Track and Field Finishes Competition at ECACs

Men's Track and Field 2/24/2019 9:40:00 PM VMIKeydets.com

Keydets Wrap up Competition at SoCon Indoors

LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI track and field teams completed the 2019 Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships with great finishes and school record times Sunday at the Corps Physical Training Facility.

The VMI women's team placed sixth with 46 points and the men came in seventh with 44 points. Western Carolina won its sixth straight men's title and Samford won its fourth straight women's crown.

VMI freshman sprinter Eliza Brooks took second in the women's 400 meter with a new school record time of 56.62 seconds. Fellow sprinter Ariana Ruffin placed fourth with a personal-best time of 56.70 seconds which was the new record momentarily before it was topped by Brooks. Freshman Ahliyah Williams came in sixth in the race with a season-best time of 58.16 seconds.

The Keydets finished the meet strong as the women's 4x400 relay team of Brooks, Ingrid Joseph, Williams and Ruffin placed third to reach the podium with a new school record time of 3:53.77.

Right after, the men's all-freshman 4x400 relay of Jonathan Gray, Blaine Ashton, Rafael Mas and Johnnie Walker came in second in their race with a time of 3:20.06.

Ashton started the day off strong with a second-place mark in the men's triple jump at a distance of 14.29 meters (46'10.75”).

Over the course of the indoor season several Keydets qualified for the IC4A/ECAC Championships which are slated for next weekend, Mar. 1-3 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Head Coach Darrin Webb Quotes:

“I am excited where these two teams are and where we are heading as we look towards the outdoor season after the IC4A/ECAC Championships next weekend.

“The women scored the third most points in school history in an indoor championship, and the men are trending in the right direction as well regardless of finish. There really are so many great pieces. The future is exciting as we only graduate two men and three women off of these teams and we had over 30 freshmen compete this weekend. I can't wait to watch this team in outdoors.

“Congrats to all those that made it to the podium, including Blaine Ashton with a second-place finish in the triple jump and of course we had the women's 400 meter record broken three times by two different individuals this weekend, including twice in today's finals with Eliza Brooks running 56.62 and Ariana Ruffin running 56.70. In addition, McKenna Dunn had a season-best performance as she has fought multiple minor injuries and was able to work through the indoor season and claim a fourth-place finish in the women's pole vault.”

“We have a quality group of young men and women and we are building and moving in the right direction. These teams competed very hard this weekend and I could not be prouder of their efforts. Anyone who watched the heats of the men's and women's 400, along with the men's and women's 4x4 relay knows how this team competed and the efforts they gave.”

Men's results – Final

1. Western Carolina – 165.5 points

2. Samford – 138.5

3. Furman – 90

4. ETSU – 89

5. The Citadel – 75

6. Wofford – 48

7. VMI – 44

8. UNCG – 11

Women's results – Final

1. Samford – 172 points

2. Western Carolina – 140

3. ETSU – 104

4. Furman – 91

5. Wofford – 78

6. VMI – 46

7. Chattanooga – 27

8. The Citadel – 5

9. UNCG – 0

Heath Whittle Award (Men's Most Outstanding Athlete)

Trini Feggett, Western Carolina

Women's Most Outstanding Athlete

Selena Popp, Samford

Men's Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)

Dakota Wright, Western Carolina

Women's Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)

Bekah Pfitzer, Samford

Day 2 champions

Men: Triple jump Dijoun Huitt, Western Carolina (15.12 meters); mile Jake Ogden, Furman (4:19.15); 60-meter hurdles Titus Moore, Samford (8.06); 60-meter dash Josiah Johnson, The Citadel (6.76); heptathlon Conrad Heinrich, Wofford (4,810 points); 400-meter dash Devaniel Dale, Western Carolina (48.09); 800-meter run Ryan Adams, Furman (1:53.18); 200-meter dash Trini Feggett, Western Carolina (21.48); weight throw Ben Johnson, ETSU (21.60 meters); 5,000-meter run Frank Lara, Furman (14:18.66); high jump Matt Cahoon, Samford (2.05 meters); 4x400-meter relay Chace Washington-Saunders, Devaniel Dale, Miles Greer, Trini Feggett, Western Carolina (3:18.78).

Women: Mile Karisa Nelson, Samford (4:38.23*); weight throw Victoria Solheim, Western Carolina (18.52 meters); 60-meter hurdles Amber Lust, Wofford (8.54); 60-meter dash McLeod Dean, Wofford (7.52); 400-meter dash Kellsie Whitehead, Western Carolina (55.69); 800-meter run Karisa Nelson, Samford (2:06.10*); 200-meter dash McLeod Dean, Wofford (24.28); pole vault Tally Wilson, Samford (3.85 meters); triple jump Morayo Bhadmos, Samford (12.32 meters); 5,000-meter run Savannah Carnahan, Furman (16:22.61*); 4x400-meter relay Sarah Sanford, Hannah Lueders, Vada Samuels, Selena Popp, Samford (3:50.90).