BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Western Carolina men and Appalachian State women won the 2012 Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Birmingham Crossplex where ten conference records were broken.
On the men’s side, the Catamounts scored 155 points followed by Appalachian State with 154.5 points in the final standings. The Appalachian State women tallied 157.16 points with Western Carolina coming in second place with 113 points.
Friday began with the conclusion of the men’s heptathlon.
Samford junior Bo Ackerson-Gilroy broke the men’s SoCon heptathlon record with 5,127 points. Brandon Bassett of Samford set the league heptathlon record with 5,063 points last year. Ackerson-Gilroy took first place in the long jump (6.73m, 22’1”), high jump (2.00m, 6’6.75”) and 60m hurdles (8.49), finished second in the 60m dash (7.26), shot put (12.28, 40’3.5”) and pole vault (4.05m, 13’3.5”). He completed the 1000m with a time of 2:59.78.
The Bulldogs took the top two spots in event with freshman Josh Davies placing second with 4,780 points. Western Carolina junior Luke Burton finished third with 4,711.
In the men’s 60m hurdles, Appalachian State senior AJ Dohanic won the event with a time of 8.01. While Jasmine Billings, a junior from Georgia Southern, took the top spot for the women with a time of 8.49.
Justin Emerson, a sophomore from Samford, won the 60m dash with a time of 6.86. Georgia Southern Ebony Carter won the event on the women’s side with a time of 7.56
UNCG swept the mile event with sophomore Paul Chelimo taking the men’s title with a time of 4:06.57 and senior Ashley Schnell took the top spot on the women’s side with a time of 4:46.42, breaking the conference record of 4:48.09 which was set in 2006 by Chattanooga’s Shannon Wommack.
Bob McNeil, a sophomore from Western Carolina won the men’s triple jump with a leap of 15.08m (49’5.75”). Samford junior Emily Allen took the top spot in the triple jump with a leap of 12.02m (29’5.25”).
With a conference record mark of 19.23m (63’1.25”) Samford senior Kyle Kirby, who finished second in the event last year, won the men’s weight throw. He broke Appalachian State’s Malcolm Styers’ 18.96m (62’2.5”) mark that was set at last year’s championship.
Gayshawna Watkins, a junior from Appalachian State, won the women’s weight throw with a mark of 17.09m (56’1”).
Brunson Miller, a junior at The Citadel, defended his title for the third straight year in the 400m dash breaking the Southern Conference record of 47.11, which was set back in 1989 by VMI’s Mario Small. Miller finished the race with a time of 46.97.
On the women’s side, Western Carolina senior Felisha Garren ran the 400m dash in a time of 54.61, breaking the league record by three-hundredths of a second, which was set in 1995 by Western Carolina’s Angela Rowe.
Davidson sophomore Andrew Lantz defended his 800m title, winning this year’s event with a time of 1:52.18. On the women’s side, Samford freshman Marie Demedicis took the title with a time of 2:12.90, followed by freshman teammate Anna Irvine with a time of 2:13.36.
In women’s pole vault, Samford sophomore Claire Goodson claimed first place with a mark of 4.05m (13’3.5”), breaking the Southern Conference record of 3.97m which was set in 2007 by Jessica Clendenning of Elon.
Benny Davis, a senior from Western Carolina, took the top spot in the 200m dash with a time of 21.35. On the women’s side, Appalachian State’s Breanna Alston defended her title for the second straight year with a time of 24.31.
Davidson junior Demetrios Pagonis won the men’s 5000m, finishing in a time of 14:22.47.
College of Charleston sophomore Dena O’Brien won the women’s 5000m for the second consecutive year with a time of 16:39.47. She broke her own league record of 16:46.59 that she set at last year’s championship.
