LEXINGTON, Va. – Samford’s men and women both lead the Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships after Friday’s first day of competition at the VMI Corps Physical Training Facility. The Bulldogs’ Titus Moore erased a meet record that had stood since 2013.
 
Samford’s men, seeking their first-ever indoor SoCon team title, lead six-time defending champion Western Carolina by just four points after day one. The Bulldogs claimed a pair of individual titles and netted three podium finishes overall, totaling 54.5 points Saturday. Western Carolina earn four podium finishes, including one title, for 50.5 points.
 
On the women’s side, the four-time defending champion Bulldogs enjoy a 29-point lead over second-place Wofford, which earned a pair of individual wins. The Terriers got off to a hot start with 21 points in the pentathlon, but Samford got six podium finishes, including a sweep of the top three spots in the pole vault, to bank 71 points on day one.
 
Samford’s Moore claimed a meet record in the preliminaries of the 60-meter hurdles, turning in a time of 7.81 seconds to erase the prior mark of 7.90 set by Stanley Broaden of Appalachian State in 2013.
 
Samford and Western were neck-and-neck in the men’s race all day, with both sides excelling in the field events. Western Carolina opened with a 1-2 finish in the long jump, with Benjamin Okafor leaping 7.38 meters to edge teammate Shon Pratcher (7.22 meters). The Catamounts claimed 19 points in the event, but Samford went 4-7 to earn 14 team points.
 
The Bulldogs picked up their first individual win of the day in the shot put, as Matt Cahoon threw the implement 16.06 meters. Western Carolina had four student-athletes score in the event, however, to earn 14 points.
 
On the track, Samford picked up five points in the 3,000-meter run, but the event was dominated by Furman, which claimed 25 points. Luke Meade won in 8:15.38, besting teammate Aaron Wier by nearly a second.
 
When scoring for the high jump went final, Samford and WCU were all square with 49.5 team points apiece. Samford took first and third in, with Justin Stuckey winning with a leap of 2.05 meters and Cahoon, the defending champion, finishing third at the same height. Samford and Western Carolina combined to claim the top six spots in the event, with the Bulldogs totaling 20.5 points and the Catamounts taking 16.5.
 
The Bulldogs would pull ahead in the final men’s event of the day, the distance medley relay. Samford’s squad finished fourth to claim four points, while the Catamounts finished eighth for one point. Furman’s Christian Ponder, Nick Epstein, Madison Daniel and Ryan Adams ran 10:03.39 to take first.
 
On the women’s side, Wofford junior Megan Dunn collected the first hardware of the day with a win in the pentathlon with 3,552 points. Dunn bookended the event with wins in the 60-meter hurdles and 800-meter run and took second in the high jump and fourth in the shot put and long jump. Terrier freshman Netanya Linares took third in the pentathlon and sophomore Shakaiya Bradford claimed fourth as Wofford picked up 21 team points early.
 
VMI junior Sarah Leckman delighted the home crowd by winning the shot put with a throw of 14.50 meters, claiming the Keydets’ first women’s individual title at the SoCon indoor meet since 2016.
 
Samford freshman Brittany Bishop led a 1-2-3 Bulldog finish in the pole vault, followed by teammates Tally Wilson and Jackie Barnes. All three cleared 3.85 meters but Bishop did so on her first attempt, good for her first SoCon title.
 
ETSU’s Aliyah Hill won the long jump with an effort of 5.91 meters to pace four Bucs who scored in the event. Wofford’s Hannah Steelman denied Furman’s Savannah Carnahan of a repeat in the 3,000-meter run, turning in a time of 9:14.48 to finish nearly 17 seconds ahead of Carnahan, who set the meet record in the event last season. The Paladins picked up 17 points in event, however, with Grace Dwyer joining Carnahan on the podium in third.
 
The Furman women earned their fourth consecutive title in the distance medley relay, with Emma Kuntz, Riley Burr, Abigail Robertson and Emma Grace Hurley combining to run 11:54.42. Kuntz, a junior, has been part of the last three wins.
 
The SoCon Championships resume Sunday with the resumption of the heptathlon at 9 a.m.
 
Live results, daily recaps and photos can be found at SoConSports.com.
 
Men’s results – Day 1
1. Samford – 54.5 points
2. Western Carolina – 50.5
3. Furman – 35
4. The Citadel – 17
5. ETSU – 16
6. VMI – 13
7. UNCG – 5
8. Wofford – 4
 
Women’s results – Day 1
1. Samford – 71 points
2. Wofford – 42
3. Western Carolina – 37
4. ETSU – 35
5. Furman – 27
6. VMI – 16
7. Chattanooga – 4
8. UNCG – 2
9. The Citadel – 0
 
Day 1 champions
Men: Long jump Benjamin Okafor, Western Carolina (7.38 meters); shot put Matt Cahoon, Samford (16.06 meters); high jump Justin Stuckey, Samford (2.05 meters); 3,000-meter run Luke Meade, Furman (8:15.38); distance medley relay Cameron Ponder, Nick Epstein, Madison Daniel, Ryan Adams, Furman, 10:03.39.
 
Note: Samford’s Titus Moore broke the meet record in the preliminaries of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.81 seconds.
 
Women: Pentathlon Megan Dunn, Wofford (3,552 points); shot put Sarah Leckman, VMI (14.50 meters); pole vault Brittany Bishop, Samford (3.85 meters); long jump Aliyah Hill, ETSU (5.91 meters); 3,000-meter run Hannah Steelman, Wofford (9:14.48); distance medley relay Emma Kuntz, Riley Burr, Abigail Robertson, Emma Grace Hurley, Furman (11:54.42).
 
Men’s All-Freshman – Day 1
Men’s long jump
McCray Kelton, Samford
Marcus Evans, ETSU
 
Men’s shot put
Nathan Myers, Wofford
Jake Musselwhite, ETSU
 
Men’s high jump
Tanner Henry, Wofford
McCray Kelton, Samford
 
Men’s 3,000-meter run
David Ahlmeyer, Furman
Ares Reading, Furman
Michael Zapherson, UNCG
 
Women’s All-Freshman – Day 1
Pentathlon
Netanya Linares, Wofford
Sarah Morelock, ETSU
 
Women’s shot put
Hannah Daffin, Samford
Jataya Wilson, ETSU
Giselle Cruz, Wofford
 
Women’s pole vault
Brittany Bishop, Samford
Riley Alexander, Samford
Netanya Linares, Wofford
 
Women’s long jump
Georgia McDevitt, Wofford
Rylee Jorgensen, Wofford
Madelyn Thompson, Chattanooga
 
Women’s 3,000-meter run
McKenzie Hogue, Samford
Quinn McConnell, Furman
Nicole Matysik, Furman