Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers

What: Three-game series

When: Monday through Wednesday (7:05 each night)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Miami Marlins

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Chris Devenski (7-6, 4.52) vs. RH Jake Esch (0-1, 6.17); Tuesday RH Mike Foltynewicz (14-3, 2.78) vs. RH Jose Urena (8-5, 3.38); Wednesday, LH Luis Cruz (9-6, 3.89) vs. RH Josh Hodges (7-8, 3.73).

Matt Smith

Grasshopper to watch: All-star 1B Matt Smith (6-foot-3, 230 pounds, age 24, bats/throws right, from Milan, Ga.) leads Greensboro with a .495 slugging percentage and is tied for fourth in the league with 17 home runs. Batting .278 over 78 games, he has driven in 65 runs and scored 57. Thirteen of his 82 hits have been doubles, and he has 146 total bases to go with an .852 OPS.  Smith wrapped up a four-year career at Ole Miss in 2011. Over 228 games, he batted .321 for the Rebels, with 41 homers, 183 RBI and 185 runs scored.

Brandon Meredith

Legend to watch: OF Brandon Meredith (6-2, 230, 22, b/t right, from San Diego) is having a solid season, batting .284 with 15 homers, 48 RBI and 52 runs over 82 games. Included are 18 doubles, four triples and 156 total bases. He also has stolen 11 bases in 14 attempts, while compiling a .385 on-base percentage, .522 slugging and .906 OPS. For 16 games this month, Meredith is batting .310 with four homers, 13 RBI and 14 runs. Selected by the Astros in the sixth round of the 2011 draft out of San Diego State University, he played 35 games last year for Tri-City of the New York-Penn League. He wound up batting .244 with a homer, 10 RBI, 24 runs and seven stolen bases.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Greenville Drive

What: Three-game series

When: Monday through Wednesday (7:05 Monday and Tuesday nights; 10:05 a.m. Wednesday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (1-1, 2.08) vs. RH Luis Diaz (0-1, 3.00); Tuesday, RH Tanner Bushue (0-2, 21.94) vs. LH Henry Owens (1-1, 12.15); Wednesday, RH Jonas Dufek (0-0, 6.00) vs. RH Matt Barnes (1-0, 0.00)

David Renfroe

Drive to watch: 3B David Renfroe (6-foot-3, 200 pounds, from Batesville, Miss.) brings a seven-game hitting streak to Lexington. He is second on the Drive with a .355 average (11-for-31) and leads the team in hits (11), doubles (5), homers (2), total bases (22), slugging (.710) and OPS (1.138). Selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2009 draft, out of South Panola High School in Batesville, he had committed to play quarterback for the Ole Miss football team. Instead, he turned pro and hit .190 in 2010, with two homers and 13 RBI over 58 games with the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League. Last year, in 107 games for Greenville, Renfroe hit .240 with eight homers, 45 RBI and 43 runs. In high school,where he batted .470 with seven homers,35 RBI and 18 stolen bases as a senior, he pitched and played shortstop. His father, Laddie, made four relief appearances for the Chicago Cubs in 1991.

Luis Cruz

Legend to watch: LHP Luis Cruz (5-9, 170, from San Juan, Puerto Rico) is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA over three relief appearances and 8 1/3 innings. After giving up four runs in his first appearance, he has been solid. He surrendered one run in 1 2/3 innings at Hagerstown. Then, in Thursday’s home opener against Kannapolis, Cruz tossed four innings of one-hit shutout ball. Overall, he has 12 strikeouts and no walks. Selected by the Astros in the ninth round of the 2008 draft, Cruz made seven starts that year for the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League, going 1-1 with a 2.28 ERA. With the same team in 2009, he finished 1-4, 6.75. Cruz spent 2010 with the Legends, making 16 starts and finishing 8-5, 3.61. Last year, he split time between Lexington (5-4, 4.45) and the Lancaster JetHawks of the California League (0-1, 14.54).

