WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue track & field team began the 2022-23 indoor season with four top-10 marks in school history and 13 event victories at the Edmonds-Wilt Invitational at Lambert Fieldhouse on Saturday.
Junior K'Ja Talley won two events and set two top-10 times in the 60-meter hurdles to lead the way in the season-opening meet. Fifth-year Johnny Vanos moved up to No. 4 in the record books in the weight throw, and sophomore Brett Otterbacher entered the top-10 list at No. 7 in the 500m. Additionally, freshman Bryanna Craig won two events in her collegiate debut.
Talley's two wins came in the 60m hurdles and the 300m, while Craig's victories were in the high jump and 800m. They were joined by Otterbacher (500m), Vanos (weight throw), senior Kerris Roberts (60m), juniors LJ Hill (long jump), Deborah Obadofin (long jump), Logan Sandlin (pole vault) and Cierra Williams (500m), freshman Connor Czajkowski (200m) and the men's 4x400 relay with wins on the Boilermakers' home track.
Purdue competed against four teams at the season-opening meet, as FIU, Northern Colorado, Southeast Missouri and Tennessee State traveled to West Lafayette. The Boilermakers had entries in 24 of the 32 events.
Talley had a pair of top-10 performances in the 60m hurdles. It began in the prelims, where she ran the fastest time in 8.40, which moved her up to No. 6 in the record books. Ninety minutes later in the final, Talley improved her new PR by 0.14 seconds with a winning time of 8.26. That gave her a tie for the third-fastest time in school history, and it's the fastest mark by a Boilermaker since 2017. Talley came into the meet with a PR of 8.44 that was No. 8.
Vanos also moved up in the record books, as he rose to No. 4 all-time in the weight throw and won the event. On his third attempt, he earned a mark of 21.95m to move up one spot to No. 4 in program history. Vanos' victory was by 0.87m as he improved on his previous best of 21.34m, achieved last season.
Otterbacher debuted in the top-10 list in the 500m at No. 7. His winning time of 1:03.90 is the fastest by a Purdue runner since 2018.
In her first collegiate meet, Craig posted a pair of victories. Her first win of the day, which also was the team's inaugural win of the season, came in the high jump. On her opening attempt, she cleared 1.71m, a mark that stood as the best. Later in the afternoon, Craig won the 800m with a time of 2:14.27.
Obadofin won the long jump by 0.19 meters, thanks to a jump of 5.68m on her second attempt. The victory for the junior came in her first collegiate indoor long jump competition. Obadofin followed it up with a runner-up showing in the triple jump, courtesy of a 12.09m on her third attempt.
In her first collegiate 500m race, Williams picked up the win with a time of 1:13.36. The victory came by nearly 1.40 seconds over freshman teammate Jaylie Lohmeyer, who earned the runner-up finish in 1:14.73 in her first college meet.
Kerris led a 1-2-3 finish for the Boilermakers in the 60m final. She finished in 7.51 to win and just edge fifth-year Camille Christopher, who was second with a personal-record-tying 7.55. Senior Saran Kouyeth was third in 7.61.
A collegiate-best jump on his first attempt led Hill to a win in the long jump. He earned a mark of 7.44m to top senior teammate Safin Wills, who was second with a jump of 7.37m. Later in the afternoon, Hill placed second in the triple jump with another personal-best mark, this time of 15.40m.
An hour after her 60m hurdle victory, Talley added another win, and another PR, in the 300m. She was victorious in 39.03.
Czajkowski earned his first collegiate victory in the 200m. His time of 22.20 gave him the win by 0.79 seconds.
Sandlin closed his day with his first win of his college career, in the pole vault. He cleared 4.52m to take the victory, while freshman teammate Daniel Affleck was second. He also earned a mark of 4.52m.
The meet concluded with a victory by the men's 4x400 relay squad. The Boilermakers finished in 3:21.59 to win by nearly two seconds.
Runner-up showings were recorded by the Affleck, Christopher, Hill, Lohmeyer, Obadofin, Wills, fifth-year Justin Becker in the 60m (6.83), senior Meagan Hathaway in the mile (5:16.04), junior Nikia Smith in the 60m hurdles (8.60), freshman Jessica Lyons in the 800m (2:16.72) and the women's 4x400 relay.
Additionally, several Boilermakers made their collegiate debuts, as Craig, Czajkowski, Lohmeyer, Lyons and freshmen Seth Allen, Rebecca Caliendo, John Hanson, Zoe Lamb, Leo Maxwell, Keon Perkins-Sullivan, Olivia Phillips, Mary Sowinski, Karlie Stauder, Kylie Stauder, Caitlin Williams, and Eric Young II competed for the first time. Sophomore Jaelyn Burgos and freshman Christel Elkins made their indoor collegiate debuts on Saturday as well.
