Western Carolina Men Take Title, Women Place Second at Tar Heel Invitational
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Western Carolina indoor track and field team made a strong showing as the men took home the team title, while the women placed second in the Eddie and Jo Smith, Jr., Tar Heel Invitational on Friday. The Catamount men won the competition with 125 points, while the women placed second behind No. 24 North Carolina with 114.50 points.
A combined 21 Catamounts earned top-3 finishes in 14 events, while competing against five other teams that included Appalachian State, North Carolina, North Carolina Central, St. Augustine and Wake Forest in Friday's meet.
The WCU men edged the Tar Heels by 14 points after earning 13 top-3 finishes. The clincher was a podium sweep in the 3,000 meter run by Josey Weaver (8:42.23, personal record), Stephen Hammond (8:43.73) and Nolan Clark (8:56.66) that helped WCU distance itself from UNC.
Senior Dominique Young ran the top speed of 6.79 in the 60 meter dash preliminaries before earning second in the finals with a time of 6.80. Senior Christian Bethune earned top team honors for WCU and third overall in the 200 meter dash with a time of 22.95.
A mark of 49.96 was just tenths of a second away from the individual title for sophomore Benny Davis, as he placed second in the 400 meter dash. Junior Drew Tucker set a personal best time of 1:55.49 in the 800 meter run as he tallied a second place finish.
Freshman Cordell Livingston finished with the Catamounts top time (second overall) of 8.19 in the men's 60 meter hurdles, while the WCU 'A' team (Brandon Hairston, Dominique Young, Drew Tucker and Benny Davis) finished second in the 4x400 meter relay at 3:18.98.
In the field events, senior Alex Dollard completed the long jump with a distance of 6.86 meters (second place), while placing third in the triple jump at 13.47m. Sophomore Cornelius Williams placed second in the triple jump with a mark of 13.51m.
In the throws events, senior Cale McDaniel grabbed a third place honor with a distance of 16.77 meters in the weight throw.
On the women's side, Western Carolina finished directly behind the 24th ranked Tar Heels (United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll). WCU earned eight top-3 finishes including two individual titles. Junior Jordan Gaddy earned the one mile run title with a time of 5:27.87, while freshman Morgan Turner finished as the title holder in the 3,000 meter run at 10:36.18.
Sophomore Hannah Bowers set a personal mark of 2:24.73 (second place) in the 800 meter run, while junior Lindsay Groce set a personal best of 10:36.61 in the 3,000 meter run.
The Western Carolina 'A' team (Shalyn McMichael, Felicia Paulding, Felisha Garren, and Janet Carouthers) finished second with a time of 3:50.72, just fractions of a second from defeating the Tar Heels.
Jumper Tiana Jones placed third in the triple jump at 11.48m, while Zakiyyah Stewart (14.77m) and Deirdra Morrison (14.70m) earned second
and third respectively in the weight throw's event.
"We knew coming into today that we were not going to be in 'tip-top' form," noted Catamounts coach Danny Williamson. "We saw signs of good things and things that would could work on to make us better."
Williamson was pleased his team's overall performance after beating the host Tar Heels in the men's competition and finishing second behind the No. 24 Tar Heels on the women's side.
"This is something to feel good about, but we have to continue to get better. We could win this event one day and the next day they could win it. We need to improve before we travel to ETSU in two weeks."
The Catamount track and field teams will resume the indoor season at the ETSU Niswonger Invitational in Johnson City, Tenn., on January 22-23.
Personal Records:
Men:
Drew Tucker - 1:55.49 in the 800 meter run
Sean Reardon - 8.85 in the 60 meter hurdles (preliminaries)
Matt Evans - 13.72m in the shot put
Quincy Marshall - 16.67m in the weight throw
Jamie Van Pelt - 14.05m in the weight throw
Women:
Hannah Bowers - 2:24.73 in the 800 meter run
Lindsay Groce - 10:36.61 in the 3,000 meter run
Carlyn Wright - 9.14 in the 60 meter hurdles
Appalachian State Men, Women Finish Third at Tar Heel Invitational
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Appalachian State men's track opened the new year Friday by placing third in the Tar Heel Invitational hosted by North Carolina. The Mountaineers finished with 106 points, just five shy of the second-place host, and 19 back of SoCon rival Western Carolina.
Several Mountaineers kicked off 2010 with solid performances at Chapel Hill including juniors Malcolm Styers and Tim Daly, who took home first and second place in the weight throw. Styers claimed top honors with a throw of 56-5 while Daly's throw came in at 55-6. Sophomore Jared Stalling (49-6, fifth overall), and junior Jerod Gardner (47-3, eighth overall) also contributed points in the weight throw.
Freshman Patrick Morgan had an impressive opening to the 2010 season as well, placing second in the mile with a time 4:24.85 to finish just a second behind St. Augustine's George Smith. Morgan was followed closely by classmate Alex Taylor, who came in a fourth with a time of 4:28.98.