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

                             South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Kannapolis Intimidators

What: Four-game series

When: Monday through Thursday (7:05 each night)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Chicago White Sox

Alaniz

Cruz

Bushue

Quevedo

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Ruben Alaniz (5-9, 4.80) vs. RH Dexter Carter (3-5, 6.51); Tuesday, LH Luis Cruz (3-2, 4.27) vs. RH Phil Negus (2-0, 2.52); Wednesday, RH Carlos Quevedo (6-4, 4.05) vs. RH Matt Heidenreich (9-6, 4.25); Thursday, RH Tanner Bushue (6-2, 3.49) vs. LH Spencer Arroyo (7-7, 3.70).

Trayce Thompson

Intimidator to watch: All-star CF Trayce Thompson (6-foot-3, 195 pounds, from Ladera Ranch, Calif.) leads Kannapolis in homers (17), runs (72) and walks (48) — as well as strikeouts (126) through Saturday’s games. Batting .232, he also has 62 RBI, 25 doubles, a pair of triples and five stolen bases. Selected by the White Sox in the second round of the 2009 draft, out of Santa Margarita High School (Calif.), and signed for $625,000, Thompson is the son of former No. 2 overall NBA draft pick Mychal Thompson. Trayce played 32 games in his pro-debut year – 25 with Bristol of the Appalachian League and seven with the Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League, combining for a .198 average, 10 RBI and 10 runs. With Kannapolis last year, Thompson batted .229 with eight homers, 31 RBI and 28 runs over 58 games (a pitch shattered his right thumb in late May, knocking him out for three months). Coming into this season, Baseball America rated him the No. 9 prospect in the White Sox system. This season, the right-handed batter and thrower has been at his best when face lefties and playing at home. He is batting .315 vs. left-handers, .206 against righties; .254 at home, .209 on the road.

Delino DeShields Jr.

Legend to watch: 2B Delino DeShields Jr. (5-9, 203, from Ocala, Fla.) has raised his average from .192 on June 24 to .235 through Saturday. He took an 11-game hitting streak into Sunday’s game and had hits in 14 of his last 15 games. For July, DeShields is 31-for-93 (.333) with two doubles, 14 RBI, 13 runs, nine walks and 10 stolen bases. Overall, to go with his .235 average, DeShields has six homers, 41 RBI, 50 runs and 25 stolen bases. No. 2 in Baseball America’s pre-season rankings of Houston prospects, he was selected by Houston in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2010 draft and signed for an Astros draft-record $2.125 million out of Woodward Academy (Fla.). His father, Delino Sr., also was a first-round pick (12th overall in 1987) and stole 463 bases over 13 seasons in the big leagues. Delino Jr. debuted last season with two games in the Gulf Coast League and 16 with the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League, combining to hit .289 with eight RBI, 11 runs, six doubles, a triple and five stolen bases in six attempts. Baseball America also rates him as Houston’s fastest runner, best athlete and best pure hitter in the 2010 class. He also was recruited for football by Georgia and Ole Miss.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

                                  South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Asheville Tourists

What: Four-game series

When: Friday through Monday (7:05 Friday and Saturday nights, 2:05 p.m. Sunday, 10:05 a.m. Monday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call  (859) 422-7867 

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Colorodo Rockies

Foltynewicz

Minaya

Dydalewicz

Quevedo

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (0-3, 8.57) vs. RH Ricardo Ferrer (0-3, 9.00); Saturday, RH Carlos Quevedo (3-1, 5.40) vs. RH Erik Stavert (1-2, 8.54); Sunday, RH Juan Minaya (0-3, 6.67) vs. RH Josh Mueller (1-1, 3.12); Monday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (0-6, 6.63) vs. LH Edwar Cabrera (2-1, 4.03).

Bryce Massanari

Tourist to watch: C Bryce Massanari (6-foot-1, 225 pounds, from Las Vegas) is batting .369 with a team-leading seven homers and 26 RBI over 28 games (through Thurday). A 2009 30th round draft choice out of the University of Georgia, Massanari didn’t make his pro debut until 2010. He hit .242 for the Tri-City Dust Devils of the Northwest League, with six homers and 23 RBI. This season, 16 of his 41 hits have been for extra bases. He carries a whopping 1.076 OPS, with an on-base percentage of .437 and slugging of .640. He is batting .344 against left-handers, .380 versus right-handers, and won SAL Player of the Week honors on April 25.

