Multiple Records Highlight Samford Open
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Despite a lengthy delay due to thunderstorms in the area, Samford persevered well into the night to set multiple school records at the Samford Open.
After earning a conference title last weekend, Danielle Blanco further improved her best time in the 400-meter hurdles Saturday, setting a new school record by winning the event in 1:00.28. Katelyn Poole finished fourth in the women’s shot put, throwing a school-record distance of 44-6 (13.56m) to further cement her spot at the top of the all-time performance list.
Justin Emerson ran his best 100-meter dash of the season, tying his all-time best and school-record time of 10.50 with a second-place finish Saturday. Emily Allen, competing unattached, dominated the women’s hammer throw with a school-record distance of 197-8 (60.25m). This beats her previous best of 186-3 (56.77m) by over 10 feet.
Marie Demedicis won the women’s 800 meters, setting a new PR with a 2:09.27 finish that moves her closer to the all-time record of 2:09.15. Brandon Hazouri and Layton Dorsett finished back-to-back at the front of the pack in the men’s 800 meters as both set new PRs in 1:50.48 and 1:50.84, respectively.
In the field events, conference champion Chenelle Terry won the women’s high jump (5-7.75, 1.72m) while Owen Wagoner was the highest collegiate finisher in the men’s pole vault, placing second (16-6.75, 5.05m) only behind Paul Malquist, competing unattached.
Samford continues its outdoor season next weekend at the Bob Pollock Invite, hosted by Clemson. Action in South Carolina kicks off on Friday, May 3 and continues through Saturday, May 4.
Georgia Southern 4x100m Relay Team Trims Time at Samford Open
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Georgia Southern’s 4X100m Relay team took first place at the Samford Open and trimmed .02 seconds off the previous season best time, running the race in 45.44. The Eagles, Jasmin Walker, Ebony Carter, Alyssa Felton and Amber Vaughn, who won the Southern Conference title last week, worked this week to improve their time for a chance to compete in the NCAA Division I preliminary rounds next month.
The Eagle 4X100m Relay time currently has a top-25 national ranking, but plans to compete at the Florida State Seminole Twilight and the Georgia Tech Invitational over the next two weeks.
Appalachian State Competes at Penn Relays
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Appalachian State University men's track and field wrapped up action at the prestigious Penn Relays at Franklin Field on Saturday.
On Thursday, Chris Moen logged the best performance of the day with an eighth-place finish in the College Men's 3,000-meter steeplechase Championship with a time of 8:59.67, a new personal record and the fourth-best time in school history.
Josh Cox took 11th in the College Men's 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:22.98 and Michael Lilley closed out the day with a 14th-place showing in the 10,000-meter run with a time 30:17.28, a new personal record and the seventh-best time in school history.
In Friday's competition, the team of Moen, Stanley Broaden, Raphael Rojas and Alex Taylor took 12th in the distance medley relay (9:57.21) falling just two seconds shy of setting breaking the school record set at the event last season.
Jared Stalling took eighth in the shot put with a mark of 15.79 meters (51-9.75) and 21st in the discus with a throw of 47.49 meters (155-9). He closed out the weekend with a seventh-place showing in the hammer throw, notching a mark of 53.88 meters (176-9), to cap of Appalachian's weekend in Philadelphia.
On the women's side, Jamie Glenn took home first-place honors in the triple jump. Glenn, who recorded a personal-best mark of 12.28 meters (40-3.5), beat out a field of 27 other athletes, including several Big Ten and SEC competitors, to capture the College Women's Triple Jump (Eastern) title.
Justine Stocks and Kayla Schneider paced the Apps on Thursday at the Penn Relays, the first day of competition.
Stocks took second in the Olympic Development 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:02.04 while Schneider finished fourth with a time of 11:11.73. Stocks' time in the event was just under two seconds shy of her personal record (11:00.19), set at the SoCon Championships last weekend.
Tatyana Bryant also turned in a solid performance for the Mountaineers as she captured 10th in the long jump with a mark of 5.68 meters (18-7.75) to finish 10th.
Jasmine Suydam and Brianna Tate finished 12th and 15th, respectively, in the shot put. Suydam notched a mark of 13.41 meters (44-0) while Tate recorded a throw of 13.16 meters (43-2.25).
Sarah Williamson captured 24th in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:15.76, a new personal record and the eighth-best time in school history.
The 4x400-meter relay squad of Breanna Alston, D'Shawrna McLucas, Taryn Stern and Breahna Morrison finished 35th in preliminaries with a time of 3:50.83, but did not advance to Saturday's finals.
Appalachian capped of its time at the Penn Relays as Alston, McLucas, Stern and Morrison finished 28th in the sprint medley relay, finishing in a time of 4:0.88
The Mountaineers are schedule to compete in two meets next weekend. Appalachian State will send athletes to both the Clemson Invitational (May 4) and NC State Last Chance Meet (May 5).
Elon's Oram Sets School Record in 10K at Penn State Relays
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Elon track and field junior Allyson Oram set a new school-record in the 10,000-meters run with a time of 35:37 at the Penn State Relays on Thursday, April 25.
Oram finished ninth overall in the race and broke the previous school mark by over 40 seconds and became the first runner in the program to break under the 36-minute barrier. Oram’s mark is the third-best time in the Southern Conference this season.
The Phoenix will have a few more individuals compete at meets in the upcoming weeks for a chance to earn a NCAA regional bid with the Duke Twilight on May 5, and the N.C. State Last Chance meet on May 12.