – 22.39
Elijah Porter – 22.51
Terence Jackson – 22.61

Women's 400m – Unseeded
Ruby Nwosu – 57.43 *
Lucy Fellows – 57.70
Jalasia Lewis – 57.74 *
Keira Antoni – 1:00.02 *

Men's 400m – Unseeded
Elijah Porter – 49.13 *
Adrian Johnson – 49.47 *
Terence Jackson – 51.34

Men's 800m
Jacob Puhalla – 1:55.08

Women's 3000m – Unseeded
Lauren Bettencourt – 9:41.19 *
Haley Meade – 9:46.59 *
Brooke Lahee – 9:55.32 *
Audrey Shelton – 10:33.42
Ellie Maurer – 10:34.36
Megan John – 10:36.09

Men's 3000m
Innocent Ntwali – 8:26.45
Lucas Reguinho – 8:29.30
Spenser Wolf – 8:29.76 *
Ethan Meyer – 8:41.97
Forest MacKenzie – 8:53.89 *

Women's Distance Medley Relay
Lucinda Rourke, Sophia Day, Julia Schmitt, Layla Roebke – 11:32.46 (sr)

Women's High Jump – Seeded
Soledad Jean – 1.78m (5-10)

Women's Long Jump – Elite
Synclair Savage – 6.26m (20-6.5)
Sophia Day – 6.06m (19-10.75) *

Women's Long Jump – Unseeded
Sharvari Parulekar – 5.52m (18-1.5)

Men's Long Jump – Elite
Grigoris Nikolaou – F

Men's Long Jump – Unseeded
Jamaur Williamson – 6.65m (21-10)

Men's Pole Vault – Seeded
Cade DeWitt – 5.04m (16-6.5)
Lucas Couron – 4.89m (16-0.5)

Women's Weight Throw
Jade Whitfield – 19.52m (64-0.5) *
Demaria King – 17.86m (58-7.25)
Carys Gossett – F

Men's Weight Throw
Noah Koch – 20.48m (67-2.25)

Men's Heptathlon (through four events)
KJ Byrd – 3,047 points

Men's 60m – Heptathlon
KJ Byrd – 7.21

Men's High Jump – Heptathlon
KJ Byrd – 1.95m (6-4.75)

Men's Long Jump – Heptathlon
KJ Byrd – 7.17m (23-6.25)

Men's Shot Put – Heptathlon
KJ Byrd – 12.33m (40-5.5)

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.