Delino DeShields Jr.

Legend to watch: 2B Delino DeShields Jr. (5-9, 203, from Ocala, Fla.) has been heating up over his last eight games, going 11-for-35 (.314) with four doubles, a triple, two homers, five walks and two stolen bases. He also has driven in eight runs and scored six times during that span. A first-round pick (eighth overall) last June, he was recruited by LSU for baseball and by Georgia and Ole Miss for football. His father, Delino Sr., also was a first-round draft pick (12th overall in 1987) and stole 463 bases over 13 seasons in the major leagues. Delino Jr., rated by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in the Houston system, signed for an Astros draft-record $2.125 million out of Woodward Academy. He played two games in the Gulf Coast League last summer and 16 with Greeneville of the Appalachian League, combining to hit .289 with eight RBI, 11 runs, six doubles, a triple and five stolen bases in six attempts. Baseball America rates his as the fastest runner, best athlete and best pure hitter in Houston’s 2010 draft class. Overall this season, DeShields is batting .236 with four homers, 11 RBI, 15 runs and eight stolen bases.

Transaction: Legends RHP Yordany Ramirez has been promoted to High-A Lancaster. Filling his roster spot is C Ryan McCurdy, who has been reassigned from extended spring training. Ramirez was 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA over four relief appearances totaling seven innings for the Legends. McCurdy, out of Duke University, was signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent last June. Over six games with Greeneville and 14 with the Tri-City ValleyCats last season, McCurdy his .148 with one RBI and four runs scored.

Promotions: Here’s what is in store for the series. Friday — Blue Grass Energy Night, featuring The Last American Cowboy (rope-twirling act) and Ford Fireworks Night. Saturday — Bark In The Park, presented by IncrediPet and ABC 36; all well-behaved, non-aggressive dogs on leashes allowed in general admission and lawn areas only. Minimum donation of $1 per dog, proceeds to benefit the Lexington Humane Society. Sunday — JIF Kids Club Sunday. Kids Club members may buy a box seat for $2. Monday — Education Day, welcoming students from throughout Kentucky.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Soufiane Bouchikhi

Eastern Kentucky’s Soufiane Bouchikhi and Picoty Leitich each shared Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Runner of the Week honors.

Bouchikhi, a freshman from Belgium, earned Male honors for a third week in a row. Co-Male Runner of the Week is Colin Johnson of Tennessee-Martin.

Competing in the Greater Louisville Classic on Saturday, Bouchikhi led EKU to fourth place in the premier Gold Division. Placing ninth in a field of 323 runners, Bouchikhi covered 8,000 meters in 23:41.66. EKU, missing two of its top five runners due to injury, nevertheless beat regionally ranked foes that included Southern Illinois (No. 9 in the Midwest), Georgia (No. 5 in the South), Ole Miss (No. 6 in the South), Missouri (No. 15 in the Midwest), Kentucky (No. 14 in the Southeast) and Mississippi State (No. 8 in the South), as well as in-state rival Western Kentucky.

Picoty Leitich

Leitich, the defending OVC champion, edged teammate Kat Pagano and placed 19th out of 302 runners in the Gold Division. Her time for 5,000 meters was an OVC-best 17:37.53. The Colonels placed eighth and beat regionally ranked UK (No. 7 Southeast), Mississippi State (No. 13 South) and Georgia Tech (No. 14 South).

* The EKU men dropped one spot in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association ranking of the NCAA Southeast Region, to No. 7. Louisville moved up to No. 6.

EKU’s women moved up two spots to No. 11 in the Southeast, one spot behind Western Kentucky. UK dropped from No. 7 to No. 12.

The Louisville Sports Commission will host 97 colleges and universities from 20 states Saturday in the ninth annual Greater Louisville Classic, the largest college meet in the South.

More than 2,000 athletes are expected to compete at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park. The field includes 29 men’s teams and 23 women’s squads that are ranked in either the NAIA, NCAA (Divisions I, II, III) or National Junior College Athletic Association polls. NCAA Division II teams will be returning to Louisville for the national championships, Dec. 4.

