Center Grove graduate Kiyah Yeast, center, remains a key part of Louisville’s sprint lineup.
Submitted photo
Kiyah Yeast proved swift out of the blocks academically at the University of Louisville, earning her bachelor’s degree in exercise science in two and a half years.
The junior’s college track career is beginning to gain ground.
Yeast’s time as a Cardinal has included the occasional strained hamstring and an injury to her left foot that sidelined her for the front half of the 2022 outdoor season.
Undeterred, she’s faster than ever.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but those first two years weren’t how I imagined them,” said Yeast, a 2019 Center Grove graduate who is now working toward her master’s degree in sport administration. “I had some ups and downs, but I definitely feel I needed that.
“I think right now I’m in the best place I’ve been in.”
Yeast’s times certainly validate such a claim.
Entering the Cardinals’ indoor season that began with four home meets spread over December and January, her career best in the 200-meter dash was 24.05 seconds, set last winter in a preliminary race at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships.
Last month, Yeast was timed at 24.33 at the Tiger Paw Invite at Clemson, her favorite indoor meet due to the speed of the track and the fun atmosphere overall.
This past weekend, she took it to the next level. At the three-day ACC indoor meet hosted by Louisville, Yeast was one of two Cardinal sprinters to shatter the school’s indoor 200 record. She blazed a heat time of 23.58 on Day 1, and was sixth in the final two days later in 23.47 seconds (teammate Tiriah Kelley was fourth in the new school-record time of 23.38).
In between, on Day 2, Yeast also established a new personal best in the 60-meter dash (7.44 seconds).
“Kiyah had an amazing weekend,” said Tony Miller, now in his fourth year as Louisville’s sprints coach. “Kiyah is a super talented young lady. Super smart. And she’s really coming into her own as a track athlete.”
The Cardinals begin competing outdoors on March 17-18 at Georgia Tech’s Yellow Jacket Invitational. Then it’s off to the (University of) Texas Relays, a venue Yeast has circled in her mind’s calendar considering she’s never sprinted there before.
“Indoor season is going pretty well,” Yeast said. “I’ve run faster in both of my events.”
During outdoor season, her schedule typically includes the 100 and 200 and participation in the 4×100 relay (usually second leg or anchor) and 4×400 (anything but leadoff).
Asked if she has a preference between indoor and outdoor track seasons, Yeast doesn’t; she likes each for different reasons. The key is that they mesh seamlessly in terms of an athlete’s training, progress and momentum.
“We treat indoor and outdoor the very same,” Yeast said. “Before this year, I was probably better outdoors, but I’m now running faster indoors. Whatever you’re doing indoors just carries over to what you do outdoors.”
As temperatures continue to warm, Miller looks forward witnessing Yeast continuing to reach her potential.
“Kiyah is tall, 5-foot-9 or 5-10, so she has a package that when she has it going, she’s difficult to deal with,” Miller said. “It’s a matter of Kiyah staying healthy and accepting the challenges that are ahead of her.
“If she does those things, she’ll definitely be one of the best 200-meter sprinters in the country.”
