BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Samford track and field began its season Wednesday with the Birmingham Ice Breaker meet at the Birmingham CrossPlex facility. The men's and women's weight throw and multi events kicked off the two-day event, and Samford's Kyle Kirby started the season strongly with a win in the men's weight throw.

Kirby took the event with a winning mark of 58-8.75 (17.90m). Kanon Burt finished in second with a toss of 56-9.5 (17.31m), as Kirby and Burt were the only two competitors to surpass 17 meters. Thomas Oliver rounded out the Bulldogs' competitors in the men's weight throw, finishing ninth (46-6.5, 14.19m).

Emily Allen led Samford's four competitors in the women's weight throw, taking third place (49-10.5, 15.20m), less than one-tenth of a meter out of second place. Shelby Builta was the next-highest Bulldog, placing eighth (44-0.75, 13.43m) while freshmen Katelyn Poole (40-2.25, 12.25m) and Kristen Brining (40-1.5, 12.23m) finished back-to-back in 10th and 11th, respectively.

In the women's pentathlon, Samford placed three in the top five, with Ashley Cope as the highest finisher in second with 3,391 points. Christian McGuire finished in third with 3,268 points and Macy Conger was only two points shy of fourth place, finishing in fifth with 3,235. Cope led the Bulldogs in three of the five events, with her best finish coming in the shot put, as she placed second (34-9.25, 10.60m).

Through four events in the men's heptathlon, newcomer Ben Davies leads the field with 2,907 points, competing unattached. Bo Gilroy-Ackerson is hot on his heels in second with 2,827 with Joshua McCombs in third with 2,765. Samford won two of the four heptathlon events Wednesday, with McCombs taking the long jump (22-0.25, 6.71m) and Ackerson-Gilroy in front in the high jump (6-6, 1.98m).