U of L, ranked No. 7 in the NCAA Southeast Region, is the defending men’s team champion. Expected challengers to the Cardinals include Eastern Kentucky (No. 6 in the Southeast Region) and Colorado School of Mines (No. 3 in NCAA II). Others include the 4-7-8 teams in NCAA Division II – Grand Valley State, Southern Indiana and Queens (N.C.); 5-6 teams in NCAA I South Region — Georgia and Ole Miss; the No. 9 team in the NCAA I Midwest, Southern Illinois; and No. 11 in the Southeast, Davidson.

Men’s individual leaders include Mississippi’s Barnabas Kirui (fourth in 2009 NCAA, first in 2007 NCAA steeplechase), Queens’ Michael Crouch (D-II 1,500-meter champion) and Daniel Kirwa (D-II cross country runner-up), U of L’s Matt Hughes (D-I steeplechase champion) and Michael Eaton (2008 D-I track all-American), and EKU freshman sensation Bouchikhi Soufiane.

Leading women’s teams include the Nos. 3-4 teams in the NCAA South Region — Vanderbilt and Georgia — and the Nos. 2-4 Division II squads — Grand Valley State and Shippensburg.

Individuals to watch include Shippensburg’s Neely Spence (D-II 2008 cross country runner-up and two-time 5,000-meter champion), Western Washington’s Sarah Porter (D-II 2009 cross country runner-up and 2010 10,000-meter runner-up), Western Kentucky’s Marion Kandie, Kentucky’s Chelsea Oswald, U of L’s Kim Grieshaber and EKU’s Picoty Leitich.

Competition will be split into three divisions.  The schedule — men’s gold race, 9:30 a.m.; women’s gold, 10:15; men’s blue, 11; women’s blue, 11:45; men’s silver, 12:30 p.m.; women’s silver, 1:15 p.m.

After the collegiate races, more than 1,200 high school and middle school athletes from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Ohio will compete, starting at 2:30 p.m.

Kentucky’s men are picked seventh and the women eighth in the Southeastern Conference cross country coaches’ pre-season polls.

Alabama’s men and Florida’s women are the top picks.

Florida was an overwhelming No. 1, taking all 11 first-place votes.

Two-time defending champion Alabama edged Arkansas in the men’s poll, taking seven first-place votes to the Razorbacks’ four. Arkansas also is No. 2 in the women’s poll.

Points were tabulated according to ranking — one first-place vote equals one point, a second-place vote equals two points, etc.

The SEC Championships are scheduled Nov. 1 at South Carolina.

The coaches’ poll follows.

MEN
1. Alabama (7) 13
2. Arkansas (4) 16
3. Florida 34
4. Georgia 41
T5. Auburn 49
T5. Tennessee 49
7. Kentucky 67
8. Mississippi State 72
9. Ole Miss 73
10. LSU 95
11. Vanderbilt 96

WOMEN
1. Florida (11) 11
2. Arkansas 24
3. Georgia 35
T4. Alabama 52
T4. Tennessee 52
T4. Vanderbilt 52
7. Auburn 67
8. Kentucky 78
9. Mississippi State 96
10. South Carolina 97
11. LSU 113
12. Ole Miss 117

Latest rankings of NCAA Division I teams from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association have Kentucky and Louisville in a tight race.

With the regular season completed, the NCAA field is to be set Friday. The first round of the NCAA Championships will be held May 27-29 at Greensboro, N.C., and Austin, Texas.  

The Florida men and Oregon women have the No. 1 spots in the latest rankings.

Louisville’s men are 31st, two spots ahead of Kentucky. Western Kentucky is 56th.

UK’s women are rated No. 29, one spot ahead of U of L. WKU is No. 145.

Florida, winner of the Southeastern Conference championship, is among nine SEC men’s teams ranked in the nation’s top 25. The others: 5. LSU; 9. Auburn; 10. South Carolina; 12. Mississippi State; 15. Mississippi; 16. Georgia; 24. Alabama; 25. Arkansas.

The Big 12 leads the women’s top 25 with five ranked teams. The SEC has four in the top 25: 3. LSU; 6. Florida; 11. Auburn; 13 Arkansas.

