Samford Bulldogs take Day one lead at Indoor Track & Field Championships

CULLOWHEE, N.C. –  Samford’s men and women lead the SoCon Outdoor Track and Field Championships after Monday’s first day of competition at the Catamount Athletic Complex.  

The SoCon Championships resume Tuesday with the decathlon beginning at 9:15 a.m. Live results, daily recaps, and photos are available at SoConSports.com. Day two coverage begins on ESPN+ at 1:30 p.m. ET. 

Day 1 Men’s Storylines 

• Western Carolina’s Austin Cline opened the gold‑medal tally on the men’s side with a heave of 55.96m in the hammer throw.  
• Samford’s Bradley Franklin entered the week with the top mark in the nation in the  110m hurdles. The Bulldogs’ sophomore improved his 2025 finals time and set a championship record during this year’s prelims with a time of 13.42. 
• Samford’s Kyle Kaufelds defended his title in the javelin, securing his third consecutive championship win and surpassing his 2025 gold‑medal performance by 1.94m. 
• VMI’s Cameron Thomas regained the conference title in the pole vault, earning his second career gold in the event after previously winning in 2024. 
• Furman’s Owen Shifflet became a two‑time champion in the 10,000m, adding to his first title earned in 2024. 
• ETSU’s Nathan Hillis (steeplechase) and Wofford’s Patrick Green (long jump) each claimed gold medals on personal best performances in their respective events.  

Day 1 Women’s Storylines 

• Catamount Emmie Finley earned the first women’s gold medal of the meet with a hammer throw of 51.90m. 
• Samford’s Ellison Chadwick won gold in the long jump for the second time in her career, earning her first title since 2024. 
• Samford’s Brenna Lynn threw a season‑best mark to claim first place in the javelin. 
• Furman’s Sierra Bower ran a personal best on her way to winning gold in the 10,000m. 
• Samford and Furman were the only programs to record multiple gold‑medal performances on day one. 

Day 1 Results