Career highlights
- 2022 World U20 Gold | USA 4 x 400 relay
- 2022 USATF U20 Gold | 400m
- 2022 Sun Belt Outdoor Gold | 400m
Sophomore (2023)
Outdoor: Member of Razorback 4 x 100m relay that finished fourth with a season best time of 42.83 in the NCAA Championships, running third leg … Arkansas advanced to the NCAA Championships final with a 43.10 in the semifinal … Competed in 200m at NCAA West Preliminary round, posting time of 23.56 and ran on 4 x 100m relay (43.03) … SEC Championships, ran 23.87 in prelims … Debut as Razorback came in Florida’s Tom Jones Memorial, placing 21st in both the 200m (23.14) and 400m (52.97) … Finished fifth twice in John McDonnell Invitational at 100m (11.76) and 200m (23.54) … At LSU Invitational, placed ninth in 400m (53.31) and ran on fourth place 4 x 100m relay (43.59) … Finished ninth in 200m (23.64) at Arkansas Twilight.
Indoor: did not compete with the Razorbacks.
COLLEGE | Coastal Carolina
Competed in her freshman season at Coastal Carolina in Conway, South Carolina …
Earned gold medal at 2022 World U20 Championships as member of Team USA 4 x 400 relay … Ran opening leg with split of 52.23 on winning relay (3:28.06) in Cali, Colombia … The time by the American foursome ranks third on the World and US U20 all-time list … Also competed in 400m at World U20, placing ninth overall with a 53.09 in the semifinal … Earned trip with Team USA by winning the USATF U20 400 title in Eugene, Oregon with a 52.10 clocking to claim the final by 0.70 over the runner-up … Also posted the top time in prelims at USATF U20 with a 52.27 …
Established career best times in 200 (22.78) and 400 (51.98) during Sun Belt Championships, placing first in 400 and runner-up in 200 … Qualified for NCAA Championships with times of 52.10 and 52.07 during the NCAA East Preliminary round … Runner-up in 400 (54.66) and sixth in 200 (24.57) at Sun Belt Indoor and ran on second place 4 x 400 relay.
HIGH SCHOOL
2021 graduate of Campbell HS in Smyrna, Georgia … Famous alumni of her high school is Julia Roberts … In sophomore season Campbell won State championship … Individually, claimed Georgia 7A State titles in 400m as a sophomore (53.65) and senior (55.37), while in her junior season covid canceled the State meet … Silver medalist at State in 200m as a senior with a 24.39 after a 24.18 in prelims … Also, member of State silver medal efforts in 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relays … In sophomore season, silver medalist in 200m (24.10) and member on pair of gold medal relays in 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 … Competed with Boys & Girls track club during summer AAU and USATF meets.
PERSONAL
MeKenze Janel Kelley was born December 18, 2003 … Planning to major in Health Communications … Career plans include becoming a professional athlete and PR specialist … Life ambition is to live in a way that will have a beneficial effect on those around me … On the track, goal is to dominate the 400 meters and inspire others by becoming the best in the world … Favorite athlete is Allyson Felix, the person she most admires is her mom … Chose Arkansas to be surrounded by the best.