For more on the rankings and links to guideline and rationale information, see:

http://www.ustfccca.org/rankings/division-i-rankings

Louisville’s men have a pair of athletes ranked among the nation’s top 10 in their events. Steve Hnat has the fourth-best mark in the shot put and Matt Hughes is No. 5 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

UK also has two men in the top 10: Rondel Sorrillo, seventh in the 200, and Sharif Webb, ninth in the 800. Sorrillo also ranks 11th in the 100 and is part of UK’s 20th-rated 4-by-100 relay.

Western’s Gavin Smellie is ranked No. 2 in the 200. He also is No. 48 in the 100 and runs on both the No. 16 4-by-400 relay and No. 27 4-by-100 relay.

Rankings in the Southeast Region have U of L fourth, UK 14th, Western eighth, Eastern Kentucky 36th and Morehead State 40th. (With rankings based on potential points, Western flip-flopped with UK from the national rankings. In other words, Western likely would score more points in regional competition, but UK would score more in nationals.)

UK’s ranked women are topped by Kristin Smith, fifth nationally in the hammer throw. Ashley Muffet is No. 6 in discus and No. 12 in shot put.

Louisville’s Jere’ Summers is ranked No. 1 in the discus, 7 in the hammer and 31st in the shot.

Regional team rankings have UK fifth, Louisville seventh, Western 11th, Eastern 38th, Murray State 42nd and Morehead 47th.

Virginia Tech’s men and Clemson’s women are the No. 1 teams in the Southeast Region.

National rankings

MEN

1. Florida; 2. Oregon; 3. Texas A&M; 4. Southern California; 5. LSU; 6. Arizona State; 7. Texas Tech; 8. Florida State; 9. Auburn; 10. South Carolina; 11. Brigham Young; 12. Mississippi State; 13. Stanford; 14. Oklahoma; 15. Mississippi; 16. Georgia; 17. Virginia Tech; 18. Baylor; 19. Kansas; 20. Nebraska; 21. Washington; 22. New Mexico; 23. Penn State; 24. Alabama; Arkansas.

WOMEN

1. Oregon; 2. Texas A&M; 3. LSU; 4. Oklahoma; 5. Virginia Tech; 6. Florida; 7. Penn State; 8. Clemson; 9. Florida State; 10. Texas; 11. Auburn; 12. Miami (Fla.); 13. Arkansas; 14. Texas-El Paso; 15. Southern California; 16. Indiana State; 17. Arizona; 18. Brigham Young; 19. Indiana; 20. Illinois; 21. Texas Tech; 22. Stanford; 23. New Mexico; 24. Southern Illinois; 25. Kansas.

Cats on SEC Community Service teams

Distance runners Andrea Halasek-Richardson, a senior, and Josh Nadzam, a junior, are UK’s selections to the SEC Community Service teams, which highlight an athlete from each school “who gives back to (the) community in superior service efforts.”

Women’s selection Halasek-Richardson, out of Scott County High School, compiled 124 1/2 hours of community service dating to 2006. She mentored at Johnson Elementary School and also contributed at Lansdowne Elementary, Cassidy Elementary, Habitat for Humanity and Wildcat Track Club.

Nadzam, the men’s selection, served 89 1/2 hours in 2009. Nearly half of that time was spent at the Ronald McDonald House. He also served at the Kentucky Refugee Ministry, Hope Center, Catholic Action Center, Monaca (Pa.) High School and Calvary Baptist Church.

Johnson will play for USA in Canada, Japan

UK's Molly Johnson

Kentucky senior Molly Johnson has been named to Team USA rosters for an international softball series coming this summer. The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America made the announcement.

Johnson, who plays primarily at shortstop, will play in the Canadian Open Fast Pitch International Championships, July 7-11, at Surrey, British Columbia, as well as exhibitions July 13-14 at Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. (Lexington hockey fans may recall Whitehorse as hometown of Kentucky Thoroughblades captain Jarrett Deuling.)

Then, Johnson and Team USA will head to Sendai City, Japan, to play in the Japan Cup, Aug. 3-9.

