March 20, 2006

Cullowhee, N.C. -

Charlotte 49er Classic - Friday Results

Charlotte 49er Classic - Saturday Results

Three Catamounts took home individual championships with one qualifying for the NCAA Regionals as the Western Carolina track & field recorded 15 podium finishes as a team at the outdoor season-opening Charlotte 49er Classic over the weekend in Charlotte, N.C. All told, the Catamount men recorded three first place finishes and second and third four times each, while the women tallied three runner-up finishes and one third.

Senior Milton Bolton became the first Catamount this year to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor East Regionals, which will be held in Greensboro, N.C., at the end of May. The East Point, Ga., native ran fifth during the 400-meter dash preliminaries to move into the finals where he won the event with a time of 47.23, just under a second slower than the WCU school record. Bolton also helped record two additional podium finishes in both the 4x100 and 4x400-meter dashes. Teaming with sophomore Zeb Johnson, junior Mike Malone and freshman Kevin Johnson, the four sprinters passed the baton in 41.50 to place second in the 400-meter relay. Bolton, freshman Manteo Mitchell, junior James Gregory, and Zeb Johnson placed third in the 1,600-meter team event with a time of 3:12.05.

Individually, Zeb Johnson recorded a podium finish with a third place showing in the 100-meter dash, tripping the tape in 10.59 which was right on the heels of the second place finisher. Senior Lawrence Briscoe finished fourth in the 400-meter hurdles, with classmate Tyler Ferguson placing second in the triple jump with a mark of 14.86m (48-9) and fourth in the long jump with a leap of 7.06m (23-2). Sophomore Jerod Kelly finished fifth in the hammer throw with a distance of 44.26m (145-2), and teammates Matt Harlfinger and Ashten Bennett recorded back-to-back finishes in second and third in the men's decathlon.

Also recording first-place finishes for the men's team were defending SoCon javelin champion, David Bowles, and junior Dan Fassinger. Bowles edged senior teammate, Josh Lee, in the javelin event with a distance of 56.39m (185-0) over Lee's 53.61m (175-11) which placed third overall. Fassinger's overall strong performance at the meet including winning the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3:53.28 and crossing the line in second in the 800-meter event just five-one hundredths of a second in arrears (1:52.72 vs. 152.67). In each of the aforementioned events, senior Adam Puett finished fifth (1:53.40 in 800m) and fourth (3:56.61 in 1500m).

For the Catamount women, sophomore Raquel Ramseur recorded two podium finishes, running second in the 400-meter dash and teaming with classmates Brooke Saddler and Tangelia Johnson and junior Asia Davis to finish second in the 4x400-meter relay. Davis also recorded an additional second-place tally in the 400-meter hurdles, but had the quickest time during the preliminaries.

Also on the track, Johnson ran fourth in the 100-meter dash and sophomore Kerrie Savery placed third in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:15.37. Savery also ran seventh in the 1,500-meter relay with a time of 4:49.97, with senior Tiffany Mack finishing fifth in the 100-meter hurdles.

In the field and combined events, sophomore Nicole Lopez placed fourth in the discus with a mark of 37.38m (122-8) and fifth in the shot put with a distance of 13.03m (42-9.0). Another sophomore, Jessica Wilkerson, placed fourth in the women's heptathlon, followed in sixth by freshman teammate Morgan Broadnax.

The WCU track & field teams return to action this Friday and Saturday as they visit the Clemson Relays in Clemson, S.C.

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