JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Western Carolina Catamounts captured their fourth consecutive men’s Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship, while the Samford Bulldogs earned their second straight women’s title on Sunday at the Mountain States Health Alliance Athletics Center in Johnson City, Tennessee. For the Catamounts, it marks the program’s ninth men’s indoor track and field championship, while Samford garners its second women’s indoor track and field title.
Western Carolina registered 170 points to win the men’s title. The Catamounts were followed by runner-up Samford (155 points) and third-place ETSU (137 points). Furman took fourth place, totaling 87 points at the two-day meet, while The Citadel garnered 57 points. Wofford earned 44 points to take sixth place and UNCG tallied four points to round out the group.
On the women’s side, Samford scored 208 points to claim the women’s title, while the Catamounts registered 151.5 points two claim the runner-up trophy. ETSU (107.5 points) and Furman (97 points) claimed third and fourth place, respectively. The VMI women recorded 47 points to earn a fifth-place finish, while the Wofford Terriers (29 points) took sixth place. Chattanooga (9 points), UNCG (7 points) and The Citadel (6 points) close out the pack in seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively.
ETSU’s Patrick Taylor, who won the men’s 200-meter dash, long jump and placed fourth in the 60-meter dash claimed the Whittle Award, which honors the men’s most outstanding athlete of the meet. Taylor tallied 25 of the Bucs’ 137 team points.
On the women’s side, ETSU senior Katrina Seymour garnered the most outstanding athlete of the meet honor after scoring 32.5 of ETSU’s 107 points. Seymour won the women’s 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 400-meter run and was a member of the Bucs’ 4x400-meter relay unit that placed first overall.
The men’s heptathlon wrapped up early in the afternoon as ETSU senior Nathan Rivera, who swept Saturday’s first-four heptathlon events (60m, long jump, shot put and high jump), held on to win the event with a total of 5,041 points. Samford senior Jay Vines (4,623 points) finished in second place. Wofford freshman Robert Stout, who placed second in the 1,000-meter run in the heptathlon, earned six points for the Terriers with a score of 4,525.
History was made in the women’s mile – the first completed women’s event on Sunday – as former UNCG runner Ashley Schnell’s championship meet record of 4:46.42 was shattered by Samford junior Karisa Nelson as well as Furman junior Allie Buchalski. Nelson, who posted this season’s top SoCon time of 4:35.55 (converted), placed first overall, crossing the finish line in 4:43.96. Buchalski finished just behind Nelson in 4:45.70 to also break Schnell’s championship record, which held firm for five years. Samford junior Emma Garner, who finished second in the women’s 3,000-meter run on Saturday, claimed third place in the mile run for the Bulldogs with a time of 4:48.47.
Furman swept top-three finishes in the men’s mile between Troy Reeder, Ryan Adams and Jake Ogden. Reeder was the first Paladin to cross the finish line with a time of 4:14.06. Adams ran in 4:16.35, while Ogden, a freshman, crossed the finish line in 4:18.36 to garner all-freshman honors.
ETSU sophomores Kyra Atkins and Lamisha Simmons finished in first and third, respectively, for the Bucs in the women’s 60-meter hurdles. Atkins achieved a time of 8.32 seconds, while Simmons finished in 8.66 seconds. VMI junior Yaa Agyepong-Wiafe earned a second-place finish with a time 8.64 seconds for the Keydets to register eight points for VMI women’s squad.
Samford freshman Emmanuel Tait made is his contribution to Bulldogs’ second SoCon title after winning the men’s 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.13 seconds to register 10 points for Samford’s overall score. In second place was ETSU senior Michael Williams (8.17 seconds), followed by Citadel senior Malik Diggs (8.23 seconds).
ETSU senior Katrina Seymour took the women’s 60-meter dash, sprinting across the finish line in 7.57 seconds to edge WCU senior Tiffani Lewis (7.58 seconds) by just 0.01 seconds. Lewis’s teammate Mia Little, a sophomore, claimed third place in the women’s 60-meter, dashing across the finish line in 7.61 seconds.
In the men’s 60-meter dash, ETSU senior Matthew Moore took first place for the Bucs with a time of 6.77 seconds, while Samford freshman Emmanuel Tait continued to shine for the Bulldogs, earning a second-place finish with a time of 6.81 seconds. The Citadel sophomore Josiah Johnson placed third for the Bulldogs, just behind Tait, sprinting across the finish line in 6.82 seconds.
