First Place Finishes Galore for Samford In First Outdoor Meet

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University track and field team took to the Samford Track and Soccer Complex for the first meet of the 2015 outdoor season in the Battle of I-65 on Saturday, March 14.

Redshirt freshman Tray Oates opened the competition in grand fashion as he took first place in the men's pole vault competition with a new Samford record of 5.16m.

The Bulldogs recorded two top-three finishes in the women's long jump as freshman Tiana Pisoni (5.71m) and Jordan Highsmith (5.60m) took first and third respectively.

Another freshman took home first place in today's meet as Keyth Fightmaster tallied a 2.15m mark in the men's high jump to be the third Bulldog to take a top spot.

It didn't stop there for the freshmen class as Emma Garner raced away with a first place finish in the women's 800 meters with a time of 2:17.35. Freshman Sarah Sanford timed out in the women's 400 meter hurdles with a top-time and meet record of 1:01.80.

It wasn't just the freshmen earning first place finishes today for the Bulldogs, sophomore Morgan Johnson captured first place in the women's pole vault with a 3.80m score in the first event of the day.

Ansley Bos kept the sophomore streak alive with a first place finish in the women's 3,000 meters with a top time of 10:19.89.

Junior Adam Jones ran his first race of the 2015 season after he sat out the entire indoor session and it seemed he didn't miss a beat as he posted a meet record 4:10.88 in the men's mile on his way to a first place finish.

The Bulldogs return to competition on March 19, when the team travels to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to take part in the John Mitchell Alabama Relays hosted by the University of Alabama.

 

UNCG Opens Outdoor Season in Myrtle Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The UNCG track team opened the 2015 outdoor season on Friday at the Coastal Carolina University Invitational.

Tiana Green took second place in the 100-meter race with a final time of 13:07, a new personal best for the sophomore.

In the 400-meter dash, Meaisha Bullock finished with a final time of 1:05.00 for a fourth place finish.

Eira Jensen finished in sixth place overall in the 5,000-meter race with a final time of 18:44.60. Katlyn Ayers wasn’t far behind in ninth place, finishing the race in 19:03.63.

Freshman Robel Tecle finished in 11th place overall in the 800-meter race with a time of 2:04.12. Luke Sumerford finished the race in 2:08.18.

The men's 4x800 finished in 11th place overall, as David Guthrie, Christopher Murphy, Brandon King, and Bryan Whyms finished the relay in 8:20.24.

Jonathan Hodge ran the 200-meter race in 23.61, for 13th place overal.

The Spartans will compete in the UNCW Seahawk Invitational on Saturday March 14.

 

UNCG Competes in UNCW Invitational

WILMINGTON, N.C. - The UNCG track team competed in the second day of the UNCW Seahwawk Invitational Saturday at the Greene Track & Field Complex on the campus of UNCW.

Bryan Whyms finished in third place overall in the 800-meter race, with a time of 2:00.16. David Guthrie was not fair behind in fifth place, with a final time of 2:01.39.

Jonathan Hodge and John Elwood set new personal bests in the 400-meter dash with times of 52.65 and 53.25, respectively.

Dakarai Shipp ran the 1,5000-meter race in 4:08.29 for a sixth place finish.

In the 800-meter race, Eira Jensen finished with a time of 2:29.73.

In the 200-meter race, Tiana Green finished with a final time of 27.29.

The Spartans will be back at it next weekend as they compete in the Wake Forest Open.

 

Bears Post High Marks at Lady Gamecocks Quad Meet

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The Mercer University Women's Track & Field team competed at the Lady Gamecocks Quad Meet at Jacksonville State University this past weekend. The Bears competed against the host Jacksonville St. Gamecocks and in-state foes Georgia Southern and Georgia St. in the women's Division I competition.

Competing in the sprint events, Callie Hammerle, Madison Morris, and Danielle Chimienti participated in the open 400m dash, with Hammerle and Morris competing in the open 200m dash for the first time aswell. Nicola Tirpak performed well for the Bears, placing 7th in 100m hurdles and 5th in the 400m hurdles. Both the 4x400m and the 4x100m dash teams placed 5th overall on the day.

The distance runners had another dominant showing highlighted with wins in both the Men's (men's cross-country offseason meet) and Women's 5,000 meter run. Kami Orrender won comfortably with a time of 18:08, while true Freshman Nicholas Ashmead won the Men's race in a time of 16:03. Jenna Gipperich set a new personal best in the 5,000 meter with a time of 18:32 for 3rd place. Cheyenne Andrew and Katie-Rose Alligood competed in their first 3,000m steeplechase of the year running 12:25 and 13:07 to finish 2nd and 5th respectively.

The Throwing events were highlighted by Krista Kennedy winning the Javelin with a toss of 127 feet 4 inches besting her own recent school record toss by 9 feet. Kailin DeLeo threw the Hammer and the Discus. Kennedy also competed in the Discus.

Looking forward the Bears will head to Atlanta, Ga. to take part in the Yellow Jacket Invitational on the weekend of March 27th and 28th.

 

Mercer Track and Field Take First at Eye Opener Meet

SAVANNAH, Ga. - On Saturday, Feb. 21 the Mercer Bears Track & Field team opened their season at Savannah State University's Eye Opener Meet. The Team was scored in a dual meet against fellow Division I opponent Savannah State University, though 13 teams competed in total.

On the sprints side, The Women's 4x100 meter relay team of Nicola Tirpak, Artavia Pettigrew, Callie Hammerle, and Danielle Chimenti Defeated SSU and placed 5th overall with a school record setting time of 51.25 seconds. Tirpak took home individual honors over SSU in both the 100 and 200 meter dash running 14.15 and 28.73 respectively into a headwind, making her the top point scorer for the Bears.

The 400 meter dash was highlighted by freshman Callie Hammerle taking 5th overall in a school record time of 1:02.93 follow closely by Pettigrew who ran 1:03.43 for 7th place. Both Women defeated all runners from SSU. Lia Sewell ran a new personal best in the 1500 to take 5th overall in a time of 5:08.

The throwing events started strong in the Discus with Senior Krista Kennedy throwing 30.84 meters while freshman Kallin DeLeo threw 27.15 meters taking 5th and 7th overall, but defeating all SSU opponents. In the Javelin toss Kennedy threw 36.16 meters in her final toss to secure her 2nd place overall finish while defeating all SSU opponents. Both of Kennedy's events were school record setting marks.

In the 5,000 meter run the Bears had an outstanding showing finishing 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, and 20th lead by Jenna Gipperich who ran a new personal­best time of 18:34, while Courtney Czerniak was the top freshman taking 4th overall and running 19:16.

The Men's Cross Country team competed at the Meet as part of their non­championship season where Senior Davis Trexler won the 5,000 meter over all in a time of 15:32 while fellow Senior Jeff Law finished 6th overall in a time of 15:47.

The meet concluded with the Women's 4x400 meter relay where the team of Tirpak, Sewell, Tricia Surber, and Madison Morris run 4:25.37 to place 5th overall just ahead of the second Bear relay team of Pettigrew, Hammerle, Shannon Millikin, and Katie­Rose Alligood who finished in 4:28.10. The bears scored 170 points total to defeat SSU by 8 points.