T&F: Haywood Wins Pole Vault at Tom Jones Memorial

Friday, April 17

Gainesville, Florida

Baylor

Tom Jones Memorial Invitational

T&F: Haywood Wins Pole Vault at Tom Jones Memorial

4/18/2026 11:20:00 PM | Track & Field

Men’s and women’s 4x400 relays set their season PR times

TOM JONES FINAL RESULTS

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On a day when All-American Molly Haywood got back to her winning ways in the pole vault, the Baylor men's and women's 4x400 relays capped off the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational by shaving seconds off their PR times on Saturday at James G. Pressly Stadium.

After a runner-up finish at last week's Baylor Invitational, which snapped a two-meet winning streak, Haywood cleared the bar at 14-9 on her second attempt and edged Illinois senior Mia Morello to win her third pole vault event title of the outdoor season. The two remaining vaulters, they both passed at 14-11 and missed on three attempts at 15-1.

Switching the order around, leading off with freshman Alyssa Jones, the Baylor women beat their previous season best in the 4x400 by 70 full seconds and finished 13^th overall in 3:05.03. Jones led off with a 54.6-second split, followed by Tiriah Kelley (52.6), Serafima Lucero (53.02) and anchor leg Aaryona Kinchen (54.5).

Beating their previous outdoor season best by more than 2 ½ seconds, the Baylor men's 4x400 relay of Aren Spencer, Malik Franklin, Abbas Ali and Tyler Honeyman finished third in a time of 3:05.15 that ranks in the top 20 nationally. Franklin, who ran a 46.98 time in the open 400, had the fastest split at 45.62.

Earlier in the day, the men's 4x100 relay of Austen Diggs, Laurenz Colbert and Bailey Hashmi finished ninth in a time of 39.88. The women's 4x100 relay of Kelley, Hannah Lowe, Jada Edwards and Royaltee Brown was just shy of its season best with a time of 44.03.

In another highlight, Sydney Smith finished fourth in the high jump with a season-best mark of 5-7 ¼.

"I thought the 4x1s, they were consistent with what they've been running. We've just got to clean up some handoffs on that relay to run a little better," Baylor coach Michael Ford said. "Overall, it was a good Tom Jones meet, and now we get ready for our last home meet of the year."

At the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif., Texas transfer Mackenize Browne ran a Baylor PR time of 4:35.43 in the 1,500 meters. Jack Sterrett ran 3:55.09 on the men's side.

In the third and final home meet of the season, Baylor will host the Michael Johnson Invitational next Friday and Saturday, April 24-25, at Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium. Along with the annual alumni reunion, the Bears' 1976 Southwest Conference championship team will be recognized on its 50^th anniversary.

For the latest news on the Baylor track and field team all year long, follow its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorTrack.

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