Freshman Landon Powell got the new year started off nicely, finishing third in the 60m dash with a time of 6.92, just .15 seconds behind winner Ramon Gittens from St. Augustine.
Freshman Will Raby took home sixth place in the 3,000m run with a time 8:57.85, and junior Nick O'Keefe placed third in the 800m after carding a 1:57.73.
Matt Boruff and Darius Purcell had strong showings in the high jump for the Apps, tying for fourth place with a leap of 6-5. Boruff also took home a fourth-place finish in the pole vault with a jump of 15-1.
Appalachian's women also finished in third place overall. The Mountaineers ended the day with 102 points, trailing only Western Carolina (114.5) and winner North Carolina (149).
Junior Kiara Crutchfield had a big day for the Apps, taking home first place in the long jump (17-3) and fourth place in the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.12.
Senior Whitney Smyre picked up in 2010 right where she left in December. The reigning outdoor SoCon weight throw champion took home first place with a toss of 56-0. Freshman Gayshawna Watkins placed fifth in the weight throw with a 44-0 toss.
The Pole Vault was another strong event for the Mountaineers Friday. Junior Ashley Beale and senior Julie Ward shared top honors after respective 10-10 leaps. Freshman Meredith Wilson also broke into the scoring column, placing fourth with a jump of 10-5.
Senior Ashley McKiver also picked up some valuable points for the Apps, taking home third place in the 200m dash and eighth in the 60m. Naadia Crutchfield turned in an eighth place performance in the 800m with a time of 2:49.35, and also was a member of the 4x400m relay team (N. Crutchfield, Asia Dunlap, Lynda Hiller, D'Shawrna McLucas) that took home fourth place as well.
Senior Danielle Thorpe also took home a first place finish for the Mountaineers, claiming the triple jump title with a leap of 39-9. Junior Bianca Harvey (33-0) placed fifth in the event.
In the 3,000m run, junior Dani Reese claimed fifth place with a time of 10:59.57.
ASU track and field will return to action this Friday, when they play host to the Appalachian Open at the Holmes Convocation Center in Boone.
Wofford Competes at Clemson Invitational
CLEMSON, S.C. - The Wofford track and field teams began the 2010 indoor season on a high note by setting eight school records and one freshman record at the Clemson Invitational January 8 and 9.
The Terrier freshman class performed well on both sides, establishing five of the eight school records as freshmen records also.
On the men's side, sophomore Joe Bailey recorded a school record jump of 6'0.5" in the high jump. Freshman Trey Parker ran a school record time of 4:38.5 in the mile run, beating the previous record by more than 10 seconds.
Also competing for the men, the team of Parker, Paul Vecchione, Mavrick Harris and Russell Baker established a school record time of 11:21.78 in the distance medley relay, improving on the record set last year by almost 15 seconds.
For the women, freshman Emily Gothberg set two school records, running a time of 64.44 in the 400 meter and a time of 28:31 in the 200 meter. Fellow freshman Niki Klasnic paced the team with a school record time of 2:29.76 in the 800 meter run and freshman Andrea Kelsey set a new record in the 3000 meter with a time of 10:38.40.
The women's team of Klasnic, Gothberg, Kelsey, and Caroline Burdette also established a new record in the distance medley relay, finishing with a time of 12:53.80, beating the previous record set in 1998 by nearly two minutes.
The Terriers will compete again on January 23 at the UNC Classic in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Men's Results
60 Meter Dash
15. Elias Conits, 7.19
200 Meter Dash
7. Elias Conits, 23.95
800 Meter Run
12. Paul Vecchione, 2:07.52
3000 Meter Run
1. Mavrick Harris, 9:24.57
2. Russell Baker, 9:33.92
3. Bryan Brooks, 9:34.30
5000 Meter Run
8. Josh Riley, 17:10.60
9. Chris Allen, 21:18.80
1 Mile Run
3. Trey Parker, 4:37.50
Distance Medley Relay
3. Trey Parker, Mavrick Harris, Paul Vecchione, Russell Baker, 11:21.78
Shot Put
11. Brian McCracken, 10.78m
12. Andy Vess, 9.77m
High Jump
3. Joe Bailey, 1.84m
Women's Results
60 Meter Dash
16. Chrissy Mastry, 9.53
200 Meter Dash
15. Emily Gothberg, 28.31
18. Chrissy Mastry, 32.41
400 Meter Run
13. Emily Gothberg, 1:04.44
800 Meter Run
5. Niki Klasnic, 2:29.76
11. Caitlin Dodd, 2:41.55
3000 Meter Run
5. Andrea Kelsey, 10:38.40
8. Caroline Liddy, 11:26.44
9. Kim Stauffer, 11:40.64
5000 Meter Run
5. Shelby Harris, 19:18.36
9. Kari Harris, 20:36.91
11. Pearce Tapp, 22:59.54
Distance Medley Relay
2. Niki Klasnic, Emily Gothberg, Caroline Burdette, Andrea Kelsey, 12:53.80
Shot Put
11. Marissa Kmonicek, 5.78m