MOBILE, Ala. – The Samford University track & field program sprinted off to Mobile, Alabama to compete at the South Alabama Invitational on Thursday, April 14, through Saturday, April 16.
Today the Bulldogs opened up the three-day competition with a pair competing in the men's decathlon and a solo competitor in the women's heptathlon. It is the first time during this outdoor season that decathletes Drew Patterson and Austin Billings along with heptathletes Selena Popp and Jordan Highsmith had the chance to enter live multi-event competition.
Patterson and Billings opened up the decathlon with the 100-meter dash with Patterson taking a 7th place finish (11.69 – 713 points) while Billings an 11th place finish (12.12 – 628 points).
Billings had his best showing of the day in the men's shot put as he took 5th in the event with a heave of 10.61m to earn 522 points. Patterson followed up Billings in the event with a throw of 8.51m to place 11th overall and earn 397 points.
Halfway through the first day of competition in the decathlon both Patterson and Billings sat 9th and 10th overall with 1,699 and 1,690 points respectively heading in the high jump competition.
It was then Patterson who bounced back to take 4th place (1.88m – 696 points) and make a move back up in the overall standings while Billings turned in a solid 1.76m jump for a 7th place finish and 593 points.
The pair concluded the first day of decathlon competition with the 400-meter dash. Patterson blazed his way to a 4th place finish (51.85 – 731 points) in the event with Billings closely behind with a time of 52.25 7th place finish time to earn 714 points.
While Patterson and Billings were jostling for position in the men's decathlon heptathletes Selena Popp and Jordan Highsmith worked their way to a 6th place (2,743 points) and 8th place (2,514 points) first day finishes.
Highsmith and Popp opened the day's competition with the 100-meter hurdles where Highsmith took 10th (16.06 – 707 points) and Popp took 11th overall (16.13 – 698 points).
Popp consistently improved throughout the day as she placed 5th in the high jump (1.62m – 759 points), 2nd in the shot put (10.80m – 582 points) and 6th in the 200-meter dash (27.09 – 704).
Highsmith followed suit as she jumped 1.50m (621 points) to place 9th in the high jump and 7th (9.43m – 492 points) in the shot put. The Missouri City, Texas native rounded out the day with an 8th place (27.21 – 694 points) finish in the 200-meter dash.
The multi-event athletes will conclude competition tomorrow while the rest of the squad gears up to compete in the final two days of the main meet.