Seven GWU Athletes Earn All-Conference Honors as Gardner-Webb Track & Field Wraps Up Competition at the 2012 Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships
February 25, 2012 | Track & Field
Blacksburg, Va. - Gardner-Webb Track & Field completed the second and final day of competition at the 2012 Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday, earning a total of seven All-Conference performances over the weekend. The women's squad grabbed a 4th place finish (45) in the standings while the men finished in 7th (51).
The Runnin' Bulldogs' women's track & field squad improved on their 5th place showing from last year's Big South Indoor Championships.
Junior Ashlei Alexander set a new school and record and achieved her second Top 8 performance of the weekend with a 2nd place showing in the women's Shot Put, earning All-Big South honors in the event with a personal best distance of 14.08 m (46'2.5"). Alexander shattered her own school record of 13.41 m (44') set at least year's Big South Indoor Championships.
Junior Ivana Hughes (Evans, Ga.) earned All-Conference honors in the 800 m Run for GWU. Hughes raced to a third place finish with a personal best time of 2:14.28 in the event.
Runnin' Bulldog senior Sarah Herd (Cherryville, N.C.) took home a 6th place showing in the High Jump, achieving a height of 1.65 m (5'5").
Fellow senior Elisabeth Sawyer (Charlotte, N.C.) ran to a new personal best in the 1 Mile Run, racing to a time of 5:18.71 and a 17th place showing. Junior Ariel Zimmerman (Williamsburg, Va.) was 18th fastest with a time of 5:19.56.
Junior Stephanie Hamilton (Blair, Neb.) threw for a distance of 11.89 m (39'0.25") in the Weight Throw, 11th best in the event. Junior Yazzming Lee (Paterson, N.J.) was 14th in the event at 11.68 m (38'4"), and sophomore Kyntoya Hansford (Miami, Fla.) took 16th with a distance of 11.39 m (37'4.5").
Senior Katy Milton (Monroe, N.C.) put up a season best performance in the Long Jump, achieving a distance of 5.28 m (17'4"). The length achieved by Milton was 9th best in the event.
In the women's 4 x 400 m Relay, Gardner-Webb's "A" squad, comprised of T'Keyah Bell, Nicole Saxton, Cherish Richardson, and Ivana Hughes achieved a 6th place showing in a GWU season best 3:58.56 for the event.
The highlight performance for the Gardner-Webb men on Saturday came courtesy of a 2nd place showing from sophomore Johnathan Parks (Douglasville, Ga.) in the Finals of the 60 m Hurdles. Parks, who achieved a personal best time of 8.33 during prelims of the event, improved on that performance with another personal best time at 8.28.
Sophomore Carson Sears (Suwanee, Ga.) continued his breakthrough weekend by setting a school record in the men's Shot Put, giving the Runnin' Bulldogs a 4th place finish with a personal best distance of 15.90 m. Saturday marked the third time this season in which Sears improved on his personal best in the event.
Freshman Chris Darden (Athens, Ga.) finished 11th in the Long Jump, achieving a distance of 6.44 m (21'1.5"). Darden recorded a Top 8 finish in the High Jump on Friday, grabbing 6th for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Sophomore Mike McClay (Lawrenceville, Ga.) collected Top 8 finishes in the 1 Mile Run and the 5000 m Run. McClay was 4th in the Mile at 4:20.38 for the Runnin' Bulldogs and finished 7th in the 5000 m Run with a time of 15:10.23 for his squad.
The Runnin' Bulldogs got another Top 8 finish from junior Josiah Stanton-Brooks (Seattle, Wash.) in the 800 m Run. Stanton-Brooks finished 8th for GWU in the event with a time of 2:01.93.
In addition, two Runnin' Bulldog athletes found a spot on the Big South's All-Academic Team. Carson Sears (3rd Weight Throw, 4th Shot Put) and Sarah Herd (6th High Jump) were each given All-Academic honors, it was announced Saturday.
All-Conference performers
Women -
Ann Marie Howell (2nd, Pole Vault)
Kristen Hurley (1st, Pentathlon)
Ashlei Alexander (2nd, Shot Put)
Ivana Hughes (3rd, 800 m Run)
Men -
Travis Rogers (2nd, Weight Throw)
Carson Sears (3rd, Weight Throw)
Johnathan Parks (2nd, 60 m Hurdles)
New school records -
Ann Marie Howell (Women's Pole Vault, 3.76 m)
Ashlei Alexander (Women's Shot Put, 14.08 m)
Carson Sears (Men's Shot Put, 15.90 m)
Men's DMR - Trey Crook, Codi Merritt, Josiah Stanton-Brooks, Mike McClay (10:19.19)
