2024-25 Track & Field Roster
Byrd, KJ
KJ Byrd
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Connelly Springs, N.C.
- High School:
- East Burke
Bio
KJ Byrd TFRRS Profile
CAREER HONORS
• USTFCCCA Indoor All-America First Team, Heptathlon (2025)
• USTFCCCA Outdoor All-America First Team, Decathlon (2025)
• ACC Indoor Champion, Heptathlon (2025)
• ACC Outdoor Silver Medalist, Decathlon (2025)
• All-ACC Indoor First Team, Heptathlon (2025)
• All-ACC Outdoor First Team, Decathlon (2025)
• ACC Men's Indoor Freshman of the Year (2025)
• ACC Men's Indoor Field Performer of the Week (Feb. 4, 2025)
• ACC Men's Indoor Freshman of the Week (Jan. 21, 2025; Feb. 4, 2025)
• ACC Men's Outdoor Freshman of the Week (Apr. 8, 2025)
2024-25
Indoor:
• Competed at seven meets, including three times in the heptathlon
• Earned First Team All-American honors in his first career appearance at the national championship meet, finishing seventh in the men's heptathlon with 5,807 points
• Became the first freshman in ACC history to win the conference title in the men's heptathlon, posting a school-record total of 5,903 points at the ACC Indoor Championships while setting personal-bests in four events, notably including a high jump mark of 2.13m (6-11.75)
• Earned both ACC Field Performer of the Week and ACC Freshman of the Week honors after completing his first collegiate heptathlon at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational, where he finished as the runner-up with 5,746 points
• Leapt into the top 10 in program history in a pair of individual events throughout the season, clearing a personal-best bar of 5.27 (17-3.5) in the pole vault at the NCAA Indoor Championships and racing to a personal-best time of 8.18 in the 60m hurdles at the ACC Indoor Championships
• Recorded a personal-best mark of 7.26m (23-10) in the long jump at the Crossroads of America Invitational
• Recognized as ACC Freshman of the Week after making his collegiate debut at the Bellarmine Open, where he recorded a 400m time of 50.75 and a mark of 5.10m (16-8.75) in the pole vault
Outdoor:
• Competed at six meets, including three times in the decathlon
• Placed fourth in the men's decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championships to earn First Team All-American distinction with a total of 7,842 points, setting a freshman record of 5.31m (17-5) in the pole vault in the process
• Finished as the decathlon runner-up at the ACC Outdoor Championships, moving up to third in program history with a personal-best and freshman-record total of 7,849 points, notably clearing a height of 2.13m (6-11.75) in the high jump
• Moved into the top 10 in program history in three individual events with a 110m hurdles time of 14.60, a clearance of 5.31m (17-5) in the pole vault, and a toss of 50.03m (164-1) in the javelin throw
• Accrued 7,349 points in his collegiate decathlon debut at the Jim Click Shootout & Multis on his way to ACC Outdoor Freshman of the Week honors
National:
• Represented the United States at the 2024 U20 World Championships, where he finished 22nd in the decathlon with a total of 5,950 points
High School:
• Won the 2024 USATF U20 title in the decathlon with a total of 7,536 points to punch his ticket to the 2024 U20 World Athletics Championships as a member of Team USA
• Finished first in the pentathlon at the 2024 adidas Indoor Nationals and first in the decathlon at the 2022 adidas Outdoor Nationals
• Crowned the champion in the decathlon at the 2023 USATF National Junior Olympic Championships after finishing as the runner-up in the event at the 2021 USATF National Junior Olympic Championships
• 24-time North Carolina 2A state qualifier on the track, winning a total of 10 individual state championships
Personal:
• Full name is Kenneth Byrd
• Birthdate is May 22, 2005
• Parents are Kerry and Angela Byrd
• Has seven siblings
• Majoring in exercise science
• Also participated in football during high school
• Chose UofL because of the campus and coaching staff
CAREER HONORS
