WACO, TX — School record holders Wil London, Kiana Horton, and KC Lightfoot are part of a group of 14 Baylor track & field athletes competing at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Friday and Saturday (March 8-9) at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala.
“This is an outstanding group of athletes that are traveling to compete in Birmingham,” head coach Todd Harbour said. “They have all competed at a high level this indoor season, and we hope to continue that this weekend in Birmingham. We are excited to see what this weekend will bring.”
London, fresh off running 45.19 to win the 400 meters at the Big 12 Championships and break Jeremy Wariner’s Baylor indoor record, enters the NCAA Championships ranked No. 2 in the nation. The senior from Waco, Texas, will also anchor the No. 5-ranked men’s 4x400-meter relay team alongside Matthew Moorer, Howard Fields III, and Jayson Baldridge. Caleb Dickson and Maxwell Willis will also travel as alternates for the relay.
The semifinals for the men’s 400 meters will take place Friday at 6:42 p.m. CT, with the final being Saturday at 5 p.m. CT. The men’ 4x400-meter relay will conclude the meet Saturday at 6:55 p.m. CT.
Lightfoot has the sixth-best pole vault in the NCAA this season at 18-7.5 (5.68m), hitting the mark for the second time this season to win the Big 12 Championship as a freshman. The Lee’s Summit, Mo., product has twice bested a Baylor indoor record (18-4.75) that previously stood for 28 years. The men’s pole vault is set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Horton will have the busiest schedule of the weekend, competing in the 200 meters, 400 meters, and 4x400-meter relay. The senior from San Antonio, Texas, is the No. 5-ranked runner in the nation in the 400 meters (52.29@ - adjusted for altitude) after breaking Yulanda Nelson’s school record to win her second consecutive Big 12 Championship. Horton is ranked 15th in the 200 meters (23.10@), and is the anchor for 4x4 team along with Victoria Powell, Aaliyah Miller, and Sydney Washington that ranks No. 15 (3:34.36@).
The semifinals of the women’s 400 meters will be Friday at 6:27 p.m. CT, with the final going Saturday at 4:50 p.m. CT. The women’s 4x400-meter relay is scheduled for Saturday at 6:40 p.m. CT.
Tuesdi Tidwell will compete in her first NCAA Championships after flying into the No. 14 spot in the NCAA to finish second in the pole vault at the Big 12 Championships (14-2.5, 4.33m). The sophomore from Early, Texas, now has the fourth-best indoor mark in school history. The women’s pole vault will take place Saturday at 4 p.m. CT.
Heading into the NCAA Championships, the Baylor men’s team is ranked No. 18 in the country while the women are in the No. 41 spot.