For the third time in four years, Eastern Kentucky has the Male Outdoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Here’s a look at that item, along with EKU’s third-place finishes at the OVC Championships and what’s up with the University of Kentucky, which a conference Runner of the Week.

Track and field fans in the Lexington area will want to mark Thursday on the calendar. That’s when the public schools will gather at Paul Laurence Dunbar for the City High School Championships, starting at 6 p.m.

OVC Freshman of the Year

Soufiane Bouchikhi, from Antwerp, Belgium, is the OVC Male Freshman of the Year for the outdoor season, replicating what he achieved indoors.

Soufiane Bouchikhi

He follows in the footsteps of teammates Elkana Kurgat and Shannon Davis, who won OVC Male Freshman honors for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The award was created in 2005.

Bouchikhi posted the fastest 5,000 meters in the conference this season, 14:01.74, to place second at the Penn Relays – a mere two-hundredths of a second behind Lewis Woodard of William & Mary.

The full list of OVC award winners: Megan Gingerich, Eastern Illinois (Female Track Athlete of the Year); Kandace Arnold, Eastern Illinois (Female Field Athlete); Elizabeth Bond, Jacksonville State, and Jerika Lewis, Southeast Missouri (Freshman Co-Athletes); Chris Gill, Southeast Missouri (Male Track Athlete); Brandon Colbert, Southeast Missouri (Male Field Athlete), and Bouchikhi. 

OVC Championships

EKU’s men and women both placed third in last weekend’s rain-shortened OVC Championships at Tennessee Tech, winning eight individual titles.

Heading the list was Bouchikhi, who took the 5,000 in 15:00.37.

Eastern Illinois won the men’s title with 261 points, followed by Southeast Missouri with 128, EKU with 106, Tennessee State with 61 and Morehead State with 22.

EKU’s other male champions were Christopher Rengifo in the 1,500 (3:54.19), Joseph Maina in the 10,000 (30:23.75) and David Mutuse in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:39.72).

Eastern Illinois’ women prevailed with 212 points, followed by SEMO (155 1/2), EKU (131), Jacksonville State (73 1/2), Tennessee Tech (67), Austin Peay (66 1/2), Tennessee State (42 1/2), Murray State (30) and Morehead State (1).

EKU winners were Diamond Benjamin in the 100 (11.94), Lydia Kosgei in the 1,500 (4:39.99), Kat Pagano in the 5,000 (17:29.35) and the 4-by-100-meter relay team of Benjamin, Lutisha Bowen, Jazzmin Jeter and DanHeisha Harding (46.65).

Sorrillo, Banks win at Ohio State

Victories by Rondel Sorrillo, David Banks, Kristin Smith and Ashley Muffet highlighted Kentucky’s showing in the Jesse Owens Track Classic at Ohio State.

Rondel Sorrillo

Sorrillo, an Olympian from Trinidad and Tobago, showed that his progress is continuing after suffering a hamstring injury late in the indoor season. His winning time of 10.33 for 100 meters — his first try at the distance this season — puts him among the top 20 collegiate performers this season. Yet, he had to recover after stumbling out of the starting blocks.

No wonder the senior was named Male Runner of the Week in the Southeastern Conference.

Banks eclipsed his school record in the triple jump by half an inch, winning the event with a distance of 51 feet, 5 1/2 inches.

Ashley Muffet

Smith notched the second-best mark in school history to win the hammer throw at 208-7. That moved her from 12th in the national rankings to No. 4.

Muffet uncorked her best effort in nearly four years to take shot-put honors at 53-11 1/4. That improved her national ranking from No 16 to No. 11.

Other top performers for UK including Josh Nazdam, fourth in the men’s 1,500 (3:47.07) and Samantha Stenzel, who matched her school record (12-7 1/2) to tie for third in the women’s pole vault.

Aggies on top

Texas A&M is No. 1 in both the men’s and women’s rankings compiled by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The Aggies are defending NCAA champions in each.

The SEC has eight of the top 25 men’s teams (3. Florida; 7. LSU; 8. Auburn; 12. Mississippi; 13. Mississippi State; 16. South Carolina; 23. Georgia; 25. Arkansas) and four of the top 25 women’s squads (2. LSU; 9. Arkansas; 10. Florida; 14. Auburn).