The championship concluded with the men’s and women’s 4x400m relays. Western Carolina took first place in both. The men posted a time of 3:15.08. The relay team consisted of sophomore Aaron Tribble, junior Brandon Hairston, freshman Demari Boswell and senior Benny Davis. The women’s Catamount relay team posted a new conference record time of 3:44.98. The team included sophomore Shiniqua Proyor, freshman Genevieve Emrick, freshman Lena Elliot and senior Felisha Garren.
Men’s Team Results – Final
1. Western Carolina 155
2. Appalachian State 154.50
3. Samford 147.50
4. The Citadel 58
5. Davidson 50
6. Chattanooga 32
7. Furman 29
8. UNCG 27
9. Wofford 9
Women’s Team Results – Final
1. Appalachian State 157.16
2. Western Carolina 113
3. Georgia Southern 92
4. Samford 85
5. Elon 72.33
6. College of Charleston 59
7. UNCG 36
8. Furman 17
9. Chattanooga 12
10. Wofford 9.50
11. The Citadel 9
12. Davidson 1
Men’s Individual Awards
Most Outstanding Athlete
Bo Ackerson-Gilroy—Samford
Most Outstanding Track Performer
Brunson Miller—The Citadel
Most Outstanding Field Performer
Bo Ackerson-Gilroy—Samford
Freshman of the Year
Abraham Faison—Western Carolina
Coach of the Year
Danny Williamson—Western Carolina
Women’s Individual Awards
Most Outstanding Athlete
Dena O’Brien—College of Charleston
Most Outstanding Track Performer
Dena O’Brien—College of Charleston
Most Outstanding Field Performers
Gayshawna Watkins—Appalachian State
Freshman of the Year
Jasmine Walker—Georgia Southern
Coach of the Year
John Weaver—Appalachian State
Men’s All-Freshman Team – Day 2
Heptathlon
Josh Davies—Samford
Cody Russell—Samford
Kyle Bernier—Western Carolina
Weight Throw
Nick Sansotta—Appalachian State
Triple Jump
Abraham Faison—Western Carolina
60m Hurdles
Stanley Broaden-Brance—Appalachian State
Abraham Faison—Western Carolina
Marquis Bailey—Western Carolina
200m Dash
Jeffery Hendricks—Western Carolina
Demari Boswell—Western Carolina
Carson Priest—Furman
400m Dash
Demari Boswell—Western Carolina
David Riddleberger—Appalachian State
Dezerick Frazier—Chattanooga
800m Run
William Ivey—Furman
Michael Brewer—The Citadel
Wesley Laytham—Davidson
Mile Run
Tripp Hurt—Furman
Sal del Guidice—Davidson
Patrick O’Brien—Chattanooga
5000m Run
Henry Falotico—Davidson
Travis Alfaro—Western Carolina
Dylan Belles—UNCG
Women’s All-Freshman Team – Day 2
Pole Vault
Chelsea Farr—Appalachian State
Cara June Elyea—Western Carolina
Debra Domermuth—Appalachian State
Triple Jump
Tatyanna Bryant—Appalachian State
Danielle Hawkins—Western Carolina
Danielle Ebzery—Furman
Weight Throw
Alisha Bradshaw—Western Carolina
Jasmine Suydam—Appalachian State
Sarah Hall—Georgia Southern
60m Hurdles
Taylor Wade—Georgia Southern
Xaviera Bass—Western Carolina
Michaela Birek—Western Carolina
60m Dash
Jasmine Walker—Georgia Southern
Tanisha Bethel—The Citadel
Tatyana Bryant—Appalachian State
400m Dash
Genevieve Emrick—Western Carolina
Kimberly Thomas—Georgia Southern
Taylor Wade—Georgia Southern
800m Run
Marie Demedicis—Samford
Anna Irvine—Samford
Lena Elliot—Western Carolina
Mile Run
Hayley McMahon—College of Charleston
Presley Parkes—Davidson
Ali Cobb—Davidson
5000m Run
Sinead Haughey—Furman
Haylee Dawe—Elon
Erin Osment--Davidson