Following a break for the holidays, Purdue returns to the track on Saturday, January 14, at the Big Ten Invitational in Chicago. The competition will be held at the year-old Track & Field Center at Gately Park and is the first of two meets in the Windy City for the Boilermakers in 2023.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Junior K'Ja Talley won two events and set two top-10 times in the 60-meter hurdles to lead the way in the season-opening meet. Fifth-year Johnny Vanos moved up to No. 4 in the record books in the weight throw, and sophomore Brett Otterbacher entered the top-10 list at No. 7 in the 500m. Additionally, freshman Bryanna Craig won two events in her collegiate debut.
Talley's two wins came in the 60m hurdles and the 300m, while Craig's victories were in the high jump and 800m. They were joined by Otterbacher (500m), Vanos (weight throw), senior Kerris Roberts (60m), juniors LJ Hill (long jump), Deborah Obadofin (long jump), Logan Sandlin (pole vault) and Cierra Williams (500m), freshman Connor Czajkowski (200m) and the men's 4x400 relay with wins on the Boilermakers' home track.
Purdue competed against four teams at the season-opening meet, as FIU, Northern Colorado, Southeast Missouri and Tennessee State traveled to West Lafayette. The Boilermakers had entries in 24 of the 32 events.
Talley had a pair of top-10 performances in the 60m hurdles. It began in the prelims, where she ran the fastest time in 8.40, which moved her up to No. 6 in the record books. Ninety minutes later in the final, Talley improved her new PR by 0.14 seconds with a winning time of 8.26. That gave her a tie for the third-fastest time in school history, and it's the fastest mark by a Boilermaker since 2017. Talley came into the meet with a PR of 8.44 that was No. 8.
Vanos also moved up in the record books, as he rose to No. 4 all-time in the weight throw and won the event. On his third attempt, he earned a mark of 21.95m to move up one spot to No. 4 in program history. Vanos' victory was by 0.87m as he improved on his previous best of 21.34m, achieved last season.
Otterbacher debuted in the top-10 list in the 500m at No. 7. His winning time of 1:03.90 is the fastest by a Purdue runner since 2018.
In her first collegiate meet, Craig posted a pair of victories. Her first win of the day, which also was the team's inaugural win of the season, came in the high jump. On her opening attempt, she cleared 1.71m, a mark that stood as the best. Later in the afternoon, Craig won the 800m with a time of 2:14.27.
Obadofin won the long jump by 0.19 meters, thanks to a jump of 5.68m on her second attempt. The victory for the junior came in her first collegiate indoor long jump competition. Obadofin followed it up with a runner-up showing in the triple jump, courtesy of a 12.09m on her third attempt.
In her first collegiate 500m race, Williams picked up the win with a time of 1:13.36. The victory came by nearly 1.40 seconds over freshman teammate Jaylie Lohmeyer, who earned the runner-up finish in 1:14.73 in her first college meet.
Kerris led a 1-2-3 finish for the Boilermakers in the 60m final. She finished in 7.51 to win and just edge fifth-year Camille Christopher, who was second with a personal-record-tying 7.55. Senior Saran Kouyeth was third in 7.61.
A collegiate-best jump on his first attempt led Hill to a win in the long jump. He earned a mark of 7.44m to top senior teammate Safin Wills, who was second with a jump of 7.37m. Later in the afternoon, Hill placed second in the triple jump with another personal-best mark, this time of 15.40m.
An hour after her 60m hurdle victory, Talley added another win, and another PR, in the 300m. She was victorious in 39.03.
Czajkowski earned his first collegiate victory in the 200m. His time of 22.20 gave him the win by 0.79 seconds.
Sandlin closed his day with his first win of his college career, in the pole vault. He cleared 4.52m to take the victory, while freshman teammate Daniel Affleck was second. He also earned a mark of 4.52m.
The meet concluded with a victory by the men's 4x400 relay squad. The Boilermakers finished in 3:21.59 to win by nearly two seconds.
Runner-up showings were recorded by the Affleck, Christopher, Hill, Lohmeyer, Obadofin, Wills, fifth-year Justin Becker in the 60m (6.83), senior Meagan Hathaway in the mile (5:16.04), junior Nikia Smith in the 60m hurdles (8.60), freshman Jessica Lyons in the 800m (2:16.72) and the women's 4x400 relay.
Additionally, several Boilermakers made their collegiate debuts, as Craig, Czajkowski, Lohmeyer, Lyons and freshmen Seth Allen, Rebecca Caliendo, John Hanson, Zoe Lamb, Leo Maxwell, Keon Perkins-Sullivan, Olivia Phillips, Mary Sowinski, Karlie Stauder, Kylie Stauder, Caitlin Williams, and Eric Young II competed for the first time. Sophomore Jaelyn Burgos and freshman Christel Elkins made their indoor collegiate debuts on Saturday as well.
Following a break for the holidays, Purdue returns to the track on Saturday, January 14, at the Big Ten Invitational in Chicago. The competition will be held at the year-old Track & Field Center at Gately Park and is the first of two meets in the Windy City for the Boilermakers in 2023.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.