Feb. 18, 2007
Western Carolina Individual Finishes & All-SoCon Performers
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Clemson, S.C. - Western Carolina combined for 10 individual championships and 26 all-conference performers on the weekend to post a pair of runner-up finishes at the 2007 Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships at Clemson University Indoor Facility.
The Catamount women (159.5) were edged by rival Appalachian State (161) by a mere point and a half while the Mountaineer men finished 40 points ahead of Western, 272.5-to-232.5.
WCU head coach Danny Williamson was named the 2007 Women's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year, garnering his 21st career honor. Freshman Dominique Young was tabbed as the top rookie on the men's side as he was named the 2007 Men's Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year. Young recorded a pair of top three finishes, running second in the 200-meter dash and third in the 60-meter event
WCU head coach Danny Williamson earned his 21st career Coach of the Year honor on Sunday.  |
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Western's women continued its strong showing in the track events, posting at least one in the top three in seven of the eight events. Junior Raquel Ramseur took the top spot in the 400-meter dash (56.33), edging senior teammate Asia Davis (57.26) by nearly a full second. Ramseur also posted a runner-up finish in the 200-meter dash (24.53) and was fourth in the 60-meter dash. Her classmate, Tangelia Johnson, was WCU's top finisher in the shortest of the sprints, flashing down the straightaway in 7.63 seconds to finish second in the 60, while Davis was second in the 60-meter hurdles (8.79). Freshman Sherelle Froneberger also grabbed her first podium finish at the conference meet with a third-place showing in the 200-meter dash (25.37).
Junior Kerrie Savery claimed first-place in the 800-meter run finals with a time of 2:12.83 and also ran fourth in the mile (5:05.49), just behind senior teammate Deanna Kulesz in third (5:05.48). The duo teamed with Melissa Berry and Annie Bailey to place third in the women's distance medley relay, with Savery also joining Davis, Ramseur and Aneesha Lane to win the women's 4x400-meter relay.
In the field events on Sunday, junior Nicole Lopez posted an all-conference finish with a second-place showing in the weight throw (16.05m, 52-8.0).
Western junior NaShay McGriff captured the lone individual title for the Cats on the opening day, winning the women's indoor pentathlon with 3,226 points. WCU's distance medley relay squad finished third, and after scoring nine points in the Lady Catamounts' thumping of the Furman Lady Paladins on the hard wood, two-sport standout Jessika Johnson stepped on the podium in the women's high jump. The defending indoor and outdoor champion, Johnson cleared 1.68 meters (5-6.0) to finish second.
On the men's side, several Catamounts adorned the top most of the track event final results. WCU men's 60-meter dash record holder, Albert Ashcraft, won the event with a time of 6.91 with Young finishing third (6.97). Junior Zeb Johnson had another strong conference meet, winning the 200-meter dash (21.88) and running second to sophomore teammate Manteo Mitchell in the 400-meter event. Mitchell posted a time of 49.42 to slip past Johnson by twelve-one hundredths of a second (49.54). Senior Mike Malone recorded a podium finish with his second, third-place showing of the weekend in the 60-meter hurdles. The two-sport athlete also finished third in the men's long jump after leaping 6.86 meters (22-6.25) on Saturday afternoon.
Mitchell, Malone, Johnson and senior James Gregory teamed to win the SoCon meet's final event, taking the 4x400-meter relay, passing the baton in 3:23.58.
Dominique Young was named SoCon Men's Freshman of the Year. |
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In the field events and jumps, Western's Chris Page earned All-SoCon honors by placing third in both the men's shot put (14.44m, 47-4.5) and weight throw (15.07m, 49-5.5), with senior Tyler Ferguson placing third in the men's triple jump with a mark of 13.95 meters (45-9.25).
Two Catamounts posted podium finishes in the men's heptathlon as senior Matt Harlfinger won the event with a season-best, WCU school record and Southern Conference record of 4,620 points. Harlfinger broke his own benchmark of 4,551 points scored at last season's indoor conference championship. Freshman David Gift also had a top three finish, placing third with 4,443 points, edging senior teammate Ashten Bennett in fourth by 22 points.
Freshman Matt Evans claimed his first-ever SoCon title for the men on the opening day, out jumping two of his teammates to win the high jump. The Old Fort, N.C., native cleared 2.03 meters (6-8.0) to finish in front of sophomores Daniel Joseph (1.93m, 6-4.0) and Rashad Herndon (1.88m, 6-2.0). Also on Saturday, sophomore Joel Lynch cleared 4.26m (13-11.75) to finish third in the men's pole vault. In the men's shot put, junior Chris Page earned All-SoCon honors with his season-best mark of 14.44 meters (47-4.5). With just Raquel Ramseur having met the provisional NCAA Indoor qualifying marks, Western will now turn its attention to a Last Chance Qualifier before beginning training for the 2007 outdoor season, which begins on March 16.
Women's Indoor Track and Field Awards Most Outstanding Track Performer: Brenna Burns, Davidson Most Outstanding Field Performer: Nicole Brown, Georgia Southern Freshman of the Year: Kristen Meister, Davidson Coach of the Year: Danny Williamson, Western CarolinaMen's Indoor Track and Field Awards Most Outstanding Track Performer: Adam Van Nortwick, Appalachian State Most Outstanding Field Performer: Wes Kiser, Appalachian State Freshman of the Year: Dominique Young, Western Carolina Coach of the Year: John Weaver, Appalachian State
2007 SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships
Women's Team Scores 1. Appalachian State 161 2. WESTERN CAROLINA 159.5 3. Georgia Southern 122.5 4. Chattanooga 46 5. Furman 42 6. Elon 40 7. The Citadel 38 8. Davidson 37 9. College of Charleston 16 10. UNC Greensboro 0
Men's Team Scores 1. Appalachian State 272.5 2. WESTERN CAROLINA 232.5 3. Davidson 57 4. Chattanooga 32 5. The Citadel 27 6. UNC Greensboro 23
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