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Samford leads SoCon Indoor Track & Field Championships
Reigning champion Bulldogs seeking ninth straight women’s title, fifth straight men’s crown
LEXINGTON, Va. – Samford’s men and women lead the Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships after Saturday’s first day of competition at the VMI Corps Physical Training Facility. Eleven event titles were determined on day one.
Samford’s men totaled 60 points Saturday to hold a 17-point lead over Furman as they try to win their fifth straight championship. The Bulldog women are also comfortably ahead, as the eight-time defending championships put up 59.5 points on day to lead second-place Wofford by 13.5.
Samford’s men and Furman’s men won two titles each, while VMI added one. On the women’s side, Wofford and Furman claimed two titles apiece, while Western Carolina and VMI also earned wins Saturday.
Furman’s women’s team broke won distance medley relay for the eighth straight season. Camryn Wennersten, Callie Harper, Megan Marvin, and Sierra Bower turned in a time of 11:31.07, 14 seconds in front of second-place Samford.
Among other highlights of the day, Wofford’s Sherika Christie who finished first in the pentathlon after winning the long jump and 60mH. Her 3,641 points represent Wofford’s fifth straight title in the event.
Furman’s Carson Williams successfully defended his title in the 3,000-meter run, with a time of 8:12.77, to lead the Paladins to first through fifth in the event totaling 33 points.
The Paladins added 10 points in the DMR Saturday with Cameron Ponder, Christian Newman, Christopher Knight and Dylan Schubert won for the second year in a row with a time of 9:55.18, winning the event by 14 seconds.
Wofford’s Ellie Sawicki turned in a heave of 13.66 meters on her final throw of the day to claim the shot put gold medal and add another 10 points to the team score
Samford freshman Brenden Vanderpool led a Bulldog podium sweep in the pole vault, clearing 5.20 meters in his final attempt. Jed Sisco took second place after clearing 5.05m on his first attempt, and Walker Smith was third at 4.90 meters. Two more Bulldogs scored in the event as Samford claimed 31 points.
Abigail Robertson claimed Furman’s fourth straight 3,000m women’s title, as she finished in 9:31.02, her second consecutive title in the event. The Paladins banked 21 points in the event.
VMI’s Eleyah Armstrong won the long jump with a leap of 5.96 meters.
The first men’s title of the day went to Samford’s Carl Henry, a freshman who won the shot put with a throw of 15.38 meters.
WMI’s Keyandre Midgett won the long jump with a leap of 7.49. The Keydets scored 14 points in the event as Charles Male finished fifth with a jump of 7.13.
Western Carolina took first place in the final field event of the day as Imani Boyd cleared 1.71 meters in the high jump.
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. Day two will air on ESPN+ starting at 12 p.m. ET.
Men’s results – Day 1
1. Samford – 60 points
2. Furman - 43
3. VMI - 40
4. Western Carolina - 27
5. Wofford - 14
6. The Citadel – 6
7. UNCG – 2
Women’s results – Day 1
1. Samford – 59.5 points
2. Wofford – 46
3. Furman – 31
4. VMI – 29.5
5. ETSU – 20
6. Western Carolina – 19
7. The Citadel – 18
8. Chattanooga – 8
9. UNCG – 3
Day 1 champions
Men: Shot put Carl Henry, Samford (15.38 meters); pole vault Brenden Vanderpool, Samford (5.20 meters); long jump Keyandre Midgett, VMI (7.49 meters); 3,000-meter run Carson Williams, Furman (8:12.77); distance medley relay Cameron Ponder, Christian Newman, Christopher Knight, Dylan Schubert, Furman (9:55.18).
Women: Pentathlon Sharika Christie, Wofford (3,641 points); long jump Eleyah Armstrong, VMI (6.05 meters); shot put Ellie Sawicki, Wofford (13.66 meters); 3,000-meter run Abigail Robertson, Furman (9:31.02); high jump Imani Boyd, Western Carolina (1.71 meters); distance medley relay Camryn Wennersten, Callie Harper, Megan Marvin, Sierra Bower Furman, (11:31.07).
Men’s All-Freshman – Day 1
Men’s shot put
Carl Henry, Samford
Rafe Clendenin, VMI
Dakota Sorrells, Western Carolina
Men’s pole vault
Brenden Vanderpool, Samford
Cameron Thomas, VMI
Jack Scott, The Citadel
Men’s long jump
Samuel Werner, Samford
Jordan Chestnut, The Citadel
David Dorbin, Western Carolina
Men’s 3,000-meter run
Owen Shifflett, Furman
Khalid Abdullahi, UNCG
Patrick Lowry, VMI
Women’s All-Freshman – Day 1
Pentathlon
Sherika Christie, Wofford
Kiersten Bell, Samford
Brianna Baker, ETSU
Women’s long jump
Ellison Chadwick, Samford
Sherika Christie, Wofford
Eliza Ruch, ETSU
Women’s shot put
Diamond Baker, VMI
Sherika Christie, Wofford
Landrey Pike, Western Carolina
Women’s high jump
Ava Cooper, Wofford
Morgan Fraser, VMI
Ava McGue, Chattanooga
Women’s 3,000-meter run
Lily Feingold, Furman
Andrea Ellis, Chattanooga
Michaela Dabney, Chattanooga
Samford’s men totaled 60 points Saturday to hold a 17-point lead over Furman as they try to win their fifth straight championship. The Bulldog women are also comfortably ahead, as the eight-time defending championships put up 59.5 points on day to lead second-place Wofford by 13.5.
