Catamounts Win 12 Events on Final Day at Georgia Relays
ATHENS, Ga. - The Western Carolina men's and women's track & field teams picked up 12 events wins on the final day of the Georgia Relays in Athens, Ga. The women earned five wins while the men collected seven victories. The Catamounts won five of the seven relay events they entered including sweeping the 4x100m relay events.
The women took the crown in the 4x100 with a time of 46.44. Sophomore Kayla Williams, junior Tayla Carter, sophomore Chenell Bryan and sophomore Tiffani Lewis teamed up to take the win. Sophomore Jermaine Lewis, senior Jerry Wickerson, freshman Chris Hancock and freshman Brenden Caldwell teamed up to take the men's 4x100 with a time of 41.48.
Lewis, Wickerson, Hancock and Caldwell also teamed up to win the men's 4x200 with a time of 1:29.91. The men also took home the 4x800 event as junior Jamie Bigby, sophomore Kaleel Barton, sophomore JC Cornett and junior Michael Cornwell teamed up to post a time of 7:55.98.
Junior Corina Archie-McMillan, senior Genevieve Emrick, senior Michaela Birek and Carter took home the title in the 4x400 event with a time of 3:44.65.
The men's side finished second in the 4x400 as senior Aaron Tribble, freshman Dakota Lamont, senior Demari Boswell and freshman Henry Kiedy posted a time of 3:12.59 while the women finished second in the 4x200. Bryan, K. Williams, senior Xaviera Bass and Lewis crossed the line in 1:43.96.
The men won four individual events while the women took home three titles.
Junior Christian Carswell won the men's high jump with a leap of 1.96m (6-05.00). Freshman Jaquell Bryant came in second after posting a height of 1.88m (6-02.00) while freshman Joe Templeton took fourth at 1.83m (6-00.00).
Carter took the top honor in the women's 100m with a time of 11.65.
Carswell also took the win in the men's long jump with a leap of 6.72m (22-00.75) as the Catamounts swept the top-five spots. Freshman Jordan Santana (6.66m (21-10.25)) took second, junior David Johnson (6.63m (21-09.00)) placed third, freshman Kevin Hires (6.39m (20-11.75)) came in fourth while sophomore Tremaine Kernes (6.34m (20-09.75)) took home fifth.
Juniors Kaitlyn Shetler and Michelle Provost took first and second, respectively, in the women's 3000m steeplechase. Shetler crossed the line in 11:53.81 while Provost posted a time of 12:30.65.
Freshman Thor Smith and sophomore Dustin Triplett took the top two spots in the pole vault as they both cleared 4.55m (14-11.00). Smith did it in fewer attempts which earned him the top spot.
Senior Devyn Ressler, junior Korie Bennett and senior Cara June Elyea finished first, second and third in the women's pole vault as they all cleared 3.50m (11-05.75). Ressler used fewer attempts so she earned first, Bennett was next and she was followed by Elyea.
Seniors Marquis Bailey and Abraham Faison earned the one-two finish in the men's 400m hurdles. Bailey crossed the line in 54.32 while Faison stopped the clock in 55.05.
Bryan, Lewis and Birek took second, fourth and fifth in the women's long jump. Bryan leapt 5.72m (18-09.25) while Lewis stopped the tape at 5.54m (18-02.25). Birek posted a distance of 5.46m (17-11.00).
The Catamounts also took second, fourth and fifth in the women's discus. Senior Alisha Bradshaw took second with a toss of 43.68m (143-04). Sophomore Hailey Cook came in fourth at 42.04m (137-11) while junior Jasmin Brown placed fifth with a throw of 37.37m (122-07).
In the women's javelin, senior Kim Cannon came in second with a toss of 39.72m (130-04). Senior Anne Greer tied for third with a distance of 35.71m (117-02) while junior Holly Gaines came in fifth with a throw of 34.98m (114-09).
