GAINESVILLE, Fla., and LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Junior Cierra Williams moved up in the record books and sophomore Rieko Wilford earned a win with a personal-best-tying mark as the Purdue track & field team competed at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, and the Jim Freeman Louisville Invitational in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday.
The Boilermaker sprinters and throwers concluded the two-day meet at Florida's James G. Pressly Stadium at Percy Beard Track, while Purdue's distance runners, jumpers and select sprinters and throwers were at Louisville's Cardinal Track Stadium for the team's lone day of competition.
A total of 20 personal-best marks achieved by the Boilermakers at the two meets on Saturday, including Williams in the 400-meter. Another nine season-bests were recorded, while Wilford was one of three to tie their collegiate or season-best mark. This comes after two PRs and a season-best were achieved on Friday in Gainesville.
Williams' top-10 time in school history came in Florida, where she rose one spot to No. 4. Her 400m time of 53.02 is the fastest by a Boilermaker since 2018 and ranks No. 7 in the Big Ten this season. Williams bested her previous PR of 53.17, which she achieved almost one year ago.
Meanwhile at Louisville, Wilford put a stamp on the Boilermakers' day with a win in the triple jump. In the day's final event, she jumped a wind-aided 12.90 meters on her second attempt. As Wilford collected her first collegiate win outdoors, and second overall of her career in the Old Gold and Black, she matched her personal-best jump in all conditions, set two weeks ago that is fourth-best in Purdue history.
Just before Wilford's win, junior LJ Hill earned a runner-up finish in the men's triple jump. He jumped a season-best 14.95m, which ranks sixth in the Big Ten. Right behind him was sophomore Praise Aniamaka in third with a mark of 14.77m that is eighth in the conference.
Junior Nikia Smith also registered a third-place finish in the 100m hurdles in 13.72, which is a season-best time in all conditions. She added a PR of 24.78 in the 200m, while freshman teammate Bryanna Craig also ran a collegiate-best time of 24.95 in the event.
Wilford opened her day with a long jump PR of 5.78m, and Aniamaka also began his day with a personal record in all conditions in the long jump thanks to a mark of 6.86m-w.
Junior Logan Sandlin's meet started with a season-best pole vault clearance of 4.60m. Minutes after crossing the finish line with a wind-legal PR in the 110m hurdles (16.05), he threw a collegiate best of 32.10m in the discus.
Two sophomores had two personal-record times each at UofL. Jaelyn Burgos earned a 4:45.37 in the 1,500m and a 2:18.69 in the 800m, and Paul Goins finished the 110m hurdles in 14.58 and the 200m in 22.74. Sophomore Alison Casey (pole vault, 3.45m) and freshmen Christel Elkins (1,500m, 4:38.47) and Olivia Phillips (1,500m, 4:57.11) also achieved PRs at the meet.
Every Boilermaker who ran the 400m at Florida earned a PR, led by Williams. She was joined in the women's race by sophomore Taliyah Booker's 54.69 and freshman Jaylie Lohmeyer's 55.03. For the men, junior Jahn Riley's finish of 47.16 ranks No. 6 in the Big Ten, and sophomore Owen Schafer clocked in at 48.55.
Fifth-year Camille Christopher earned a season-best 100m time of 11.55, which ranks 11th in the conference, and junior Naomi Campbell added a PR in the event with an 11.71. The men's race saw freshman Connor Czajkowski post a personal record of 10.50.
In relay competition in the Sunshine State, the men's 4x100 began action on the track with a season-best 40.03, which is fifth-fastest in the Big Ten. The Boilermaker men closed the meet with a season-best-tying 3:10.60 in the 4x400.
Season-bests also were set at Louisville by senior Joseph Romanyk (800m, 1:56.36), junior Emily Kim (long jump, 5.38m) and sophomore Zamen Siyoum (400m hurdles, 54.95). Fifth-year Jessica Bray (3.90m) and freshman Danny Affleck (4.60m) tied their season- and collegiate-best pole vault clearances, respectively. In Florida, sophomore Ikeava Bryant's discus throw of 42.22m is a personal-best.
