Samford sweeps SoCon Outdoor Track & Field Championships

BIRMINGHAM, ALA. – Samford’s men and women swept the Southern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the fifth straight year on Tuesday at Shauna Yelton Field at The Samford Track and Soccer Stadium. Highlights of the day included record-breaking performances from Furman’s Dylan Schubert in the 5,000m and Samford’s Bradley Franklin in the men’s 110m hurdles.  

  
Samford’s men trailed by four points after day one but finished with a 42.5-point margin of victory on Tuesday, concluding with 217.5 points. Western Carolina finished second with 175 points, followed by Furman in third with 110. 
 
The Bulldog women led by 27 points after day one and finished 78.5 points ahead of runner-up Western Carolina who scored 136.5 points. Wofford was third with 134 points. 
 
Samford’s Bryce Davis was named the men’s Most Outstanding Athlete for the second straight year after scoring 22 points via a win in the shot put (16.28m) and two third-place finishes in the hammer throw (49.98m) and discus throw (44.10m).  
 
On the women’s side, Wofford’s Sherika Christie scored 35 points to take the women’s Most Outstanding Athlete honors. Christie won the long jump with a jump of 6.07m. The Wofford sophomore placed second in the triple jump (12.22m), fourth in the 100m hurdles (13.99), fifth in the javelin (42.64m) and high jump (1.61m), sixth in the shot put (12.07m), and eighth in the discus (36.49m).  
 
Samford’s Will Murray, Maddie Edwards, and Edie Smith earned the Knight Commission Pinnacle Awards as the student-athletes with the highest GPAs on the championship-winning squads. 

On the women’s side, Wofford collected the first gold medal of day 2 with Olivia Bagg’s win in the heptathlon, after scoring 4,795 points. Ellie Sawicki also collected a gold medal win for the Terriers with a heave of 41.95m in the discus.  

The next gold medal presented is shared between teammates Sadler Miller and Imani Boyd from Western Carolina. The two Catamount jumpers finished the high jump in a jump off tie after clearing 1.71m. Miller and Boyd both set personal records with their conference championship performance.  

ETSU collected 10 points with freshman Lexi Carter’s first-place finish in the women’s shot put.  Bucs senior Tya Blake also collected a gold medal in the triple jump with a leap of 12.24m. Micailah Cook doubled up on gold medals, finishing first in both the 200m and 400m.  

Samford’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams clinched the program’s first ever gold medals in the events, clocking times of 46.00 and 3:43.65, respectively. Adeline Haisch collected 10 more points for the Bulldogs, posting a time of 4:28.37 in the 1,500m to defend her title in the race.  Additional gold medalists for the Bulldogs include defending champion Amiel Dabney in the 100m hurdles, Grace Lueders in the 800m and Maddie Edwards in the 400m hurdles. 

Chattanooga senior Lesley Green secured 10 points for the Mocs with the top finish in the 5,000m. The Mocs also struck gold in the 100-meter dash after Ryleigh Simmons pulled out the win with a time of 12.05 seconds.  

Men’s medal presentations kicked off with a Samford podium sweep in the discus. The Bulldogs’ Carl Henry, Eli Penix, and Bryce Davis finished first, second, and third, respectively. Adding to his bronze medal, Davis also collected a gold medal in the shot put with a heave of 16.28m.  

Samford’s Bradley Franklin set a new conference record in the 110m-hurdles, clocking a gold medal time of 13.56. The Samford freshman also set a new personal record with the performance. The Bulldogs’ Arthur Chitty won the high jump after clearing 2.12m. Teammates Landon Wright won the 400m hurdles with a time of 51.89, and Ian Jones won the triple jump after reaching 15.40m. The home squad reeled in its third straight 4x400 meter relay gold with a time of 3:13.11. 

Wofford came into conference championship with the top seeded 4x100 time, and left the conference championship with gold after finishing the race in 40.98 seconds. 

VMI’s Nick Brown picked up 10 points for the Keydets with a season-best time of 47.52 in the 400m.  

Furman’s Matthew Smith won the 800m finals with a time of 1:48.53. His Paladins' teammate Dylan Schubert won the 5,000m run with a meet record time of 14:11.06. Christopher Knight also had a first-place finish for Furman, claiming the top spot in the 1,500m.  

The Citadel’s Bradlee Jones was the victor in both the 100 and 200m dashes with times of 10.47 and 21.15, respectively.  

Western Carolina senior Damon Worley finished atop the leaderboard in the decathlon, scoring 6,690 points. 
 
Samford’s outdoor title sweep came on the heels of its indoor sweep in February, marking the fifth season the Bulldogs have swept both indoor and outdoor championships. 
 
 
Men’s results – Final 
1. Samford – 217.5 points 
2. Western Carolina – 175 

3. Furman – 110  

4. ETSU – 85 

5. VMI – 73.5  

6. The Citadel – 70 

7. Wofford – 56  

8. UNCG – 25  

 
 
Women’s results – Final 
1. Samford – 215 points 
2. Western Carolina – 136.5 

3. Wofford – 134  

4. ETSU – 107.50  

5. Furman – 85  

6. Chattanooga – 51  

7. Mercer – 42 

8. The Citadel – 24  

9. VMI – 22  

10. UNCG – 2  
 
Men’s Most Outstanding Athlete 
Bryce Davis, Samford 
 
Women’s Most Outstanding Athlete 
Sherika Christie, Wofford 
 
Men’s Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team) 
Will Murray, Samford 
 
