Baylor Senior Dips Under 48 Seconds For First Time In His Career, Advancing To Big 12 Final With Seventh-Fastest Time In Collegiate History; Texas Tech's Shelby Frank Takes Down 13-Year-Old Meet Record In Women's Hammer

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

Kylie Graham photos

Bowerman Watchlist athlete Nathaniel Ezekiel may have a lot more eyeballs on him by the end of the Big 12 Conference Championships in Lawrence, Kansas.

Already the meet record holder for the 400-meter hurdles, Ezekiel dipped under the 48-second barrier for the first time in his career, running 47.90 seconds during the preliminary round of the Big 12 Championships at University of Kansas' Rock Chalk Park.

The Baylor senior lowered his own Nigerian national record time of 48.00 and elevated to No. 7 all-time on the collegiate list, becoming the eighth man in collegiate history to run under 48 seconds in the discipline.

Ezekiel's race was hands down the best moment on day one of the three-day meet, but it wasn't the only meet record established.

Competing in her first Big 12 Outdoor Championships, Texas Tech's Shelby Frank broke a 13-year-old meet record in the women's hammer, throwing a personal best 70.37 meters (230-10) to best the previous mark of 69.02m (226-5) by Alena Krechyk at the 2012 meet. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher improved her own mark by over four feet.

Texas Tech picked up a crucial 10 points from Ernest Cheruiyot in the men's 10,000 meters, closing his last lap in 54.70 seconds to win in 29:37.64. BYU's Creed Thompson finished second in 29:39.36 and Iowa State's Said Mechaal took third in 29:39.46.

West Virginia's Joy Naukot created separation from the field with over 2 kilometers in the women's 10,000 to go to take a 17-second win in 33:30.84.

Kansas State's Gary Moore overtook Baylor Igo Olaru in the sixth round of the men's hammer with a personal best throw of 67.68m (222-0) to take the title. Olaru, who threw a personal best 66.87m (219-4), led through three rounds before ultimately finishing second.

TCU swept the men's and women's javelin titles, with Preston Kuznof winning the men's title, throwing 68.32m (224-2), and Irene Jepkemboi winning the women's title, throwing 57.59m (188-11).

Oklahoma State's Fouad Messaoudi began his Big 12 title quest in the men's 1,500 with a 3:38.01 effort to move to finals.

Kansas' Emmaculate Jemutai led a very tactical women's 1,500 preliminary round with the fastest time of 4:29.76.

Baylor's Tiriah Kelley won her preliminary heat of the women's 200 by over half-a-second, running 22.72 to lead all finals qualifiers. TCU's Indya Mayberry ran a personal best 22.94 to win her heat to advance to the final.

Iowa State's Mikey McClain posted the fastest men's 200 preliminary time of 20.50.

Arizona's Antonia Sanchez Nunez ran 56.53 in the women's 400 hurdles, earning the top seed into the final.