Samford men, women repeat as SoCon indoor track & field champions
Reigning champion Bulldogs win tenth straight women’s title, sixth straight men’s crown
LEXINGTON, Va. – Samford won its record tenth straight women’s title and its sixth consecutive men's title Saturday at the Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships at VMI's Corps Physical Training Facility. Western Carolina’s Ethan Long earned the Heath Whittle Award as the men's Most Outstanding Athlete and Wofford’s Sherika Christie earned the women's Most Outstanding Athlete award.
For the women, the Samford Bulldogs finished first with 163.5 points. The Wofford Terriers finished with 119.5 points for their fourth runner-up finish in five seasons. Furman was third with 115 points and Western Carolina finished fourth with 88 points.
On the men’s side, Samford scored 177 points to outdistance runner-up Western Carolina, which scored 167. Furman was third with 109 and host VMI was fourth with 74.5.
The Citadel’s Emily Danielson secured the first gold medal presentation of day two in the women’s weight throw, throwing a season-best heave of 16.22 meters. Teammate Riley Lair joined her on the podium in second, and Ericka Jackson of Western Carolina placed third in the event.
Samford’s Jaggerd Moore and Arthur Chitty placed first and second, respectively, in the men’s high jump. Moore claimed first, clearing 2.13 meters. This is Samford’s 10th title in the event since 2013.
Wofford’s Sherika Christie added a second gold to her medal count in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 12.41 meters. In the men’s field, Ian Jones of Samford jumped 14.70 to claim first place, besting his previous championship performance by 0.14 meters.
Samford continued their dominance in the men’s heptathlon as junior Ethan Womack scored 4,958 points after winning the 60mH and pole vault. Damon Worley of Western Carolina came in second with 4,956 and Samford’s Garner Ezell placed third with 4,711.
Samford senior Adeline Haisch ran a personal best 4:45.49 in the women’s mile, becoming the first Bulldog to win the event since 2019. Furman’s Nysa Males and Madelyn Cadeau finished second and third, respectively.
Furman completed a podium sweep in the men’s mile with Carson Williams (4:08.58), Luke Taylor (4:09.31), and Chris Knight (4:11.90), finishing first, second, and third respectively.
Amiel Dabney successfully defended her 60 meters hurdles title in a tight race. Dropping two seconds off her 2024 championship time, Dabney completed the race in 8.55 seconds.
On the men’s side, Samford’s Bradley Franklin shattered the former 60 meters hurdles championship record, finishing the race in 7.60 seconds. Franklin had previously broken the record set in 2023 on day one of the championships, beating his own record on day two. The 7.60 time was not only a championship record, but a VMI Corps Physical Training Facility record and a new personal record for the Samford freshman.
VMI senior Eleyah Armstrong dropped two seconds off her 2024 championship time, finishing the 2025 60-meter dash race in 7.42 seconds to claim her third consecutive gold medal in the event.
Bradlee Jones of The Citadel captured gold in the men’s 60-meter dash with a time of 6.80. Western Carolina’s Ethan Long and Nigel Ransby each set personal records to finish second and third, respectively.
The Samford women secured 10 more points with freshman Elizabeth Pardue’s first-place finish in the women’s 400. The Samford Bulldogs totaled 17 points in the event.
VMI secured 16 points in the men’s 400 race, with Nick Brown placing first and Anthony Wilkerson placing third. Samford’s Tyke Tabor split the Keydets finishing second.
Freshmen runners swept the women’s 800m with Furman’s Claire Cook and Jais Ward finishing first and second respectively. VMI’s Reagan Gilman finished third, with three seconds separating her and Cook.
Furman’s Matthew Smith set a new meet record and personal record in the men’s 800 with a time of 1:47.64. Smith shaved four seconds off the previous record to take gold.
The Western Carolina men collected 10 points with junior Jacob Thomas’ gold medal finish in the men’s weight throw, with a mark of 16.97m. The Citadel collected silver and bronze medals with Andrew Granger and Ridge Dowe placing second and third, respectively.
Eleyah Armstrong picked up another gold medal in the women’s 200, with a time of 24.33. Armstrong shaved a little over a second off her former championship team to lead the 200 finalists.
Western Carolina freshman Ethan Long ran a personal best 21.23 to secure gold in the men’s 200m. The Citadel’s Bradlee Jones and Samford’s Cole Grande finished second and third, respectively.
The Furman women swept the top five spots in the women’s 5,000-meter race, collecting 33 points from the event. Furman’s Carly Wilkes, Jenna Mulhern, and Madelynne Cadeau finished first, second, and third respectively. Wilkes’ time of 16:17.80 set a new championship record; the Paladins have claimed the event each year since 2015.
The Samford women picked up 29.5 points in the women’s pole vault, with sophomore Libby Jackson placing first clearing 3.80 meters.
The hype of the day reached a pinnacle as the relay teams gathered to close out the meet. The Samford Bulldogs swept gold in the final event, the 4x400, with the women finishing in 3:46.00 and the men finishing in 3:15.77.
The NCAA will announce the field for the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships on NCAA.com on Tuesday. This season's NCAA indoor track and field championships are from Friday, March 14 to Saturday, March 15, 2025, at the Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, VA.