Women’s Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team) 
Maddie Edwards, Samford & Edie Smith, Samford 
 
 
Day 2 champions Men: 4x100-meter relay Nigel Ransby, Zion Bennett, Shane Olander, O’Rell Fisher, Wofford (40.98); decathlon Damon Worley, Western Carolina (6; 1,500-meter run Christopher Knight, Furman (3:45.68); 110-meter hurdles Bradley Franklin, Samford (13.56*); discus Carl Henry, Samford (47.36m); 400-meter dash Nick Brown, VMI (47.52); 100-meter dash Bradlee Jones, The Citadel (10.47); 800-meter run Matthew Smith, Furman (1:48.53); 400-meter hurdles Landon Wright, Samford (51.89); high jump Arthur Chitty (2.12 meters); 200-meter dash Bradlee Jones, The Citadel (10.47); 5,000-meter run Dylan Schubert, Furman (14:11.06*); shot put Bryce Davis, Samford (16.28 meters); triple jump Ian Jones, Samford (15.40m); 4x400-meter relay Landon Wright, Jackson Olivo, Tyke Tabor, Zephaniah Carico-McLennan (3:13.11). 
 
 
Women: Heptathlon Olivia Bagg, Wofford (4,795 points); shot put Lexi Carter, ETSU (13.28m); 4x100-meter relay  Ellison Chadwick, Amiel Dabney, Kelsey martin, Aaliyah Mbenda, Samford  (46.00); 1,500-meter run Adeline Haisch, Samford (4:28.37); 100-meter hurdles Amiel Dabney, Samford (13.60); high jump Sadler Miller & Imani Boyd, Western Carolina (1.71 meters); 400-meter dash Micailah Cook, ETSU (54.67); 100-meter dash Ryleigh Simmons, Chattanooga (12.05); 800-meter run Grace Lueders, Samford (2:08.82); 400-meter hurdles Maddie Edwards, Samford (59.78); triple jump Tya Blake, ETSU (12.24m); 200-meter dash Micailah Cook, ETSU (24.27); discus Ellie Sawicki, Wofford (41.95m); 5,000-meter run Lesley Green, Chattanooga (16:40.00); 4x400-meter relay Elizabeth Pardue, Maddie Edwards, Ellison Chadwick, Ayden Drake, Samford (3:43.65)  
 
*Meet record 
 
Men’s all-freshman – Day 2 
Decathlon 
Garner Ezell, Samford 

Bennett Whitefield, Western Carolina 

Rye Jackson, VMI 
 
1,500-meter run 
Tripp Roemer, Furman  
Logan Ruffner, UNCG  

Chance Underwood, ETSU 

 
110-meter hurdles 
Bradley Franklin, Samford 

Sam Forte, Samford 

Christian Roberts, Western Carolina 
 
Discus 
Bryce Davis, Samford 

Trez Fouch, Western Carolina  

Kolton Weaver, Western Carolina 
 
400-meter dash 
Trevor Williams, Western Carolina 

Joseph Womack, Furman 

100-meter dash 
Ethan Long, Western Carolina 

Bradley Franklin, Samford 

Kevin Koumondji, VMI 
 
800-meter run 
Hayden Waleski, ETSU 
 
400-meter hurdles 

Noah Casa, The Citadel  

Christian Roberts, Western Carolina 

Isaac Osouna, VMI  
 
 
High jump 
Elijah Cochran, Western Carolina 

Grant Fraser, VMI  

Garner Ezell, Samford 
 
200-meter dash 
Ethan Long, Western Carolina 

Nigel Ransby, Wofford 
 
5,000-meter run 
Rives Boltwood, Furman 

Arthur Langley, Samford  

Pierson Guerrant, UNCG 
 
Shot put 
Bryce Davis, Samford 

Tazewell Rae, VMI  

Kolton Weaver, Western Carolina 
 
Triple jump 
Max Smydra, ETSU  

Jay Woodard, The Citadel 

Jaxon Brewer, The Citadel 
 
Women’s all-freshman – Day 2 
Heptathlon 

Laurel Phelps, Samford  

Ne’Rya Vassell, Wofford 

Jeniya White, VMI 
 
Shot put 
Lexi Carter, ETSU  

Lexie Durban, Western Carolina 

Emmie Finley, Western Carolina 
 
1,500-meter run 
Nysa Males, Furman  

Felicity Hamilton, Samford  

Rory Sullivan, Furman 
 
100-meter hurdles 
Aaliyah Mbenda, Samford 

Arielle Livingston, Mercer 
 
High jump 
Akera Molette, ETSU  

E’yana Watson, VMI  

Ne’Rya Vassell, Wofford 
 
400-meter dash 
Micailah Cook, ETSU  

Elizabeth Pardue, Samford 

Taylor Jennings-Ward, Wofford 
 
100-meter dash 
Jayla Simmons, Mercer 
 
800-meter run 
Delaney Vickers, Furman 

Claire Cook, Furman 

Jais Ward, Furman 
 
400-meter hurdles 
Marie Harris, Western Carolina 
 
Triple jump 
Octavia Massena, Western Carolina 

Kamryn Copeland, Mercer 

Andrea Landrum, Wofford 
 
200-meter dash 
Micailah Cook, ETSU 

Taylor Jennings-Ward 
 
Discus 
Lexie Durban, Western Carolina 

Lexi Carter, ETSU  

Olivia Burroughs, Wofford 
 
5,000-meter run 
Zoie Lamanna, Furman  

Nysa Males, Furman 

Deena Ludtke, Furman