Even though he graduated from the University of Oregon, King’s time on the Hill was marked by success.

King was a member of the 4×100 relay team that finished fifth at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships. That same team won the 2016 C-USA Outdoor Championship, and King himself won the C-USA 100 meter dash event.

That same year King placed 14th in the 200 meter dash, earning him the title of “All-American.”

King transferred to the University of Oregon for the 2016-17 season where he was the Pac-12 100 meter dash champion, 200 meter dash champion, 4×100 meter relay champion and he was named Pac-12 Men’s Track Athlete of the Year.

According to WKU Athletics, King was also a member of Team USA for the 2024 World Athletics Relays, he was a silver medalist at the 2022 NACAC Championships and he was a semifinalist at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The Team USA 4×100 relay team is set to compete on Aug. 8 in Paris. The opening ceremony begins Friday, July 25, and the events can be viewed on NBC, Peacock, USA and the NBC Olympics App.

The full Track and Field Olympic schedule can be viewed on the Olympics’ website.

News reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

Isenbarger is the first woman to compete at the outdoor championships for WKU in the high jump, as well as the first woman to represent WKU at the outdoor championships since Annastacia Forrester in 2019.  She cleared 1.77 meters at the championships, which placed her 21st and earned her All-American Honorable Mention honors. 

“Just a little inconsistent today and couldn’t hit the big jump at the right time,” Track and Field Head Coach Brent Chumbley said. “Katie had a great year and we still have one more meet at the trials to cap off her stellar career.” 

Isenbarger is leaving WKU with many accolades, including three Conference-USA titles (2019 outdoor, 2023 indoor, 2023 outdoor), while also being a member of the second-ranked high jump team according to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches association. 

She was named first-team All-American in the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships and second-team All-American at the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championships.  She also has six C-USA Field Athlete of the Week honors and three C-USA Track and Field All-Academic team honors under her belt. 

In her final season as a Hilltopper, Isenbarger set a program record in the high jump with 1.88 meters at the Music City Challenge in April, while also grabbing first place six times this season.   

She will have one final opportunity to add to her legacy on Saturday, June 22, as she goes to compete for the U.S. Olympic Trials. 

Graduate high jumper Katie Isenbarger is set to compete in the NCAA Outdoor Championships this weekend in Eugene, Oregon, following her May 25 qualifying jump at the NCAA East Regionals.  

Isenbarger is the first Hilltopper to qualify for the outdoor championships since 2019 and becomes the first WKU athlete to qualify for both the indoor and outdoor championships in a career since Oliver Alexandre in 2018-2019.

She will also become the first Hilltopper to compete at the outdoor women’s high jump championships in program history, according to a press release from WKU athletics. 

“For recruiting I hope people in the region realize…you can jump well at Western Kentucky. Her success will help with recruiting,” WKU Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Brent Chumbley said in a June 3 press conference. “That exposure is advertising you can not buy.”

Isenbarger will compete in a field of 24 jumpers. The women’s high jump event is set to start Saturday at 4 pm CT.

WKU hosted the event, which is the first time it has been hosted on home turf since 2019. Nine teams competed in the race. The men’s 8K consisted of 76 runners. The women’s 6K had 74 runners.

The freshmen continued to lead the team. Jared Sandfoss completed the race in 39th place with a personal best time of 25:38. Kinley Kunkel led the women’s squad, placing 35th with a time of 24:05. The duo has led WKU Cross Country all year. 

Junior Brad Wiggins ran his best time of 26:19, putting him at 48th place. Sophomore Wade Balcolm followed behind Wiggins, placing 49th with a time of 26:26.

Sophomore Rylee Evans followed behind Kinley Kunkel with a time of 24:39 which placed her at 42nd. Sophomore Kynlei Bassett followed behind Evans with a time of 25:29 and placed 54th.
“I’m proud of everyone, competed to the end, we competed hard. The guys especially, they ended up running a lot quicker than in our (earlier) home meet,” Head Coach Ron Becht said.

Sports reporter Morgan Larkins can be contacted at morgan.larkins297@topper.wku.edu

Freshmen continue to lead the two squads. Jared Sandfoss and Kinley Kunkel have been top finishers between all three meets for the squads. 

Sophomore Rowan Wilkinson beat his personal best in the 8k by ten seconds this race. Fellow sophomore Kynzlei Bassett improved her 5k time by 31 seconds. 

There were 50 teams competing in the women’s race and 48 in the men’s. There were 389 competitors in the men’s race and an even 400 within the women’s. 

Kinley Kunkel led the women’s squad with a time of 19:26 and  finished in 15th place. Bassett trailed behind her with a time of 19:45 and placed 34th. Junior Mary Dye placed 79th with a time of 20:32. 

Sandfoss continued to lead the men’s squad with a time of 26:48 and placed 44th. Sophomore Wade Balcom ran behind him in 114th place with a time of 27:46. Freshman Trevor Hudnall rounded the top three out with a time of 27:47 and placed 117th.

