GAINESVILLE, Fla. And LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trips to Florida and Louisville are up next for the Purdue track & field team, as the Boilermakers will compete at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, and the Jim Freeman Louisville Invitational in Louisville, Kentucky, from April 14-15.
Purdue's sprinters and throwers will compete in Florida on Friday and Saturday, while the Boilermaker distance runners, jumpers and select sprinters and throwers are headed to Louisville on Saturday.
Fans can follow along with live results (Florida | Louisville) and the meet schedule (Florida | Louisville) from each meet. The Tom Jones Memorial will feature a live stream on SECN+ (Friday | Saturday). Direct links to follow each meet are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField, and additional updates can be found by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Tom Jones Memorial begins for the Boilermakers with two events on Friday, April 14, the discus at 2 p.m. ET, and the 200-meter at 5:50 p.m. On Saturday, April 15, Purdue's day commences with the women's discus at 9 a.m., and the team's first event on the track is the men's 4x100 relay at 1:10 p.m. The meet concludes with the 4x400 relay at 5:10 p.m.
The Jim Freeman Louisville Invite starts off for Purdue with the men's pole vault at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday. The team's opening running event is the 1,500m at 1:50 p.m., and the day concludes with the women's triple jump at 4 p.m. and the 200m at 4:10 p.m.
Eighteen Boilermakers, 11 men and seven women, are competing at the Gators' James G. Pressly Stadium at Percy Beard Track. A total of 39 teams will compete at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, including host-Florida and Big Ten squads Iowa, Ohio State and Rutgers.
At Louisville's Cardinal Track Stadium, Purdue will be represented by 24 student-athletes, 15 women and nine men. Along with the host-Cardinals and Boilermakers, Big Ten foes Indiana and Michigan are among the six total teams competing at the Jim Freeman Louisville Invitational.
PURDUE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Three Boilermakers and two relays appear in the top-25 in the third weekly national TFRI individual rankings, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The women's 4x400 relay, with the fifth-fastest time in school history, is No. 15, followed by the women's 4x100 at No. 17. Freshman Bryanna Craig is ranked No. 19 nationally in the heptathlon.
A pair of fifth-years also are in the top-25 with top-10 marks in Boilermaker history, courtesy of Justin Becker and Johnny Vanos. Becker is No. 22 in the country and No. 7 in school history in the 200m, while Vanos is No. 6 in Boilermaker history and No. 25 nationally in the hammer throw.
As a team, five events appear in the top-25 of the season's second #EventSquad rankings. The men's 100m is No. 15 and the men's hammer throw is 17th, while the women's 200m is No. 18. The women's pole vault and men's 5,000m enter the national rankings at No. 18 and No. 25, respectively.
LOOKING BACK TO 2022
The Boilermakers return to both Florida and Louisville for the second time in as many years. At the Florida Relays from April 1-2, Purdue notched a pair of second-place finishes to highlight the weekend. Two weeks later, on April 16, a top-10 time in the 1,500m and 15 personal-best marks were recorded at the Louisville Invitational.
LAST TIME OUT: TWO TOP-10 TIMES SET AT ILLINOIS
A pair of top-10 times and two victories propelled Purdue at the Fighting Illini Challenge on April 8 in Champaign, Illinois. On a windy, cool and sun-soaked day, junior Alex Frey and sophomore Nathan Walker etched their name in the Boilermaker record book in the 1,500-meter with the ninth- and 10th-fastest times in school history. Senior Kerris Roberts and junior K'Ja Talley added wins in the 200m and 400m hurdles, respectively.
Frey and Walker posted two of the Boilermakers' 15 personal-best marks on Saturday, while another four season-bests were achieved. Four made their outdoor collegiate debuts, another four made their outdoor season debuts and five competed in their events for the first time in the Old Gold and Black.
Recap all the action, including full results, at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
NEXT UP: INDIANA AND VIRGINIA ON TAP
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.
Purdue's sprinters and throwers will compete in Florida on Friday and Saturday, while the Boilermaker distance runners, jumpers and select sprinters and throwers are headed to Louisville on Saturday.
Fans can follow along with live results (Florida | Louisville) and the meet schedule (Florida | Louisville) from each meet. The Tom Jones Memorial will feature a live stream on SECN+ (Friday | Saturday). Direct links to follow each meet are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField, and additional updates can be found by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Tom Jones Memorial begins for the Boilermakers with two events on Friday, April 14, the discus at 2 p.m. ET, and the 200-meter at 5:50 p.m. On Saturday, April 15, Purdue's day commences with the women's discus at 9 a.m., and the team's first event on the track is the men's 4x100 relay at 1:10 p.m. The meet concludes with the 4x400 relay at 5:10 p.m.
The Jim Freeman Louisville Invite starts off for Purdue with the men's pole vault at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday. The team's opening running event is the 1,500m at 1:50 p.m., and the day concludes with the women's triple jump at 4 p.m. and the 200m at 4:10 p.m.
Eighteen Boilermakers, 11 men and seven women, are competing at the Gators' James G. Pressly Stadium at Percy Beard Track. A total of 39 teams will compete at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, including host-Florida and Big Ten squads Iowa, Ohio State and Rutgers.
At Louisville's Cardinal Track Stadium, Purdue will be represented by 24 student-athletes, 15 women and nine men. Along with the host-Cardinals and Boilermakers, Big Ten foes Indiana and Michigan are among the six total teams competing at the Jim Freeman Louisville Invitational.
PURDUE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Three Boilermakers and two relays appear in the top-25 in the third weekly national TFRI individual rankings, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The women's 4x400 relay, with the fifth-fastest time in school history, is No. 15, followed by the women's 4x100 at No. 17. Freshman Bryanna Craig is ranked No. 19 nationally in the heptathlon.
A pair of fifth-years also are in the top-25 with top-10 marks in Boilermaker history, courtesy of Justin Becker and Johnny Vanos. Becker is No. 22 in the country and No. 7 in school history in the 200m, while Vanos is No. 6 in Boilermaker history and No. 25 nationally in the hammer throw.
As a team, five events appear in the top-25 of the season's second #EventSquad rankings. The men's 100m is No. 15 and the men's hammer throw is 17th, while the women's 200m is No. 18. The women's pole vault and men's 5,000m enter the national rankings at No. 18 and No. 25, respectively.
LOOKING BACK TO 2022
The Boilermakers return to both Florida and Louisville for the second time in as many years. At the Florida Relays from April 1-2, Purdue notched a pair of second-place finishes to highlight the weekend. Two weeks later, on April 16, a top-10 time in the 1,500m and 15 personal-best marks were recorded at the Louisville Invitational.
LAST TIME OUT: TWO TOP-10 TIMES SET AT ILLINOIS
A pair of top-10 times and two victories propelled Purdue at the Fighting Illini Challenge on April 8 in Champaign, Illinois. On a windy, cool and sun-soaked day, junior Alex Frey and sophomore Nathan Walker etched their name in the Boilermaker record book in the 1,500-meter with the ninth- and 10th-fastest times in school history. Senior Kerris Roberts and junior K'Ja Talley added wins in the 200m and 400m hurdles, respectively.
Frey and Walker posted two of the Boilermakers' 15 personal-best marks on Saturday, while another four season-bests were achieved. Four made their outdoor collegiate debuts, another four made their outdoor season debuts and five competed in their events for the first time in the Old Gold and Black.
Recap all the action, including full results, at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
NEXT UP: INDIANA AND VIRGINIA ON TAP
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.