• USTFCCCA Indoor All-America First Team, Heptathlon (2025)
• USTFCCCA Outdoor All-America First Team, Decathlon (2025)
• ACC Indoor Champion, Heptathlon (2025)
• ACC Outdoor Silver Medalist, Decathlon (2025)
• All-ACC Indoor First Team, Heptathlon (2025)
• All-ACC Outdoor First Team, Decathlon (2025)
• ACC Men's Indoor Freshman of the Year (2025)
• ACC Men's Indoor Field Performer of the Week (Feb. 4, 2025)
• ACC Men's Indoor Freshman of the Week (Jan. 21, 2025; Feb. 4, 2025)
• ACC Men's Outdoor Freshman of the Week (Apr. 8, 2025)
2024-25
Indoor:
• Competed at seven meets, including three times in the heptathlon
• Earned First Team All-American honors in his first career appearance at the national championship meet, finishing seventh in the men's heptathlon with 5,807 points
• Became the first freshman in ACC history to win the conference title in the men's heptathlon, posting a school-record total of 5,903 points at the ACC Indoor Championships while setting personal-bests in four events, notably including a high jump mark of 2.13m (6-11.75)
• Earned both ACC Field Performer of the Week and ACC Freshman of the Week honors after completing his first collegiate heptathlon at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational, where he finished as the runner-up with 5,746 points
• Leapt into the top 10 in program history in a pair of individual events throughout the season, clearing a personal-best bar of 5.27 (17-3.5) in the pole vault at the NCAA Indoor Championships and racing to a personal-best time of 8.18 in the 60m hurdles at the ACC Indoor Championships
• Recorded a personal-best mark of 7.26m (23-10) in the long jump at the Crossroads of America Invitational
• Recognized as ACC Freshman of the Week after making his collegiate debut at the Bellarmine Open, where he recorded a 400m time of 50.75 and a mark of 5.10m (16-8.75) in the pole vault
Outdoor:
• Competed at six meets, including three times in the decathlon
• Placed fourth in the men's decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championships to earn First Team All-American distinction with a total of 7,842 points, setting a freshman record of 5.31m (17-5) in the pole vault in the process
• Finished as the decathlon runner-up at the ACC Outdoor Championships, moving up to third in program history with a personal-best and freshman-record total of 7,849 points, notably clearing a height of 2.13m (6-11.75) in the high jump
• Moved into the top 10 in program history in three individual events with a 110m hurdles time of 14.60, a clearance of 5.31m (17-5) in the pole vault, and a toss of 50.03m (164-1) in the javelin throw
• Accrued 7,349 points in his collegiate decathlon debut at the Jim Click Shootout & Multis on his way to ACC Outdoor Freshman of the Week honors
National:
• Represented the United States at the 2024 U20 World Championships, where he finished 22nd in the decathlon with a total of 5,950 points
High School:
• Won the 2024 USATF U20 title in the decathlon with a total of 7,536 points to punch his ticket to the 2024 U20 World Athletics Championships as a member of Team USA
• Finished first in the pentathlon at the 2024 adidas Indoor Nationals and first in the decathlon at the 2022 adidas Outdoor Nationals
• Crowned the champion in the decathlon at the 2023 USATF National Junior Olympic Championships after finishing as the runner-up in the event at the 2021 USATF National Junior Olympic Championships
• 24-time North Carolina 2A state qualifier on the track, winning a total of 10 individual state championships
Personal:
• Full name is Kenneth Byrd
• Birthdate is May 22, 2005
• Parents are Kerry and Angela Byrd
• Has seven siblings
• Majoring in exercise science
• Also participated in football during high school
• Chose UofL because of the campus and coaching staff
TFXC: Just Jayden
Wednesday, July 30
TFXC: The Last Jump
Monday, July 14
Joe Franklin Press Conference 02.26.25
Friday, May 16
2024 Track & Field and Cross Country Media Day
Monday, February 26
