Byrd, Kipruto, Triantafyllou Earn ACC Weekly Awards
February 03, 2026 | Track & Field
KJ Byrd and Iliana Triantafyllou swept the ACC Field Athlete of the Week awards, while Elsingi Kipruto was named the ACC Men’s Freshman of the Week.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three University of Louisville track & field student-athletes have been honored by the Atlantic Coast Conference for their performances at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday.
The Cardinals swept the ACC Field Athlete of the Week awards as KJ Byrd was selected on the men's side and Iliana Triantafyllou was honored for the women, while Elsingi Kipruto was named the ACC Men's Freshman of the Week for the second time this season.
Byrd set a pair of Louisville program records in the men's heptathlon and men's pole vault over the weekend, with his pole vault mark of 5.47m (17-11.25) setting an NCAA record for the best pole vault mark by a heptathlete in collegiate history.
Competing in his first heptathlon of the season after earning All-American honors a year ago as a freshman, Byrd accrued a total of 6,161 points, shattering the previous meet and facility records while also finishing just 30 points away from setting a new ACC conference record. The point total also ranks him second in the NCAA and first in the ACC thus far this season.
As part of his record-breaking performance in the heptathlon, Byrd vaulted to the top of the Louisville and national record books in the pole vault, moving to 19th nationally and second in the ACC. The sophomore also earned personal bests in the 60m and shot put over the course of the weekend, while notably clearing a height of 2.09m (6-10.25) in the high jump that ranks him third in the conference in the event.
Triantafyllou won the women's pole vault at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational with a personal-best bar of 4.47m (14-8) that moves her into a tie for eighth nationally, ranks second in the ACC, and tied her for second in the Louisville record books. Over the course of her second indoor season with the program, the redshirt sophomore has now improved her previous indoor best by 23 centimeters.
Kipruto set his second program record of the season, winning the men's 3000m over the weekend with a time of 7:49.54 that took 10 seconds off the previous Louisville record and also set a new meet record. With the time, the ACC Freshman of the Year on the cross country course moves into a tie for 21st nationally and fourth in the ACC, while additionally ranking 15th nationally and fourth in the ACC in the 5000m with his performance at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener on Dec. 6.
The Cardinals will be back in action this weekend when they split between the Eastern Indoors in Louisville on Feb. 6 and the Windy City Invitational in Chicago on Feb. 6-7.
For the latest information on Louisville Cross Country/Track & Field, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram and X account at @louisvilletfxc or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleTFXC.
The Cardinals swept the ACC Field Athlete of the Week awards as KJ Byrd was selected on the men's side and Iliana Triantafyllou was honored for the women, while Elsingi Kipruto was named the ACC Men's Freshman of the Week for the second time this season.
Byrd set a pair of Louisville program records in the men's heptathlon and men's pole vault over the weekend, with his pole vault mark of 5.47m (17-11.25) setting an NCAA record for the best pole vault mark by a heptathlete in collegiate history.
Competing in his first heptathlon of the season after earning All-American honors a year ago as a freshman, Byrd accrued a total of 6,161 points, shattering the previous meet and facility records while also finishing just 30 points away from setting a new ACC conference record. The point total also ranks him second in the NCAA and first in the ACC thus far this season.
As part of his record-breaking performance in the heptathlon, Byrd vaulted to the top of the Louisville and national record books in the pole vault, moving to 19th nationally and second in the ACC. The sophomore also earned personal bests in the 60m and shot put over the course of the weekend, while notably clearing a height of 2.09m (6-10.25) in the high jump that ranks him third in the conference in the event.
Triantafyllou won the women's pole vault at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational with a personal-best bar of 4.47m (14-8) that moves her into a tie for eighth nationally, ranks second in the ACC, and tied her for second in the Louisville record books. Over the course of her second indoor season with the program, the redshirt sophomore has now improved her previous indoor best by 23 centimeters.
Kipruto set his second program record of the season, winning the men's 3000m over the weekend with a time of 7:49.54 that took 10 seconds off the previous Louisville record and also set a new meet record. With the time, the ACC Freshman of the Year on the cross country course moves into a tie for 21st nationally and fourth in the ACC, while additionally ranking 15th nationally and fourth in the ACC in the 5000m with his performance at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener on Dec. 6.
The Cardinals will be back in action this weekend when they split between the Eastern Indoors in Louisville on Feb. 6 and the Windy City Invitational in Chicago on Feb. 6-7.
For the latest information on Louisville Cross Country/Track & Field, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram and X account at @louisvilletfxc or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleTFXC.
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