In the penultimate weekend of the regular season, the Boilermakers travel to two meets next weekend, the Indiana Invitational in Bloomington, Indiana, and the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville, Virginia. Both are two-day events from April 21-22.
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.
The Boilermaker sprinters and throwers concluded the two-day meet at Florida's James G. Pressly Stadium at Percy Beard Track, while Purdue's distance runners, jumpers and select sprinters and throwers were at Louisville's Cardinal Track Stadium for the team's lone day of competition.
A total of 20 personal-best marks achieved by the Boilermakers at the two meets on Saturday, including Williams in the 400-meter. Another nine season-bests were recorded, while Wilford was one of three to tie their collegiate or season-best mark. This comes after two PRs and a season-best were achieved on Friday in Gainesville.
Williams' top-10 time in school history came in Florida, where she rose one spot to No. 4. Her 400m time of 53.02 is the fastest by a Boilermaker since 2018 and ranks No. 7 in the Big Ten this season. Williams bested her previous PR of 53.17, which she achieved almost one year ago.
Meanwhile at Louisville, Wilford put a stamp on the Boilermakers' day with a win in the triple jump. In the day's final event, she jumped a wind-aided 12.90 meters on her second attempt. As Wilford collected her first collegiate win outdoors, and second overall of her career in the Old Gold and Black, she matched her personal-best jump in all conditions, set two weeks ago that is fourth-best in Purdue history.
Just before Wilford's win, junior LJ Hill earned a runner-up finish in the men's triple jump. He jumped a season-best 14.95m, which ranks sixth in the Big Ten. Right behind him was sophomore Praise Aniamaka in third with a mark of 14.77m that is eighth in the conference.
Junior Nikia Smith also registered a third-place finish in the 100m hurdles in 13.72, which is a season-best time in all conditions. She added a PR of 24.78 in the 200m, while freshman teammate Bryanna Craig also ran a collegiate-best time of 24.95 in the event.
Wilford opened her day with a long jump PR of 5.78m, and Aniamaka also began his day with a personal record in all conditions in the long jump thanks to a mark of 6.86m-w.
Junior Logan Sandlin's meet started with a season-best pole vault clearance of 4.60m. Minutes after crossing the finish line with a wind-legal PR in the 110m hurdles (16.05), he threw a collegiate best of 32.10m in the discus.
Two sophomores had two personal-record times each at UofL. Jaelyn Burgos earned a 4:45.37 in the 1,500m and a 2:18.69 in the 800m, and Paul Goins finished the 110m hurdles in 14.58 and the 200m in 22.74. Sophomore Alison Casey (pole vault, 3.45m) and freshmen Christel Elkins (1,500m, 4:38.47) and Olivia Phillips (1,500m, 4:57.11) also achieved PRs at the meet.
Every Boilermaker who ran the 400m at Florida earned a PR, led by Williams. She was joined in the women's race by sophomore Taliyah Booker's 54.69 and freshman Jaylie Lohmeyer's 55.03. For the men, junior Jahn Riley's finish of 47.16 ranks No. 6 in the Big Ten, and sophomore Owen Schafer clocked in at 48.55.
Fifth-year Camille Christopher earned a season-best 100m time of 11.55, which ranks 11th in the conference, and junior Naomi Campbell added a PR in the event with an 11.71. The men's race saw freshman Connor Czajkowski post a personal record of 10.50.
In relay competition in the Sunshine State, the men's 4x100 began action on the track with a season-best 40.03, which is fifth-fastest in the Big Ten. The Boilermaker men closed the meet with a season-best-tying 3:10.60 in the 4x400.
Season-bests also were set at Louisville by senior Joseph Romanyk (800m, 1:56.36), junior Emily Kim (long jump, 5.38m) and sophomore Zamen Siyoum (400m hurdles, 54.95). Fifth-year Jessica Bray (3.90m) and freshman Danny Affleck (4.60m) tied their season- and collegiate-best pole vault clearances, respectively. In Florida, sophomore Ikeava Bryant's discus throw of 42.22m is a personal-best.
In the penultimate weekend of the regular season, the Boilermakers travel to two meets next weekend, the Indiana Invitational in Bloomington, Indiana, and the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville, Virginia. Both are two-day events from April 21-22.
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.