“It was one of the biggest meets most have ever competed in with around 400 athletes in the races.” Head Coach Ron Becht said. “They learned a lot about running through and navigating large crowds,” 

The Hilltoppers next meet will be at the Angel Mounds Invitational in Evansville, Indiana on October 13.

Sports reporter Morgan Larkins can be contacted at morgan.larkins297@topper.wku.edu

Five teams competed in the WKU Invitational alongside WKU. Murray State, Cumberlands, Campbellsville, and Kentucky Wesleyan were pitted against WKU’s men and women’s cross country team.

The women’s cross country team completed second in the entire race. Freshman Kinley Kunkel placed seventh with a time of 24:01. Junior Mary Dye placed 13th with a time of 25:35. Fellow freshman Keelin Elmer followed not long after, placing 14th with a time of 25:43.

Freshman Jared Sandfoss led the men’s cross country team, placing ninth with a time of 26:05. Sophomore Wade Balcom placed 14th with a time of 26:50. Senior Brad Wiggins trailed not far after, placing sixteenth with a time of 26:54.

Head Coach Ron Becht says he’s happy with where the team is at. “The freshman, it’s the first time they’ve run the 6k and the 8k, especially for the guys, going from 5k to 8k is a big adjustment,” Becht said. 

Next, the Hilltoppers will participate in the Live in the Lou Classic Sept. 30 in Louisville, Ky.

Sports reporter Morgan Larkins can be reached at morgan.larins297@wku.topper.edu.

The Hilltopper women’s team placed seventh and the men’s team placed eighth in their matches at the Belmont Opener in Nashville, TN. 

Freshman Kinley Kunkel led the women’s squad with a time of 19:43.6, placing 44th out of the 114 women runners. Freshman Keelin Elmer followed with a time of 19:58.1, finishing 48th. Senior Lucy Rutherford, finished right behind Elmer in 50th place with a time of 20:04.4.

Freshman Jared Sandfoss led the men’s squad of runners with a time of 16:08.6, placing 37th out of 118 runners. Fellow freshman Trevor Hudnall placed 69th with a time of 16:45.7. Sophomore Wade Balcom placed 71st with a time of 16:48 for the men’s squad. 

“Nice job of Freshman Kinley Kunkel and Keelin Elmer leading the way for women and Freshman Jared Sandfoss for men,” Head Coach Ron Becht said. “It’s early, so we will continue to work hard to improve over the next several weeks.”

WKU’s Cross Country team will compete on home turf, September 15, in the WKU Invitational. 

Sports reporter Morgan Larkins can be found at morgan.larkins297@topper.wku.edu

Isenbarger secured the gold with an impressive 1.79 meter jump. This is Isenbarger’s second gold medal of the 2023 season as she also took home gold in the C-USA Indoor Track Championships in the same event. 

Sophomore Zackery Martinez also had a great showing at the championship. Martinez won bronze in the 400 meter hurdle and gave WKU six points with his 52.95 second finish. 

Overall, WKU’s men’s team collected 25 points to finish ninth in the championships while the women’s team scored 24 to finish 10th.

Sports reporter Jake McMahon can be reached at michael.mcmahon480@topper.wku.edu.

During the meet, the Hilltopper senior athletes were honored for their accomplishments. Additionally, former WKU Track and Field athlete and 1974 NCAA Shot Put Champion, Jesse Stewart, was recognized with a jersey retirement. 

Starting on the track, WKU Relay teams had multiple wins. The 4x100m relay team consisting of freshman Dalin Siggers, freshman Julian Klenner, sophomore Gabriel Dozier and junior Demetrius Rolle came first place clocking a time of 41.30. 

Additionally, the men’s 4×400 team made up of Klenner, Dozier, junior Rafael Teodoro da Silva and sophomore Zackery Martinez with a time of 3:21.77

To continue the WKU hot streak, Rolle won the 100m with a time of 10.49. Klenner also brought home a win inthe men’s 400m with a time of 48.02. 

Martinez won the men’s 400m hurdles, blazing in with a 54.31 time. Freshman Dalton Lesher claimed number one in the men’s 800m at 1:57.29.

On the field, WKU had great performances. All-American senior Katie Isenbarger won the women’s high jump clearing 1.77m. Junior Grace Turner also competed in the high jump and took fifth place with a jump of 1.60m.  

In the men’s field, Freshman Luke Stegman won the discus with a throw of 48.15m. Senior John Elam followed closely behind, placing third with a distance of 42.35m. 

Turner continued her good performance, finishing second in both javelin and pole vault with a throw of 30.55m and a vault of 3.50m.

To continue the season, WKU will compete at the Joe Walker Invitational at Ole Miss Track & Field Complex on April 7-8.

Sports reporter Chaz Mackey can be reached at chaz.mackey837@topper.wku.edu .