The University of Kentucky Track and Field program will kick off the new year by hosting the 30th edition of the Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational this weekend. The prestigious indoor meet will take place on Friday, January 10, and Saturday, January 11, at the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center in Louisville.
Field events will begin at Noon ET on Friday, with running events commencing at 3 p.m. ET. Saturday’s schedule starts with field events at 11 a.m. ET, followed by track events at Noon ET. Admission is free for all spectators, with a $5 parking fee at the venue.
The Wildcats enter their third meet of the season riding the momentum of a successful December opener that featured three broken records and 12 event wins. Highlights included Ed Bird’s new school record in the 3000m and Collins Kiprop Kipngok’s freshman record in the 5000m at the Sharon Colyer-Danville Opener. Meanwhile, Olympic finalist Tapiwanashe “Carlie” Makarawu set a new Zimbabwe national record and ran the third-fastest 300m time in Kentucky history at the Louisville Opener. Makarawu is slated to compete in the same event on Friday.
Returning All-Americans Luke Brown and Kate Powers headline field action for Kentucky. Brown, the reigning SEC Champion in the Triple Jump, claimed an easy victory in his specialty at the Louisville Opener and will compete again this Saturday. Powers, who holds two Kentucky freshman records, notched the second-best Weight Throw mark in school history during her season debut and will aim to surpass her personal best by 3.5 inches to set a new school record on Friday.
On the track, Kentucky sprinters delivered dominant performances in December, sweeping the 60-meter dashes and hurdles. Sharmelle Holmes impressed in her collegiate debut, clocking a personal best of 7.37 seconds to win the women’s 60m dash. Sophomore Miles Jones matched the eighth-best 60m time in school history with a 6.67-second run to secure victory.
In the hurdles, All-American Alexis Glasco began her senior campaign with a win in the women’s 60m hurdles, while Nigerian 100m hurdles champion Alexander Chukwukelu took the men’s title.
After the McCravy, the Wildcats will split squads next weekend, with sprinters and jumpers heading to Lubbock, Texas, for the Corky Classic and distance runners and throwers traveling to Nashville, Tennessee, for the Vanderbilt Invitational. Both meets will run from January 17-18.
Honoring Rod McCravy
The Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational is named in honor of Rodriq McCravy, a University of Kentucky track athlete who tragically passed away in 1987 at just 19 years old. A standout athlete and leader on the team, McCravy’s charisma, kindness, and dedication left a lasting impression on his teammates, friends, and coaches.
A Louisville Trinity High School graduate, McCravy was a two-time state champion in the 300m hurdles and once held UK’s freshman record in the 400m hurdles (53.35). He was also part of a then-school record 4x400m relay team.
The meet serves as an enduring tribute to McCravy’s legacy, highlighting his impact as an athlete and as a person. It provides an opportunity for the UK track and field community to celebrate his memory and the positive influence he had on everyone who knew him.
