April 20, 2006
2006 Catamount Classic Information
Cullowhee, N.C. - On Friday, April 21, Western Carolina will host the second-annual Catamount Classic Invitational on-campus at the Catamount Athletic Complex (CAC). Action kicks off at 2:30 pm on Friday with the men's hammer throw, women's javelin, and combined high jump competitions. The first track event hits the starting blocks at 3:30 pm with the 3,000-meter steeplechase events.
"Friday's meet will serve two main purposes for Western. First, it will allow the community to have an additional opportunity to see our student-athletes compete again at home at state of the art facility. It will also serve as a final tune up for our athletes that will be representing WCU next weekend at the Southern Conference Championships in Statesboro, Ga.," said Catamount head coach Danny Williamson.
In addition to serving as a home tune-up meet for Western, Friday's Catamount Classic will also serve as the championship meet for the Appalachian Conference, a member of the NAIA. Schools such as King College, Milligan College, Brevard College, Union College and Virginia Intermont will compete on a team-scored basis amidst the otherwise non-scored event. Also competing will be select members from East Tennessee State, Gardner-Webb, and the women's squad from mountain-rival, UNC Asheville, joining WCU in the non-team scored portion of the invitational.
During the day-long event, which is scheduled to conclude around 8:35 pm with the running of the 4x400-meter relays, area children from Fairview and Cullowhee Valley Elementary schools will be participating in 60-meter dash events, presented by Papa's Pizza. Children will register upon arrival at the CAC and will be grouped according to class with kindergarten and first graders; second and third graders; and fourth through sixth graders all participating together. Between meet track events, the children will run their races, grouped in heats based upon the number of entries. The K-1 race will take place at 6:10 pm, with the 2-3 dash at 6:30 pm, and concluded with the 4-6 race at approximately 7:05 pm. Following the conclusion of the kids races, there will be a pizza party for all participants, presented by Papa's Pizza of Cullowhee.
"The 60-meter running events are an enjoyable way for some of our local elementary school-age children to come to the track meet and take part in friendly and fun competition," added Williamson.
Earlier this outdoor season, WCU hosted the Western Invitational as the third event to ever be run as at the CAC and it proved to very successful as a total of eight facility records fell and six qualifying marks were hit.
For the Catamount men, two individuals qualified for the NCAA East Regionals as sophomore Zeb Johnson and teammate Manteo Mitchell turned facility-best times of 20.88 and 21.11, respectively, to qualify for the East regional.
 The Catamount Athletic Complex, on-campus in Cullowhee at Western Carolina University.  |
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Zeb Johnson and teammates sophomore Mike Malone, senior Milton Bolton, and freshman Kevin Johnson at the Western Invitational combined to turn the best lap in CAC history, qualifying for regionals at the same time with their lap of 40.31 in the 4x100-meter relay.
Western's women got in on the hot laps as well as junior Asia Davis became WCU's first female student-athlete to qualify for regionals this season with a 59.56 in the 400-meter hurdles.
Overall at the Western Invitational, Coastal Carolina's Galen Jones surpassed the NCAA regional distance of 55.60m with a 56.76-meter (186-3) mark in the men's hammer throw to win the event and qualify for the NCAA's. In the men's long jump, Clemson's George Fields leaped over the regional mark of 7.34 meters to record a 7.43-meter (24-4.5) mark, again winning the event and qualifying while setting a CAC record at the same time.
East Tennessee State's James Rainer set a facility record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.40 and rounding out the CAC records set at the Western Invitational on the men's side was Mark Johnson in the men's pole vault, clearing 17-2.75 to win the event.
In women's competition, in addition to Davis' fast time in the 400-meter hurdles, two additional Catamount Athletic Complex records were set during the Western Invitational. Rhonda White, representing Team Velocity, set a facility mark in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.70. Western's 4x100-meter relay team of Tangelia Johnson, Raquel Ramseur, Cassie Gentry, and Davis broke the CAC record, passing the baton in 45.72 to place first.
In addition to the NCAA qualifying standards met and facility records broken, the Western Invitational was very successful for student-athletes from King College, who returns to Cullowhee this weekend as a part of the NAIA Appalachian Conference Championship. Back in early April, several performances turned in by the Tornados qualified them for the NAIA championship meets.
Action on Friday begins at 2:00 pm and runs all afternoon at the Catamount Athletic Complex as a part of the busy weekend. On Saturday, Western will host the WCU High School meet with over 800 student-athletes coming to Cullowhee to compete.
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