Four Cardinals Headed to NCAA Indoor Championships
March 03, 2021 | Track & Field
Four University of Louisville track and field athletes have qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships which will be held March 11-13 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Sterling Warner-Savage will represent the Louisville men in the 60m dash, while a trio of Cardinals will make the trip to Arkansas on the women's side with Makenli Forrest and Halee Hudson competing in the weight throw and Aliyah Welter in the pole vault.
The event is closed to the general public, but live championship coverage will be streamed on ESPN3. Additional details on times of the live ESPN3 coverage will be forthcoming. For more information regarding the Division I indoor track and field championships, log on to ncaa.com.
Warner-Savage, (Snellville, Ga.), is coming off of a bronze medal showing at the ACC Indoor Championships. The junior has amassed four wins in the 60m dash this season, setting a school record – and a personal best of 6.65 for the event in the season-opening McCravy-Green Invitational. He then matched that record at the Doc Hale Virginia Elite. The mark stands tied for the 12th best time in the nation this year. Warner-Savage owns the top 10 spots on Louisville's all-time list for 60m dash performances.
"Congrats to Sterling Warner-Savage for qualifying to the NCAA Championships," said assistant coach Tony Miller. "His hard work, dedication and true passion for the sport has finally paid off. Enjoy the moment young man, you truly deserve it!"
Makenli Forrest (Ellenwood, Ga.), earns her fourth NCAA Indoor Championship appearance. She earned All-American honors in 2020, when the event was canceled due to the spread of COVID-19. Prior to that, Forrest finished runner-up in the 2019 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships to earn first team All-America honors with a personal best throw of 22.54m (73-11.5). In 2018, she finished 15th in the NCAA Indoor Championships.
In the 2021 indoor season, the senior registered her season-best mark of 22.46m (73-8.25) to capture the 2021 ACC Indoor Championship Weight Throw title – the mark is currently ranked seventh nationally and fourth on Louisville's all-time list. Forrest has five wins in the event this season. The mark is currently ranked sixth nationally and stands ninth on Louisville's all-time list. The three-time All-ACC performer and 2020 NCAA Indoor All-American has tallied 13 career wins in the weight throw.
Senior Halee Hudson (Williamstown, Ky.) has tallied top-three finished three times this season, and most recently posted a fourth-place finish in the 2021 ACC Indoor Championships to earn second team all-Conference honors. Her personal-best mark of 21.41m (70-3) in the Lenny Lyles Cardinal Invitational ranks 16th nationally. She has finished among the top three in four meets in the indoor season.
"Makenli and Halee have worked together throughout the indoor season to provide our program with a reliable 1-2 punch in the women's weight throw," said coach Dale Cowper. "Each of these young women represent our UofL to the highest standard. I couldn't be more excited to see what they have in store for us next week in Fayetteville!"
Aliyah Welter (Monticello, Ill.) tied a school record with a vault of 4.32m (14-2) to place second in the 2021 ACC Indoor Championships. The mark was a personal best and stands tied for 12th in the nation. The junior has three runner-up finishes in five competitions this season.
"Aliyah Welter has spent three years showing up with an undeniable focus, competitiveness, and consistency that transcended her to the huge performance at the ACC Championships to qualify for the indoor NCAA meet," said assistant coach Brooke Rasnick. "I couldn't be prouder of how she has bought into the process and has earned her way to be among the most talented vaulters in the nation."
The event is closed to the general public, but live championship coverage will be streamed on ESPN3. Additional details on times of the live ESPN3 coverage will be forthcoming. For more information regarding the Division I indoor track and field championships, log on to ncaa.com.
Warner-Savage, (Snellville, Ga.), is coming off of a bronze medal showing at the ACC Indoor Championships. The junior has amassed four wins in the 60m dash this season, setting a school record – and a personal best of 6.65 for the event in the season-opening McCravy-Green Invitational. He then matched that record at the Doc Hale Virginia Elite. The mark stands tied for the 12th best time in the nation this year. Warner-Savage owns the top 10 spots on Louisville's all-time list for 60m dash performances.
"Congrats to Sterling Warner-Savage for qualifying to the NCAA Championships," said assistant coach Tony Miller. "His hard work, dedication and true passion for the sport has finally paid off. Enjoy the moment young man, you truly deserve it!"
Makenli Forrest (Ellenwood, Ga.), earns her fourth NCAA Indoor Championship appearance. She earned All-American honors in 2020, when the event was canceled due to the spread of COVID-19. Prior to that, Forrest finished runner-up in the 2019 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships to earn first team All-America honors with a personal best throw of 22.54m (73-11.5). In 2018, she finished 15th in the NCAA Indoor Championships.
In the 2021 indoor season, the senior registered her season-best mark of 22.46m (73-8.25) to capture the 2021 ACC Indoor Championship Weight Throw title – the mark is currently ranked seventh nationally and fourth on Louisville's all-time list. Forrest has five wins in the event this season. The mark is currently ranked sixth nationally and stands ninth on Louisville's all-time list. The three-time All-ACC performer and 2020 NCAA Indoor All-American has tallied 13 career wins in the weight throw.
Senior Halee Hudson (Williamstown, Ky.) has tallied top-three finished three times this season, and most recently posted a fourth-place finish in the 2021 ACC Indoor Championships to earn second team all-Conference honors. Her personal-best mark of 21.41m (70-3) in the Lenny Lyles Cardinal Invitational ranks 16th nationally. She has finished among the top three in four meets in the indoor season.
"Makenli and Halee have worked together throughout the indoor season to provide our program with a reliable 1-2 punch in the women's weight throw," said coach Dale Cowper. "Each of these young women represent our UofL to the highest standard. I couldn't be more excited to see what they have in store for us next week in Fayetteville!"
Aliyah Welter (Monticello, Ill.) tied a school record with a vault of 4.32m (14-2) to place second in the 2021 ACC Indoor Championships. The mark was a personal best and stands tied for 12th in the nation. The junior has three runner-up finishes in five competitions this season.
"Aliyah Welter has spent three years showing up with an undeniable focus, competitiveness, and consistency that transcended her to the huge performance at the ACC Championships to qualify for the indoor NCAA meet," said assistant coach Brooke Rasnick. "I couldn't be prouder of how she has bought into the process and has earned her way to be among the most talented vaulters in the nation."