Katrina Seymour won her second event of the day for the Bucs, this time in the women’s 400-meter run, with a time of 55.91 seconds. Seymour was less than one second shy of breaking the championship meet record of 54.61 seconds. Samford’s Abigail Cutcliffe, a senior, and Victoria Wicks, a junior, finished in second and third, respectively. Cutcliffe achieved a time of 56.53 seconds, while Wicks finished in 57.46 seconds.
On the men’s side, Western Carolina junior Dakota Lamont took the 400-meter run title with a best-time of 48.41 seconds. Lamont’s teammate Henry Kiedy, also a junior, took third place for the Catamounts with a time of 49.02 seconds. ETSU senior Michael Williams took to the podium for the second time Sunday after claiming second place with a time of 48.73 seconds.
The women’s 800-meter run saw four freshman sweep top-four finishes in the event. Samford’s Presley Weems (2:13.91) and Shian Mallory (2:16.61) took first and third, respectively, while Furman’s Riley Burr (2:216.26) earned second place for the Paladins. Chattanooga’s Kennedy Thompson (2:17.79) garnered five points for the Mocs with her fourth-place finish.
Furman sophomore Ryan Adams won the men’s 800-meter run with a time of 1:53.02. ETSU’s Harper Sigler, a freshman, finished just 0.05 seconds behind Adams to claim second place for the Bucs, while teammate Ashton Wilson, a sophomore, placed third. Wilson completed the 800-meter run in 1:53.89.
ETSU took a one-two finish in the women’s 200-meter dash. ETSU’s Seymour and Atkins dashed across the finish line together with Seymour gaining the slightest of edges with a time of 24.32 second, while Atkins crossed in 24.33 seconds. Samford junior Tonia McKinley posted a time of 24.56 seconds, registering six of the Bulldogs’ seven points.
In the men’s 200-meter run dash, ETSU junior Patrick Taylor finished in 21.88 seconds. Samford freshman Dominic Smith Jr. completed the race just behind Taylor with a time of 21.94 seconds. The Citadel’s Josiah Johnson took third place for the Bulldogs to garner six points for the Bulldogs in the event.
Furman swept top-three finishes in the women’s 5,000-meter run with freshman Savannah Carnahan leading the Paladins’ effort with a time of 16:41.82. Senior Laura Miller placed second in 17:26.00 and freshman Anna Hayden, also a freshman, took third place with a time of 17:37.30.
Samford junior Arsène Guillorel won the men’s 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:21.39. Tanner Hinkle (14:27.22) of Furman placed second in the event, while ETSU junior Simeon Roberts finished just behind in 14:28.84.
Samford junior Keyth Fightmaster edged Western Carolina sophomore Jackson Khalil in the men’s high jump. Fightmaster cleared a height of 2.16 meters, while Khalil achieved a mark of 2.05 meters. The Citadel’s Mick Noel, a senior, placed third in the event, clearing a mark of 1.95 meters for the Bulldogs.
Samford sophomore Selena Popp claimed the women’s high jump title after winning the tiebreaker based on attempts with teammate Courtney Prengaman. The pair of Bulldogs cleared a height of 1.75 meters. Catamount senior Tiffani Lewis took third place with a height of 1.65 meters.
In a narrow contest in the men’s weight throw, Western Carolina’s Scott Peretin won the title with a mark of 18.91 meters. The Citadel junior Derrick Freeland’s throw of 18.88 meters fell just 0.03 meters shy of Peretin’s mark to claim second place. Peretin’s teammate Chase Stehling (18.00 meters), a sophomore, claimed third place for the Catamounts.
On the women’s side, defending champion Hailey Cook, a senior at Western Carolina, won her second consecutive weight throw title with a best mark of 17.96 meters. Behind Cook was Aerial Horton of Samford, who achieved a best throw of 17.22 meters.
Western Carolina junior Meghan Breden won the women’s pole vault with a leap of 3.80 meters. Samford seniors Lindsey Kessler (3.70m) and Emily Eustace (3.30 meters) placed second and third, respectively.