Junior Michael Cornwell and sophomore JC Cornett finished second and third in the men's 1500m. Cornwell stopped the clock at 4:00.37 while JC Cornett crossed the line in 4:04.10.
Birek took second in the women's 400m hurdles with a time of 1:00.31 while Gaines placed fifth at 1:04.25.
Kiedy took home second in the men's 400m with a time of 47.51 while freshman Robbie Tompa came in fifth at 50.27.
Senior Lena Elliott took third in the 400m on the women's side as she crossed the line in 56.31.
The final top-five finishers on the men's side were junior Jared Johnson and sophomore Evan Albertson. Johnson took fourth in the men's discus with a toss of 46.28m (151-10) while Albertson came in fifth at 43.16m (141-07).
The women's final top-five finisher was sophomore Anisia Starege who came in third in the high jump. Starege cleared 1.68m (5-06.00).
WCU will be back in action next weekend as the Catamounts travel to the Winthrop Invitational and the Yellow Jacket Invitational.
Bulldogs Wrap Up John Mitchell Relays
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – It was another eventful day for the Samford University track and field squads as each team had individuals turn in impressive marks on the final day of the John Mitchell Alabama Relays held at the Sam Bailey Track & Field Stadium on Saturday, March 21.
Senior pole vault specialist Claire Goodson turned in a 3.85m fifth place finish in the women's pole vault during the final day's action; it's the second competition of the season for Goodson since having to miss the indoor season due to exhausted eligibility. Rebecca Preisler from Lewis turned in the top performance in the competition with a 4.05m mark.
Freshman Keyth Fightmaster has been on a steady climb in the men's high jump as he took third place with a 2.15m (7-0 ½) jump; that jump tied the school-record setting jump he made just last weekend during the Battle of I-65 at the Samford Track and Soccer Complex.
Sarah Sanford kept the momentum going for the Bulldogs as she turned in a third place finish in the women's 100 meter hurdles with a time of 14.04; the time was just shy of her 13.95 time she posted last weekend in her first collegiate outdoor meet. Qiona Payton placed 14th overall with a time of 14.66.
In the men's discus it was senior Sidney Jordan who threw for school-record 50.35m (165-2) on his way to an overall 10th place finish. Jordan broke his own record that he set previously last season on April 27, with a mark of 48.32m.
The Bulldogs tallied a pair of top-ten finishes in the women's 800 meter run as senior Marie DeMedicis placed second with a time of 2:09.32 and fellow teammate Anna Laura Irvine placed sixth overall with a time of 2:12.33. It was the first time of the outdoor season that either of the two ran in the event.
Junior Adam Jones ran in the men's 800 meter run for the first time of the 2015 outdoor season and came away with an eighth place finish time of 1:52.51. Jones was just two seconds shy of eclipsing his personal best he set back on April 11, 2014.
The group of Sarah Sanford, Kimberly Ruch, Abigail Cutcliffe, Marie Demedicis placed ninth overall with a time of 3:50.39 in the women's 4x400 meter relay to cap off Samford's impressive outings for the day. It was the first time Samford ran in the event this outdoor season and is the third fastest time record by any group at Samford.
The Bulldogs will take a small break in competition but will return to the track on April 2-4, as the teams will split up to compete at the Auburn Invitational in Auburn, Alabama and the Florida Relays that will be held in Gainesville, Florida.
ETSU Totals Five Top-Three Finishes on 49er Classic final day
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Following a productive two days of competition on Thursday and Friday, the ETSU track & field program kept the momentum going on Saturday with five podium finishes to wrap up action at the Charlotte 49er Classic at the Bell Track & Field Center.
After placing third in the women’s 100-meter dash prelims yesterday with a time of 11.94, junior sprinter Keturah Williams improved on Saturday in the event final with a personal-best 11.60 time to round out the top three.
Also looking to continue the progression from Friday’s preliminary action, sophomore Mike Williams raced to a quicker time than yesterday’s 53.10 time with a race of 52.45, but finished second after leading the pack in the prelims.