Men’s results – Final
1. Samford – 177 points
2. Western Carolina – 167
3. Furman– 109
4. VMI – 74.5
5. The Citadel – 59.5
6. Wofford - 46
7. UNCG – 23
Women’s results – Final
1. Samford – 163.5
2. Wofford – 119.5
3. Furman – 115
4. Western Carolina – 88
5. VMI - 70
6. ETSU – 65
7. The Citadel - 25
8. Chattanooga - 17
Heath Whittle Award (Men’s Most Outstanding Athlete)
Ethan Long, Western Carolina
Women’s Most Outstanding Athlete
Sherika Christie, Wofford
Men’s Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)
Arthur Chitty, Samford
Women’s Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)
Macie Pfeuffer, Samford
Day 2 champions
Men: Triple jump Ian Jones, Samford (14.70m); heptathlon Ethan Womack, Samford (4,958 points); mile Carson Williams, Furman (4:08.58); 60-meter hurdles Bradley Franklin, Samford (7.60)*#; 60-meter dash Bradlee Jones, The Citadel (6.80) ; 400-meter dash Nick Brown, VMI (47.66); 800-meter run Matthew Smith, Furman (1:47.64)*; weight throw Jacob Thomas, Western Carolina (16.97m); 200-meter Ethan Long, Western Carolina (21.23); high jump Jaggerd Moore (2.13m); 5,000-meter run Evan Guzman, Furman (14:35.30); 4x400-meter relay Samford (Landon Wright, Zephaniah Carico-McLennan, Jackson Olivo, and Tyke Tabor – 3:15.77).
Women: Weight throw Emily Danielson, The Citadel (16.22m); mile Adeline Haisch, Samford (4:45.49); 60-meter hurdles Amiel Dabney, Samford (8.55); 60-meter dash Eleyah Armstrong (7.42); 400-meter dash Elizabeth Pardue, Samford (55.45); 800-meter run Claire Cook, Furman (2:10.66); triple jump Sherika Christie, Wofford (12.41m); 200-meter dash Eleyah Armstrong, VMI (24.33); pole vault Libby Jackson, Samford (3.80m); 5,000-meter run Carly Wilkes, Furman (16:17.80)*; 4x400-meter relay Samford (Grace Lueders, Maddie Edwards, Elizabeth Pardue, Ayden Drake – 3:46.00).
*meet record
#facility record
Men’s All-Freshman – Day 2
Men’s triple jump
Kwan Oates, Western Carolina
Jaxon Brewer, The Citadel
Preston Kut, Wofford
Men’s heptathlon
Garner Ezell, Samford
Bennett Whitefield, Western Carolina
Rye Jackson, VMI
Men’s mile
Stephen Jones, Samford
Trevor Coggin, Furman
Logan Ruffner, UNCG
Men’s 60-meter hurdles
Bradley Franklin, Samford
Sam Forte, Samford
Elijah Cochran, Western Carolina
Men’s 60-meter dash
Ethan Long, Western Carolina
Nigel Ransby, Wofford
Kevin Koumondji, VMI
Men’s 400-meter dash
Anthony Wilkerson, VMI
Trevor Williams, Western Carolina
DJ Warren, The Citadel
Men’s 800-meter run
Tripp Roemer, Furman
Brodie Schneider, UNCG
Men’s weight throw
Bryce Davis, Samford
Colston Thomas, Wofford
Rae Tazewell, VMI
Men’s 200-meter dash
Ethan Long, Western Carolina
Spencer Dube, Western Carolina
Men’s high jump
Elijah Cochran, Western Carolina
Grant Fraser, VMI
Jaxon Brewer, The Citadel
Men’s 5,000-meter run
Rives Boltwood, Furman
Arthur Langley, Samford
Women’s All-Freshman – Day 2
Women’s weight throw
Lexi Durban, Western Carolina
Ruth Dickersheild, VMI
Emmie Finley, Western Carolina
Women’s mile
Nysa Males, Furman
Zoie Lamanna, Furman
Felicity Hamilton, Samford
Women’s 60-meter hurdles
Akera Molette, ETSU
Jeniya White, VMI
Jasmine Greenridge, ETSU
Women’s 60-meter dash
Naturale Faison, VMI
Taylor Jennings-Ward, Wofford
Ryleigh Simmons, Chattanooga
Women’s 400-meter dash
Elizabeth Pardue, Samford
Taylor-Jennings Ward, Wofford
Micailah Cook, ETSU
Women’s 800-meter run
Claire Cook, Furman
Jais Ward, Furman
Reagan Gilman, VMI
Women’s triple jump
Octavia Massena, Western Carolina
Akera Molette, ETSU
Tamira Levine, The Citadel
Women’s 200-meter dash
Micailah Cook, ETSU
Naturale Faison, VMI
Ryleigh Simmons, Chattanooga
Women’s pole vault
Allison Shingleton, ETSU
Carley Perkins, Samford
Emerson Simpson, Samford
Women’s 5,000-meter run
Zoie Lamanna, Furman
Joiner Evans, Furman
Deena Ludtke, ETSU