Samford’s men and Furman’s men won two titles each, while VMI added one. On the women’s side, Wofford and Furman claimed two titles apiece, while Western Carolina and VMI also earned wins Saturday.
Furman’s women’s team broke won distance medley relay for the eighth straight season. Camryn Wennersten, Callie Harper, Megan Marvin, and Sierra Bower turned in a time of 11:31.07, 14 seconds in front of second-place Samford.
Among other highlights of the day, Wofford’s Sherika Christie who finished first in the pentathlon after winning the long jump and 60mH. Her 3,641 points represent Wofford’s fifth straight title in the event.
Furman’s Carson Williams successfully defended his title in the 3,000-meter run, with a time of 8:12.77, to lead the Paladins to first through fifth in the event totaling 33 points.
The Paladins added 10 points in the DMR Saturday with Cameron Ponder, Christian Newman, Christopher Knight and Dylan Schubert won for the second year in a row with a time of 9:55.18, winning the event by 14 seconds.
Wofford’s Ellie Sawicki turned in a heave of 13.66 meters on her final throw of the day to claim the shot put gold medal and add another 10 points to the team score
Samford freshman Brenden Vanderpool led a Bulldog podium sweep in the pole vault, clearing 5.20 meters in his final attempt. Jed Sisco took second place after clearing 5.05m on his first attempt, and Walker Smith was third at 4.90 meters. Two more Bulldogs scored in the event as Samford claimed 31 points.
Abigail Robertson claimed Furman’s fourth straight 3,000m women’s title, as she finished in 9:31.02, her second consecutive title in the event. The Paladins banked 21 points in the event.
VMI’s Eleyah Armstrong won the long jump with a leap of 5.96 meters.
The first men’s title of the day went to Samford’s Carl Henry, a freshman who won the shot put with a throw of 15.38 meters.
WMI’s Keyandre Midgett won the long jump with a leap of 7.49. The Keydets scored 14 points in the event as Charles Male finished fifth with a jump of 7.13.
Western Carolina took first place in the final field event of the day as Imani Boyd cleared 1.71 meters in the high jump.
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. Day two will air on ESPN+ starting at 12 p.m. ET.
Men’s results – Day 1
1. Samford – 60 points
2. Furman - 43
3. VMI - 40
4. Western Carolina - 27
5. Wofford - 14
6. The Citadel – 6
7. UNCG – 2
Women’s results – Day 1
1. Samford – 59.5 points
2. Wofford – 46
3. Furman – 31
4. VMI – 29.5
5. ETSU – 20
6. Western Carolina – 19
7. The Citadel – 18
8. Chattanooga – 8
9. UNCG – 3
Day 1 champions
Men: Shot put Carl Henry, Samford (15.38 meters); pole vault Brenden Vanderpool, Samford (5.20 meters); long jump Keyandre Midgett, VMI (7.49 meters); 3,000-meter run Carson Williams, Furman (8:12.77); distance medley relay Cameron Ponder, Christian Newman, Christopher Knight, Dylan Schubert, Furman (9:55.18).
Women: Pentathlon Sharika Christie, Wofford (3,641 points); long jump Eleyah Armstrong, VMI (6.05 meters); shot put Ellie Sawicki, Wofford (13.66 meters); 3,000-meter run Abigail Robertson, Furman (9:31.02); high jump Imani Boyd, Western Carolina (1.71 meters); distance medley relay Camryn Wennersten, Callie Harper, Megan Marvin, Sierra Bower Furman, (11:31.07).
Men’s All-Freshman – Day 1
Men’s shot put
Carl Henry, Samford
Rafe Clendenin, VMI
Dakota Sorrells, Western Carolina
Men’s pole vault
Brenden Vanderpool, Samford
Cameron Thomas, VMI
Jack Scott, The Citadel
Men’s long jump
Samuel Werner, Samford
Jordan Chestnut, The Citadel
David Dorbin, Western Carolina
Men’s 3,000-meter run
Owen Shifflett, Furman
Khalid Abdullahi, UNCG
Patrick Lowry, VMI
Women’s All-Freshman – Day 1
Pentathlon
Sherika Christie, Wofford
Kiersten Bell, Samford
Brianna Baker, ETSU
Women’s long jump
Ellison Chadwick, Samford
Sherika Christie, Wofford
Eliza Ruch, ETSU
Women’s shot put
Diamond Baker, VMI
Sherika Christie, Wofford
Landrey Pike, Western Carolina
Women’s high jump
Ava Cooper, Wofford
Morgan Fraser, VMI
Ava McGue, Chattanooga
Women’s 3,000-meter run
Lily Feingold, Furman
Andrea Ellis, Chattanooga
Michaela Dabney, Chattanooga