BOONE, N.C. Two Southern Conference records fell and the Georgia Southern
women and Appalachian State men lead after the first day of the SoCon
Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Appalachian State at Kidd
Brewer Stadium on Saturday.
The Lady Eagles lead on the women?s side with 47.5 points, holding a
seven-point lead over last season?s champion, Appalachian State, which holds
second place with 40.5 points. Chattanooga is third with 26 points, while
Western Carolina (24 points) and Davidson (18 points) round out the
top-five. The Citadel holds sixth with 16 points.
For the fourth time in five years, a Chattanooga runner captured the
individual title in the 10,000 meter run as senior Lanni Marchant set a
Southern Conference record with a time of 35:06.53. Davidson?s Brenna Burns
came in second at 35:48.41, while Appalachian?s Jenna Wrieden placed third
with a time of 36:50.18.
Davidson freshman Kristen Meister broke the other SoCon record on the day in
the high jump with a leap of 1.78 meters (5-10.00). Western Carolina
recorded the next-two spots as Jessica Johnson came in second with a mark of
1.70 meters (5-7.00) and Brittany Whittaker followed in third with a mark of
1.65 meters (5-05.00).
Of the five scored events on Saturday, the Lady Eagles captured one of the
titles, as senior Nicole Brown grabbed the victory in the long jump with an
NCAA qualifying time in the long jump with a leap of 6.22 (20-05.00)
meters. Appalachian?s Vonteena Knotts also recorded an NCAA qualifying mark
as she finished second with a jump of 6.08 meters (19-11.50).
The Citadel senior Stephanie McNeill captured her third SoCon Championship
as she finished first in the hammer throw with a mark of 49.72 meters
(163-01). Her teammate, sophomore Monique Edwards, came in third in the
event with a personal record of 48.40 meters (158-09), marking the first
time The Citadel women have ever had two or more athletes earn
all-conference honors in the same event.
The final individual crown of the day went to meet-host Appalachian?s Meghan
Gaffney who won the 3,000 meter steeplechase with a regional qualifying time
of 10:46.40. Chattanooga?s Sabrina Lefort followed in second with a time of
11:09.62, while Elon?s Anna Mae Flynn came in third with a time of 11:15.26.
In the preliminaries, Western Carolina?s Raquel Ramseur (200 meter dash) and
Georgia Southern?s Brittany Chase (100 meter hurdles), each recorded NCAA
Regional Qualifying times on Saturday.
On the men?s side, the Mountaineers lead the meet with 114 points. Last year
champion, Western Carolina, trails in second with 72 points as The Citadel
(12 points), Furman (11 points) and Chattanooga (10 points), round out the
top-five.
Championship-host Appalachian won four-of-the-six events on Saturday. For
the fifth-straight season, a Mountaineer won the hammer throw as senior
Anthony Greer captured his first hammer championship with a personal-best
and NCAA Regional Qualifying throw of 56.47 meters (185-03). ASU swept the
event as Wes Kiser placed second (55.23 meters, 181-03) and last season?s
champions, Grant Haun, came in third (51.21 meters, 168-00).
Appalachian also swept the top-three spots in the 10,000 meter run, led by
freshman Phil Mitchell?s winning time of 32.26.64. Sophomore Blair Teal came
in second at 32:26.67, followed by junior Asmeron Desta in third with a time
of 32:29.64.
ASU junior Barron Shell grabbed his second-straight outdoor pole vault title
with a mark of 4.60 meters (15-01.00), while Western Carolina?s Mike O?Steen
came in third at 4.45 meters (14-07.25).
The Mountaineers also swept the top-two spots in the long jump as junior
Joel Gaddy won the individual championship with a mark of 7.31 meters
(23-11.75) and sophomore Ricky Harris placed second with a mark of 7.28
meters (23-10.75). WCU?s Tyler Ferguson?s leap of 7.19 meters (23-06.00) put
him in third in the event.
The 3,000 meter steeplechase was won by Chattanooga?s Tim Clark with a time
of 9:26.39. He was followed by Eric Albrecht of Furman in second with a time
of 9:29.34.
Western Carolina freshman Matt Evans won the high jump with a mark of 2.05
meters (6-08.75). His teammate, Rashad Herndon followed in second at 2.00
meters (6-06.75) and The Citadel?s Shaquill Smith placed third with the same
mark.
Appalachian football star-turned track and field runner, junior Dexter
Jackson, recorded two NCAA Qualifying times in the preliminaries on
Saturday. In his first-ever 100 meter dash race, Jackson ran a time of
10.44. He followed with a time of 21.10 in the 200 meter dash.
Both the men?s and women?s 2007 SoCon Outdoor Champions will be determined
Sunday as the meet concludes. Events begin at 8 a.m., with the field events
beginning at noon and running events at 1 p.m. at Kidd Brewer Stadium in
Boone.