Women's Outdoor Track and Field Southern Conference

SoCon Outdoor Track and Field Results for Apr. 6

The Citadel
Columbia, SC-Sophomore Stephanie McNeill took the top spot in three separate events to contribute to The Citadel's first place victory with 128 total points at the South Carolina State Collegiate Championships hosted by the University of South Carolina Wednesday night. Seven of the state's colleges competed in the mid-week event as the Bulldogs had 15 women finish in the top three to earn All-State honors while outscoring South Carolina's modified team by four points.

McNeill placed first in the shot put, discus and hammer. She tossed an 11.97m in the shot put, a 34.50m in the discus and won the hammer with a throw of 37.54m.

Freshman Jodi Whittle broke her school and freshman records in the 200m (25.55) and 400m (58.00) placing first and second, respectively. Laura Hewston also finished second in the 1500m with a time of 5:14.61, her best time of the season.

The women also tallied a number of personal bests. Senior Kelly Pesterfield had a personal best high jump of 4'10" to finish third. Freshman Wilma Harp ran under 13 minutes for the first time to finish third in the steeplechase with a time of 12:50.54 and senior Mary Thornton bested her old mark by three seconds to finish third in the 800m in 2:32.21.

Freshman Tasha Sanders also had a personal best time running under 16 seconds for the first time in the 100 hurdles (15.96). Sanders also finished second in the shot put (37-1.25), fourth in the discus (109-1) and ran the second leg of the freshman school record 4 x 100 relay team (50.72). Other relays members were Christine DeVasto, Allison Taylor and Whittle. Taylor also had a personal best high jump of 4-8 and a personal best triple jump by over a foot with a leap of 32-10.5, finishing fourth.

The Citadel men's track team placed third in the South Carolina State Collegiate Championships hosted by the University of South Carolina Wednesday evening. South Carolina State took the top spot with a mark of 136 with South Carolina coming in second with 115 points, while the Bulldogs finished third with 110.

Sophomore Will Wilson captured first in the steeplechase as he won by 13 seconds over the second finisher with a personal best 9:56.53. Wilson's mark was the first time he completed the steeplechase in under 10 minutes, which moves him into sixth in the conference ahead of senior teammate Marc Quesenberry.

"Wilson ran a very smart race and took the lead with less than two laps to go," remarked head coach Jody Huddleston. "He was able to put in a strong finishing kick."

Junior Thomas Cummings finished second in the 400m hurdles with a season best time of 54.61 and finished third in the 110m hurdles in 15.44. Sophomore Thomas Pressley and freshman Dwight House tied for second with a 10.83 in the 100m.

"Dwight was the surprise of the meet, he had not even been running the 100, only long jumping and running the 200 meters," commented Huddleston. "To turn in a time under 11.0 in his first meet and jump into the top group in the conference was a pleasant surprise."

Pressley and sophomore Quintin Wright finished fourth and fifth in the 200m with a time of 21.88 and 21.96, respectively. Senior Vince Bechtel finished second in the 800m with a time of 1:59.82 with freshman Matt Haight not far behind in third with a time of 2:00.82.

The Bulldogs continue to place in the throwing events with junior Chris Petty taking third in the shot put with a toss of 40-3.25 as Richard Crumpler took fourth with a 39-10.5

The 4 x 100 relay team of Wright, Cummings, freshman Jonathan Vallejo and Pressley finished second with a time of 43.18. The 4 x 400 relay team of Cummings, junior Marcus Butler, Pressley and Myron Canton also finished second in 3:22.11, which was the fastest time so far this year.

An all freshman team of Jonathan Vallejo, Chris Seabold, Dan Sagmiller and Matt Haight broke the freshman school record in the 4 x 400 relays with a time of 3:25.50. Three runners that previously held the freshman record are upperclassmen still on the team, Canton, Cummings and Butler.

The Bulldogs next travel to Clemson, SC to compete in the Solid Orange Meet on Friday, April 16th hosted by Clemson University.

Wofford
Junior Jaya Abraham garnered a third-place result in the 1,500 meters Wednesday afternoon to highlight the Wofford outdoor track & field team's participation at the USA Track & Field State Championship in Columbia, S.C.

She finished the event in 5:19.10, just over seven seconds behind winner Christine Mudd of South Carolina (5:11.44). A total of 13 competitors participated in the run.

On the men's side, Gabriel Jackson was the lone Wofford student-athlete in the field events. He placed third in the long jump with a mark of 6.74m (22'1-1/2") behind two individuals from S.C. State. Jackson is also a halfback on the football team.

Rounding out the Terriers was a trio of events by freshman Michael Lance. Lance registered a 10th-place time in the 100 (11.19), 16th-place time in the 200 (23.03) and 12th-place time in the 400 (52.81).

Wofford will compete at the S.C. State Invitational Saturday in Orangeburg, S.C.