Among area men’s teams, Louisville is No. 29, Kentucky is No. 43 and Western Kentucky is No. 54

On the women’s side, UK is 30th, U of L 32nd and Western 131st.

In-state individuals with top 10 rankings are U of L men Matt Hughes (4. steeplechase), Steve Hnat (8. shot put) and Tone Belt (9. long jump) and woman Jere’ Summers (6. discus and hammer throw); UK men Sharif Webb (8. 800) and Colin Boevers (10. discus), and women Kristin Smith (4. hammer throw) and Ashley Muffet (5. discus); and WKU male Gavin Smellie (3. 200).

For more details, see: http://www.ustfccca.org/featured/dual-defending-champion-aggies-move-to-nation%e2%80%99s-top-spot-once-again

For team-by-team reports, see: http://www.ustfccca.org/rankings/division-i-rankings

Louisville and Kentucky both have squads among the top 25 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) pre-season rankings for the Division I outdoor track season.

The Florida men and Texas A&M women have the No. 1 spots. Florida won last month’s NCAA Indoor Championships. A&M’s women are defending NCAA outdoor champs.

U of L came in at 14th in the men’s poll and 20th on the women’s side.

UK’s men are unranked, but the women are No. 21.

The Southeastern Conference leads the men’s rankings with eight teams ranked: 1. Florida; 7. Auburn; 8. LSU; 11. South Carolina; 12. Mississippi State; 15. Arkansas; 21. Tennessee; and 23. Mississippi. The Pac-10 is next with six, followed by the Big 12 with five.

The SEC also tops the women’s rankings with six teams: 3. LSU; 4. Florida; 13. Auburn; 21. UK; 22. South Carolina; and 23. Tennessee. The Pac-10 and Big 12 have five each.

For more on the rankings and links to guidelines and rationale, visit

http://www.ustfccca.org/rankings/division-i-rankings

Men’s rankings

(School, points, 2009 final ranking)

1. Florida, 371.37 (2); 2. Texas A&M, 347.88 (1); 3. Oregon, 258.41 (2); 4. Florida State, 226.14 (2); 5. Texas Tech, 219.96, — (unranked).

6. Southern California, 186.25 (10); 7. Auburn, 173.46 (12); 8. LSU, 171.22 (5); 9. Arizona State, 153.53 (8); 10. Nebraska, 149.76 (17).

11. South Carolina, 149.65 (6); 12. Mississippi State, 149.35 (17); 13. Oklahoma, 134.71 (25); 14. LOUISVILLE, 127.17, –; 15. Arkansas, 125.37 (9).

16. UCLA, 114.84, –; 17. Virginia Tech, 110.86 (16); 18. California, 105.42 (25); 19. Baylor, 104.89 (20); 20. Minnesota, 104.02, –.

21. Tennessee, 91.26, –; 22. Washington State, 88.01 (17); 23. Mississippi, 85.03, –; 24. Brigham Young, 84.99 (13); 25. Wisconsin, 83.10, –.

Women’s rankings

(School, points, 2009 final ranking)

1. Texas A&M, 347.28 (1); 2. Oregon, 274.57 (2); 3. LSU, 266.69 (6); 4. Florida, 186.92 (9); 5. Florida State, 186.57 (4).

6. Baylor, 177.14 (10); 7. Southern California, 176.22 (8); 8. Oklahoma, 170.55 (23); 9. Virginia Tech, 154.08 (12); 10. Brigham Young, 144.51 (15).

11. Texas-El Paso, 140.48 (25); 12. Washington, 133.80 (19); 13. Auburn, 122.01 (25); 14. Penn State, 121.97 (14); 15. Miami (Fla.), 116.87 (16).

16. Nebraska, 116.34, –; 17. Texas, 102.76 (5); 18. UCLA, 97.46 (16); 19. Stanford, 95.99, –; 20. LOUISVILLE, 88.22, –.

21. KENTUCKY, 86.23, –; 22. South Carolina, 85.29, –; 23. Tennessee, 84.00 (10); 24. North Carolina, 82.61, –; 25. Illinois, 82.05 (12).