Javion Lee, a senior at Samford, won the men’s triple jump with a best jump of 14.95 meters. WCU’s Kevin Hires (14.62 meters) and Dijoun Huitt (14.42 meters), a freshman, took second and third place, respectively, in the event.
Samford sophomore Megan Meadow placed first for the Bulldogs in the women’s triple jump, with a best jump of 12.42 meters, while Western Carolina senior Tiffani Lewis placed second with her leap of 11.94 meters. Samford junior Tiana Pisoni claimed third place for the Bulldogs with a best mark of 11.88 meters.
In the final women’s event of the day, ETSU won the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:50.04. Samford nearly caught the Bucs’ relay team on the last straightaway as the Bulldogs finished in 3:51.00. Western Carolina placed third in the relay with the last competitor crossing the finish line in 3:53.28.
In the final event of the 2017 SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championship, Western Carolina won the men’s 4x400-meter relay with a best time of 3:16.68. The Citadel placed second in 3:20.99 and Wofford nabbed a third-place finish, finishing the relay in 3:24.44.
Western Carolina’s Miles Greer was awarded the 2017 Pinnacle Award, which is awarded to the member of the championship team with the highest GPA. Greer, a sophomore, currently holds a 3.849 GPA. Samford’s Bekah Pfitzer took home the women’s Pinnacle Award. Pfitzer is also a sophomore with a 3.951 GPA as an exercise science major.
Visit SoConSports.com for full coverage of the 2017 Indoor Track and Field Championships, including full results and highlights.
Final men’s team results:
1. Western Carolina – 170
2. Samford – 155
3. ETSU – 137
4. Furman – 87
5. The Citadel – 57
6. Wofford – 44
7. UNCG – 4
Final women’s team results:
1. Samford – 208
2. Western Carolina – 151.5
3. ETSU – 107.5
4. Furman – 97
5. VMI – 47
6. Wofford – 29
7. Chattanooga – 9
8. UNCG – 7
9. The Citadel – 6
Men’s Most Outstanding Athlete (Heath Whittle Award)
Patrick Taylor, ETSU, Jr.
Women’s Most Outstanding Athlete
Katrina Seymour, ETSU, Sr.
Men’s All-Freshman Team – Day 2
Heptathlon
Robert Stout, Wofford
Hunter Schlatter, Samford
Anthon Richardson ,Western Carolina
Mile
Jake Ogden, Furman
60-meter hurdles
Emmanuel Tait, Samford
Anthony Richardson, Western Carolina
J’Len Wilson, Western Carolina
60-meter dash
Emmanuel Tait, Samford
John Bapoupeleh, Wofford
400-meter run
Devaniel Dale, Western Carolina
Bradford Smith, Wofford
800-meter run
Harper Sigler, ETSU
Jack Zemp, Wofford
Thomas Moore, Furman
Triple jump
Dijoun Huitt, Western Carolina
Jon Waarvik, Samford
Robert Stout, Wofford
200-meter dash
Dominic Smith Jr., Samford
Devaniel Dale, Western Carolina
John Bapoupeleh, Wofford
5,000-meter run
Mason Coppi, Furman
Adam Bradtmueller, ETSU
Louis Morris, ETSU
Women’s All-Freshman Team – Day 2
Weight throw
Jess Page, The Citadel
Amy Yarborough, Western Carolina
Margaret Hayden, ETSU
Triple Jump
Immani Bennett, Western Carolina
Jazmine Gooden, Western Carolina
Ationza Smith, ETSU
Mile
Gabrielle Jennings, Furman
Emma Grace Hurley, Furman
Taylor Delaney, UNCG
60-meter hurdles
Jazmine Gooden, Western Carolina
60-meter dash
Jazmine Gooden, Western Carolina
400-meter dash
Rachel Dixon, Samford
Kassidy Morton, Wofford
Sarah Fairchild, Samford
800-meter run
Preseley Weems, Samford
Riley Burr, Furman
Shian Mallory, Samford
200-meter dash
Jazmine Gooden, Western Carolina
5,000-meter run
Savannah Carnahan, Furman
Anna Hayden, Furman
Grace Dwyer, Furman
Men's Pinnacle Award Receipient
Miles Greer (3.849 GPA), Western Carolina
Women's Pinnacle Award Receipient
Bekah Pfitzer (3.951 GPA), Samford
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