Bulldogs Shine On Final Day Of Blazer Invitational
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University track and field team carried its' momentum over from day one of the UAB Blazer Invitation to day two's competition on Saturday, January 10, at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
The Bulldogs set multiple personal best, a CrossPlex record and a school record on the initial day of competition and continued to do the similar things on Saturday.
Sophomore Ansley Bos took first place in the women's mile run and also set a new personal best in the event. She shaved more than 12 seconds off of her previous best and turned in a time of 4:55.52 in the event.
One of the freshmen coach Tiffin was excited about was Karisa Nelson who finished a close second behind Bos with a time of 4:57.88 in the women's mile.
On the men's side of the one mile run it was Arsène Guillorell who stepped up and led the freshmen contingent with a third place finish and a time of 4:18.80. Fellow freshmen Michael Rhody and Paul Richardson turned in times of 4:33.04 and 4:38.27 in Bulldogs strong showing.
After having a successful Friday, senior Sydney Jordan recorded a new personal best of 16.31m in the men's shot put on his way to a second place finish while sophomore Brian Smith captured a fifth place finish in the even with a throw of 15.24m.
Jumper Javion Lee continued to improve on day two of competition as he set a new personal best of 7.04m in the long jump along the way to a fourth place finish. Lee was followed by freshman Marquis Barnes who posted a mark of 6.64m which earned him a seventh place finish.
With the field events in full swing it was another debut for another Samford freshman and this time it was Keyth Fightmaster who posted a fifth place finish in the men's high jump. Fightmaster stepped in and cleared 1.95m on his first attempt after passing on the two previous heights. The Calhoun, Ga. native finished with a final height of 2.05m after clearing the bar on his third attempt.
Sophomore Aerial Horton kept the momentum going after she turned in a fifth place finish of her own in the women's shot put with a personal best mark of 14.35m. Katelyn Poole rounded out SU's effort in the event with an eighth place finish and a personal best throw of 14.06m.
Samford closed out the night with the women's and men's 4x400 relays and it couldn't have been any better of a finish as the Bulldog squad of Danielle Blanco, Abbie Cutcliffe, Sarah Sanford and Marie Demedicis posted a school record time of 3:54.49.
Coach Tiffin believes that the team is in a good spot heading into next week's meet at the Auburn Invitational but there's still room to improve.
Day One Recap
Senior Sidney Jordan started the day off in spectacular fashion for the Bulldogs. The senior from Mobile, Alabama came into the weight throw competition with a personal best of 16.96m but shattered that with a throw of 18.12m on his way to a third place finish in the event. Sophomore Brian Hill followed Jordan's lead with his own personal best of 16.83m and a sixth place finish.
Another senior turned in an incredible performance on the first day of competition but this time it was on the women's side as senior Anna Laura Irvine took the top spot in the 1,000 meters with a time of 2:59.59. Junior Katelyn Brock took fourth place in the event with a time of 3:02.55.
Brandon Hazouri followed up Irvine's first place performance and won the men's 1,000 meters in grand fashion with a time of 2:27.59; the time also set a new UAB Blazer Invitational and CrossPlex facility record. The freshmen duo of Andrew Jager (2:36.85) and Josh Salter (2:37.53) also turned in top five performances to round out Samford's effort in the event.
Freshman pole vault specialist Gavin Gautreau took first place at the meet with a vault of 4.85m (15'11") on his first try at that height to claim the spot while teammate Tray Oates followed up with the same mark on his second attempt to take second place.
Several other Bulldogs posted personal best in various events throughout the first day of competition while some even saw their first ever action in a collegiate competition.
Sophomore transfer Javion Lee set a new personal best and a Samford record with a mark of 14.96m in the men's triple jump. Lee's previous best was a 14.92m mark he set as a freshman while at Eastern Michigan University.
The women's weight throw sported three Samford Bulldogs in the competition but it was senior Kristin Brinning who stood out amongst the three. The Mobile, Ala. native shattered her personal best of 14.95m with a throw of 16.83m to finish in eighth place.
Freshman Sara Sanford posted SU's best time in the women's 60m hurdle prelims with a time of 9.01 with Jordan Highsmith (9.33), Qiona Payton (9.38) and Danielle Blanco (9.60) turning in times to finish out the rest of the group.
In the men's 60 meter dash prelims it was sophomore Shelby Campbell who notched a personal best time of 7.24 with fellow teammate Hunter Grantland close behind with his time of 7.26.
The Bulldogs continue in competition on day two of the UAB Blazer Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 10, with the first events starting at 9 a.m. at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Admission is free to the public.
Catamounts Open Up 2015 at Orange & Purple Classic
CLEMSON, S.C. - The Western Carolina University track & field team opened up the 2015 portion of its indoor season at the Orange & Purple Classic hosted by Clemson University. The Catamounts were able to notch 17 top-five finishes including a victory in the women's weight throw. Senior Alisha Bradshaw led the way for the Catamounts with a toss of 15.74m (51-07.75) in the weight throw defeating competitors from Clemson, North Carolina, Florida A&M and Lees-McRae.
Bradshaw also placed third in the women's shot put with a distance of 13.23m (43-05.00). Teammate and sophomore Hailey Cook placed second in the shot put after posting a distance of 13.54m (44-05.25).
On the men's side, it was junior Jamie Bigby's performance in the 800m leading the way. Bigby placed second in the event with a time of 1:58.15. Bigby was just one second behind the first place finisher from South Carolina.
Junior Tayla Carter finished third in the women's 60m prelims by winning her opening heat with a time of 7.57. She then put up a time of 7.52 in the finals which placed her second and just one tenth of a second behind the winner from Clemson.
Both the men and women had success in the pole vault. On the men's side, sophomore Dustin Triplett came in third with a height of 4.55m (14-11.00). The women placed two in the top five led by senior Devyn Ressler who came in third. Her teammate and classmate Cara June Elyea came in fifth. Both competitors cleared the height of 3.53m (11-07.00) but Ressler was able to do it in fewer attempts giving her the higher finish.
Sophomore Chenell Bryan placed third in the women's long jump with a leap of 5.93m (19-05.50) for WCU's final individual top-three finisher.
Both the men's 4x400 relay and distance medley relay finished third at the competition. Freshman Dakota Lamont, senior Demari Boswell, freshman Kaleb McEntyre and freshman Henry Kiedy combined in the 4x400 relay to post a time of 3:20.54 finishing behind South Carolina and Clemson. Junior Michael Cornwell, sophomore Jermaine Lewis, junior Jamie Bigby and sophomore JC Cornett teamed up to post a time of 10:34.57 in the distance medley relay to finish ahead of South Carolina and behind Tennessee and Clemson.
The women's distance medley relay also placed third. Junior Aleshia Reese, junior Holly Gaines, junior Michelle Provost and freshman Laney Browder posted a time of 13:07.21 to finish just behind Clemson and South Carolina.
Cornwell individually finished fourth in the mile for the men with a time of 4:21.42 while Keidy and Lamont finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the men's 400m. Keidy posted a time of 49.76 while Lamont came across in 50.02.
Junior Corina Archie-McMillan placed fifth in the women's 400m with a time of 58.88 while senior Xaviera Bass came in fifth in the 60m hurdles. She came in fifth in the prelims with a time of 8.67 and then ran 8.66 in the finals which also placed her fifth.
The Catamounts will be back in action next weekend at either the Niswonger Invitational in Johnson City, Tenn., or the Virginia Tech Invitational in Blacksburg, Va.