Junior Emily Williams was able to turn in a third-place finish in the women’s 3000-meter finals with a time of 10:12.76. Competition this weekend in Charlotte is her first as a Buccaneer for the ETSU newcomer.
Following rounding out the top three in the women’s discus with a toss of 42.80 meters on Friday, senior Verena Tobis carried the momentum over to Saturday in throws events with a 44.73-meter toss in the javelin to place runner-up in a field featuring 31 competitors.
In the men’s seeded pole vault final, senior Chris Winkle recorded a personal-best mark of 4.70 meters to finish third in the standings. In the field of competition featuring 10 jumpers, Winkle recorded an identical mark to the second-place finisher.
The ETSU track & field program will be back in action next weekend at the Raleigh Relays, March 27 – 28, in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Gilpin, DMR Sixth at Alabama Relays Saturday
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior John Gilpin placed sixth in the men’s 3000 meter Steeplechase and the men’s DMR also placed sixth on the final day of the John Mitchel Alabama Relays at the Sam Bailey Track.
Gilpin just missed his best time in the race, finishing sixth with a time of 9:43.43. The men’s Distance Medley Relay team finished sixth at the meet with a time of 10:11.46. Junior Austin Casassa led off the race for the Mocs with Geoff Nelson taking the baton for the 400 meter leg. Junior Marquis Carter ran the 800 for Chattanooga and handed off to junior Trevor Janssen for the final 1600 meter leg.
In the women’s DMR, junior Hannah Chamblin started the Mocs with the 1200 meter leg with junior Kiaana Howard running the 400 meter leg despite nursing an injured hamstring. She handed off the sophomore Jessica York for the 800 meter with sophomore Maddison Melchionna running the anchor.
The Mocs will be back in action next weekend at the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Invitational all day on Saturday, March 28.
Track Wraps Up Weekend at Wake Forest Open
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The UNCG men’s and women’s track teams competed in the Wake Forest Open over the weekend, wrapping up competition on Saturday at Kentner Stadium at Wake Forest University.
Eira Jensen took second place overall in the 3,000-meter run with a final time of 10:13.35. Katlyn Ayers finished in sixth place overall in the race, with a time of 10:32.68.
Tiana Green finished the 400-meter race in 1:03.41.
Jonathan Hodge set a new personal best with a final time of 51.36 in the 400-meter race. John Elwood also set a new best time after running a 53.09 in the race.
In the 3,000-meter race, Bryan Whyms finished in 8:57.96 for 15th place overall.
Luke Sumerford finished with a final time of 4:06.50 for an eighth place finish in the second section of the 1,500-meter race. Patrick O’Grady finished with a final time of 4:11.87.
The Spartans will compete in the Raleigh Relays on March 27 and 28 in Raleigh, N.C.
Wofford Track & Field Kicks Off Outdoor Season at 49er Classic
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Wofford College track & field teams kicked off their 2015 outdoor season at the 49er Classic, hosted by UNC Charlotte.
The Terriers continued to improve on both sides, with solid results in the field of 20-plus schools.
On the women’s side, freshman Katie Beuerlein led the way. The Knoxville, Tennessee native put up impressive numbers in both the 100 meter hurdles and long jump, posting a time of 15.55 in the hurdles for a 19th-place finish, while jumping 4.97 meters for a 23rd-place finish in the long jump.
On the men’s side, the Terriers had plenty of notable finishes. In the 4x400 meter relay, the Terriers finished with a time of 3:24.24 with Sam Parrott, Travis Butler, Matt Ransom and Alex Michaels running. In the hammer throw, Gaston Hayworth continued to impress, tossing a distance of 45.88 meters, good for a 13th place finish. Alex Michaels ran for a 24th-place finish in the 1500 meter with a time of 4:04.59 and Travis Butler finished 17th in the men’s 400 meter with a time of 50.68 seconds.
The Terriers return to the track on Thursday, where they will compete in the Winthrop Invitational in Rock Hill, South Carolina.