Kentucky track and field hosted the Jim Green Invitational on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, earning seven event wins, three top-10 program marks and featuring Emmi Scales reclaiming the NCAA No. 1 spot.
On day one of the competition, the Wildcats capped the day with eight wins.
The women’s side accounted for a majority of the victories, with Addison Stadsholt taking the women’s hammer final, Kate Powers topping the women’s hammer invite, Venice Kerubo Nyagisera taking both the women’s 400-meter hurdles and the women’s 800-meter invite, A’Laji Bradley winning the women’s 200-meter final and Morgan Dick topping the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase finals.
In the women’s 200-meter, Bradley ran a personal best time of 22.80, moving her to No. 9 in the Kentucky All-Time records.
The sophomore has been with the Wildcats for two years now, and has been making impressive achievements in the field. The native from St. Louis, Missouri was selected as a 2025 NCAA Second Team All-American, was a member of the women’s 4×400-meter team to qualify for the NCAA Championships and was a member on the 4×200-meter relay team, which won at the Drake Relays.
On the men’s side, Brock Conrad took the men’s hammer final and Denzel Simusialela won the men’s 200-meter final.
In the men’s 400-meter hurdles finals, sophomore Anthony Waterman had an impressive race, finishing third with a new personal best time of 49.97, nearly breaking the Kentucky program record (49.96).
“The kids are competing well. The women are ranked, I think 10th in the country right now, and the men I think are ranked 23rd. They’re performing and healthy, getting ready to go into the SEC Championships, so that’s very positive,” head coach Lonnie Greene said. “I think we have the type of women’s team that can podium – and I say podium – be one of the four teams that actually get one of the trophies in the NCAA championships.”
Junior Emmi Scales has been a standout performer for the Cats this season.
On day two of the competition, Scales competed in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, where she ran a personal best time of 12.68. This is the fourth-fastest time in Kentucky history and currently the No. 1 time in the country.
“Yeah, she’s special, she’s one of those babies that got the gift, she’s got the gift. They’re talented kids, the kids who can run and then the ones who got the gift, she’s got the gift,” Greene said.
This won’t be the only meet that the Wildcats will be hosting this outdoor season. Later in May, the Wildcats will be hosting the 2026 NCAA East First Round competition.
“Yeah we’re home, you got to represent the brand, you got to represent. I always tell them this before we have a home meet, this is like your mother’s house. People can come into your mama’s house, but you can’t go into your parents bedroom, you can go in the basement, you can go in the common area, even in the kitchen, but when it comes to your parents bedroom, that’s off limits,” Greene said. “And so you protect that when they’re not there, and I tell them that’s how I need them to treat this house. So you don’t let no one come in and think they could do what they want. You have to earn it.”
To close out the competition, both the men’s and women’s sides performed in the 4×400-meter relays. Both teams took first, where the men finished with a time of 3:07.39, and the women took first with a time of 3:33.64.
“Like every other coach, we want to win, that’s the goal and stay healthy,” Greene said.
Next up, the Wildcats will be traveling down to Auburn, Alabama for the 2026 SEC Outdoor Championship on May 14-16.
