Steiner helps Kentucky set 4x400m school record at Red Raider Open

LUBBOCK, Texas — The University of Kentucky track & field women’s 4×400-Meter relay earned a school record of 3:28.62 and Kennedy Lightner ran for a school record in the 200m (20.52) on Friday evening at the Red Raider Invitational.

The Wildcats also competed in day one of the Vanderbilt Invitational where Michael Browning finished second in the weight throw (62’8″/19.10m)) and Phoebe McCowan and Jenna Schwinghamer earned first (2:45.59) and second (2:46.35) in the women’s 1000m. Day two begins Saturday, January 22 at 11 a.m. ET.

Success at the Red Raider Open

At the Red Raider Open, the Wildcats got four event wins, including both 4x400m relays, Lightner’s school record, and Dwight St. Hillaire’s 400m run. Lightner was the star of the night for Kentucky, running 20.52 for the second-fastest time in the NCAA this season and the school record. The previous record was held by teammate Langston Jackson (20.65).

The junior also played a huge part in the Wildcats’ 4x400m relay win when he came from behind in the final leg to run a 44.68 split and beat out Houston and Texas.
The women’s 4x400m school-record relay consisted of Masai Russell, Abby Steiner, Karimah Davis, and Alexis Holmes. Steiner and Holmes ran the fastest legs of the relay at 51.4, but Holmes got the last-second push after the final curve got the Wildcats the win over Arkansas.

St. Hillaire also earned an event win for Kentucky, finishing the 400m with a time of 46.11. Brian Faust finished second in the race, coming in with a personal best at 46.66. It was also the fifth-fastest 400m in UKTF history.
Some prominent second place finishers were Steiner in the 60m, Masai Russell in the 60m hurdles, Rahman Minor in the high jump, and Tai Brown in the 60m hurdles.

Steiner placed second in the 60 with a personal best 7.17, surpassing former teammate Celera Barnes for the fourth-ranked 60m in UKTF history.
Tai Brown ran a personal best in the 60m hurdles (7.72), moving up to fourth all-time in the event for Kentucky.
Russell tied her personal best in the 60m hurdles (8.01) with her second-place finish.

Rahman Minor made his season debut in the high jump, placing second with a final jump of 7’0.5″/2.15m.