The Citadel competes at High Point Challenge
WINSTON-SALEN, N.C. – The men's and women's track and field teams competed at the High Point Challenge on Thursday and came away with solid performances across the board. The men's squad went 6-1 in dual scoring with victories over Davidson, College of Charleston, Campbell, UNC-Greensboro, VMI and West Virginia while the women went 3-4 with triumphs over Campbell, UNC-Greensboro and Davidson. Strong individual efforts fueled the team results as Junior Ross Jordan, sophomore Jamie Cunningham and freshman Josiah Johnson highlighted the men's team's outing with times that now rank in The Citadel's top ten.
Jordan posted a personal-best time in the 3000-meter run with an 8:46.29, which is now the fourth-fastest time in program history in that event. Cunninghman was close behind with an 8:52.97 in the 3000-meter, earning the 10th-fastest time in school history.
Meanwhile, Johnson narrowly missed out on a pair on freshman records in the 60-meter and 200-meter. Johnson clocked a 7.01, just three-tenths of a second away from matching The Citadel's 60-meter freshman record. That time still ranks eighth all-time at The Citadel. His personal-best time of 22.85 in the 200-meter was also three-tenths off the school record.
Meanwhile, four throwers recorded personal-best heaves on Thursday. Ja'lon Williams threw 15.10 meters in the shot put to grab the 10th-best toss in program history. In the weight throw, Michael Fernandez (14.80 meters), Amos Jackson (13.98 meters) and Derrick Freeland (14.85 meters) each secured personal bests.
Additionally, junior Tony Cuccaro posted a personal record in the triple jump with a leap of 12.37 meters while the 4x400 relay squad of Devin Singleton, Tevin Williams, Tyler Jackson and Johnson clocked its best time of the season with a 3:24.85 to take second overall.
On the women's side, eight personal records were set on Thursday. Freshman Summer Thompson ran a personal best 63.69 in the 400-meter event while Sarah Johnson clocked a 60.58. Thompson and Johnson also teamed up with Hannah Murray and Ty'Rhonza Harris to secure a season-best time of 4:16.31 in the 4x400 relay.
In field events, freshman Kameron Cass set a personal record in the shot put with a throw of 11.17 meters to earn the eight-best toss in program history. She set a PR in the weight throw as well with a heave of 12.10 meters.
Elsewhere, sophomore Sabrina Necelis grabbed a PR in the triple jump (9.64 meters) to secure the third-best leap in The Citadel history. Temmate Dymond Ettson finished right behind her with a jump of 9.65 meters.
UNCG competes at HPU Panthers Team Challenge
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The UNCG men’s and women’s indoor track teams participated at the High Point Panthers Team Challenge hosted at JDL Fast Track Thursday afternoon. It marks the third meet of the indoor season for the Spartans and first in two weeks.
Junior Patrick O'Grady placed 13th overall in the 400-meter run with a time of 1:04.22 for the first event of the day on the men’s side. Bryan Whyms earned a top-10 finish in the men’s one mile crossing the finish line in 4:26.83. Dakarao Shipp, Luke Sumerford and William Sandin finished in 11th, 12th, and 13th all crossing the line seconds apart.
In the men’s 60-meter dash Palmer Dupree and Jeffery Beane finished in 11th and 12th with times of 7.69 and 7.76, respectively. Kameron Douglas placed 10th in the men’s 800-meter run with a 2:04.54 while Keeton Glenn was just behind him in 2L04.60. Mathew Garr was just one place shy of a 10th place finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.27 while three other Spartans competed in the event.
In the 3K, Brandon King finished in 9:15.65, good for 16th overall when he just edged VMI’s Josh Vermette down the stretch.
Eira Jensen earned an eighth place finish in the women’s one-mile run clocking a 5:13.88. Teammates Katlyn Ayers and Katlyn Adkins finished 14th and 15th crossing the line in 5:24.44 and 5:25.23 respectively. Tiana Green earned a 10th place finish in the 60-meter dash with a time of 8.24 in head one while Antonia Smith, Hillary McFarland, Amber Dickens and Makayla Yables also finished within the top-15.
Samiiah Wilson was the top finisher for UNCG in the women’s 800-meter run. She clocked a 2:29.29 while Kathleen Mansure finished in 2:39.59. Four women competed in the 200-meter dash for UNCG with Mikkayla Hailey clocking a 28.51 as the top Spartan finisher.
In the 3000-meter run Katherine Link was the only Spartan to compete but she earned a 6th place finish when she crossed the line in 10:17.38.
The next meet schedule for UNCG is the Liberty Quad Feb. 12-13 in Lynchburg, Va., and the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa, Feb. 12-13.
Keydets win five events at HPU Team Invite
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - VMI won five events, three men's and two women's, led by Jordan White sweeping the shot put and weight throw at the High Point Team Invitational, contested Thursday at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C.
White continued his banner season by winning both the shot and weight fairly handily. He threw the weight 18.14 M (59'6") to earn that victory, and came back in the shot for a 15.98 meter (52'5 1/4") effort that was also good for first place.
The other winner for the Keydet men was Davon Guerrier, who won the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.35, besting second-place teammate Lee Warren's 8.40. Warren and Guerrier continue to rank 1-2 in the SoCon in that event.
Other notable results on the men's side included Grant Holmes finishing third in the pole vault (4.51 meters/14'9 1/2") and Greg Henderson placing third in the 60-meter dash, with a time of 6.95 seconds. It was a seasonal best for Henderson and improved his IC4A standing.
On the women's side, Yaa Agyepong-Wiafe was the top performer of the night, winning the 60-meter hurdles in 9.03 seconds and finishing second to teammate Kerisha Goode in the 60-meter dash. Goode and Agyepong-Wiafe timed in at 7.86 and 7.90, respectively.
In addition, Logan Edwards was second in the weight throw (14.50 meters/47'7"), Tiffany Quick was second in the shot (11.91 meters/39'1") and Julia Logan finished third in the high jump (1.53 M/5'0 1/4").
"This was a unique competition that lasted just four hours total," said VMI head coach Darrin Webb. "High Point did a great job hosting the event, and we're thankful for the opportunity to have competed. Tonight allowed us to post some quality performances and continue to build toward our final tune-up before conference, coming up at Virginia Tech in a few days."
VMI track and field will return to action Friday, Feb. 19, when the Keydets open competition at the Virginia Tech Challenge in Blacksburg.