Bennett, Hinds Crowned Individual Champions in Impressive Finish to Big 12 Championship

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Juniors Jhavor Bennett and Safhia Hinds were crowned event champions in the men's triple jump and women's 400 meter hurdles on Saturday (May 17) as K-State's second and third individual champions on the final day of the Big 12 Championship at Rock Chalk Park.

With his sixth and final attempt in the triple jump, Bennett launched to 16.21m (53' 2 ¼"), a personal best by almost three feet, for the no. 8 best jump in the K-State outdoor records. This is the third-ever triple jump title for K-State, the last victorious Wildcat was Devin Field in 2014. It is the second outdoor conference medal for Bennett who previously finished 6^th in the long jump during the 2023 season.

"When you look at the improvement that that young man has made, that was almost a three foot personal best on the season," head coach Travis Geopfert said. "I think, four or four and a half feet better than he jumped last year, and just these monumental gains and showed today how much of a competitor he is."

Hinds won the women's 400 meter hurdles in 55.90 seconds, a consecutive new personal best after her time of 56.75 in the preliminary race on Thursday, climbing up to no. 2 in the women's school records. She is the third Wildcat to win the event, Ranae McKenzie the last one in consecutive years in 2018-19.

"You know that kid, her determination and her grit for that conference championship was absolutely unbelievable," Geopfert said. "Her personal best last year was 58.31 seconds. And you know, I was talking to her after the fact, and we could all see that it was coming, and I think she might have surprised herself a little bit today. But sometimes when kids make these very quick gains and these improvements, their minds don't keep up, but Safhia's did. She went into that race an absolute underdog and had no fear and flat out got it done. I couldn't be more proud of that kid."

The last time K-State crowned three individual champions was the 2021 outdoor season, held in Manhattan at R.V. Christian Track, with Taylor Latimer, Tejaswin Shankar and Logan Wolfley.

The Wildcats also gave eight more top-8 podium finishes during the last day for a total of 18 team scorers over three days of competition. After 21 events, the women's team finished 10^th with 38.33 points, the men's team in 11^th place with 39 points.

In the triple jump and 400 meter hurdles two other Cats also landed on the podium, freshman Selva Prabhu finished 5^th at a distance of 15.68m (51' 5 ½"), his furthest jump by over six inches. Junior Jourdin Edwards ran 57.49 seconds, another personal best, in 6^th place, tied for the no. 5 fastest time in the school records.

Another top-3 finish came from junior Sharie Enoe as she finished runner-up in the women's high jump. She tied her personal best height of 1.88m (6' 2") on the first attempt, and in the fight for first place she narrowly missed 1.94m (6' 4 ¼"), competing for just the third time this season.

Junior Gary Moore Jr. found himself on the podium for the second time in three days, finishing 7^th in the discus throw with a new personal best distance of 55.87m (183' 3"), his best by 11 feet for the new no. 10 best throw in the K-State all-time top-10.

Two women also reached the podium in the women's triple jump, senior Shalom Olotu finished 4^th in her career best outdoor performance at 13.14m (43' 1 ½"), now the no. 9 best K-State women's outdoor jump and sophomore Taylor Mayo landed in 8^th place at 12.90m (42' 4").

Sophomore Tavon Underwood finished 6^th in the men's 400 meters final race in 46.20 seconds, four-tenths of a second faster than his preliminary time on Friday. Fellow sophomore Nen Matlock crossed the finish line in 9^th place in 46.64 seconds.

Junior Tamaiah Koonce finished just outside the women's discus throw top-8 in 9^th place with a throw of 52.88m (173' 6").

The Wildcats wait for the official qualifiers list to the NCAA West Preliminary set for May 28-31 in College Station, Texas, hosted by Texas A&M at E.B. Cushing Stadium.

FROM THE TRACK
Head Coach Travis Geopfert
On the performance from Jourdin Edwards…
"Our athletes today just did a phenomenal job. I got to give a shout out to Jourdin Edwards. You know, she's had a personal best by nearly a second half over last year, and she ran her heart out today. Her effort in the 400 hurdles for that sixth place finish, number four all time on our school list, did a fantastic job."

On the runner-up finish by Sharie Enoe…
"It was really cool about Sharie today. So, she had made 6' 2", her personal best on a first attempt. And then the Texas Tech girl made 6' 3" and Sharie had missed it. And then, and she's like, 'you know what, Coach, I want to pass my next two attempts, and I want to go for the win.' And she had a really good look at 6' 4 ½" today. So, I think that was a huge confidence booster for her."

Big 12 Championship
Rock Chalk Park
Lawrence, Kan.

Men's Discus Throw
7. Gary Moore Jr., 55.87m (183' 3") (PR)
17. Nate Collier, 52.56m (172' 5")
Emil Uhlin, NM

Men's Pole Vault
12. Pierson Carlisle, 5.06m (16' 7 ¼")
T14. Emil Uhlin, 4.91m (16' 1 ¼")

Women's High Jump
2. Sharie Enoe, 1.88m (6' 2")
Lindsey DeWitt, NH

Men's Triple Jump
1. Jhavor Bennett, 16.21m (53' 2 ¼") (1.6) (PR)
5. Selva Prabhu, 15.68m (51' 5 ½") (1.2) (PR)

Men's 400 Meters (Final)
6. Tavon Underwood, 46.20
9. Nen Matlock, 46.64

Women's Discus Throw
9. Tamaiah Koonce, 52.88m (173' 6")

Women's 400 Meter Hurdles (Final)
1. Safhia Hinds, 55.90 (PR)
6. Jourdin Edwards, 57.49 (PR)

Men's 5,000 Meters
30. Jackson Esquibel, 14:38.43

Women's Triple Jump
4. Shalom Olotu, 13.14m (43' 1 ½") (0.4)
8. Taylor Mayo, 12.90m (42' 4") (1.1)

Women's 5,000 Meters
24. Grace Meyer, 16:53.26

Men's 4x400 Relay
8. K-State, 3:07.98
(Cyrus Ways, Tavon Underwood, Nen Matlock, Quenton Rice)

Women's 4x400 Relay
12. K-State, 3:39.81
(Jourdin Edwards, Ludivine Aubert, Delaney Wright, Safhia Hinds)

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Kansas State University Athletics

Bennett, Hinds Crowned Individual Champions in Impressive Finish to Big 12 Championship

Players Mentioned

Ludivine Aubert

Jhavor Bennett

Pierson Carlisle

Nate Collier

Lindsey DeWitt

Jourdin Edwards

Sharie Enoe

Jackson Esquibel

Safhia Hinds

Tamaiah Koonce

Nen Matlock

Taylor Mayo

Grace Meyer

Gary Moore Jr.

Shalom Olotu

Selva Prabhu

Quenton Rice

Emil Uhlin

Tavon Underwood

Cyrus Ways

Delaney Wright

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