Gardner-Webb Readies for 2013 Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships Thursday through Friday
February 20, 2013 | Track & Field
Boiling Springs, N.C. - Gardner-Webb's track & field squad sees its body of work from the 2013 Indoor season culminate this weekend when the Runnin' Bulldogs compete at the 2013 Big South Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The Conference Championship meet will be run Thursday, February 21 through Friday, February 22.
The Gardner-Webb women will look to improve on its fourth place finish at the Big South Championships a season ago. Thanks to a handful of standout performers who excelled this season, the Runnin' Bulldogs are in good position for success this weekend.
Senior pole vaulter Taylor Cook (Boone, N.C.) enters the Big South Championship meet ranked first in the Conference with a mark of 3.67 m (12'0.5"), having been the only pole vaulter to clear 3.50 m in the Conference this season. Fellow senior Bethany Wright () ranks fifth in the event at 3.40 m and freshman Megan Melton (Riverside, Calif.) is ranked sixth in the Conference at 3.37 m.
Senior thrower Ashlei Alexander (Queens, N.Y.) leads a talented group of Gardner-Webb throwers. The current school record holder in both the Indoor shot put and weight throw events has put herself in contention again with a solid season thus far, having recorded marks in her premier events that rank fourth (13.84 m) and second (17.07 m). Junior Jasmine Miles (Amelia, Va.) has posted the Conference's fifth best weight throw mark to date at 16.81 m, and senior Yazzming Lee (Paterson, N.J.) is twelfth (11.97 m) and eleventh (15.24 m) in the shot put and weight throw respectively.
Reigning pentathlon champ Kristen Hurley figures to contend in the event again this season. In addition to posting the Big South's fourth best point total (3,240) earlier this season at the Liberty Kick Off, the junior from Columbia, Conn. also ranks sixth in the long jump (5.43 m).
Senior Ivana Hughes (Evans, Ga.) broke through at 2012 Outdoor Championships, winning the 400 m Dash. Hughes' success has carried over to this season, as she ranks fourth in the 400 m dash with a time of 57.10 as well as second in the Conference in the 800 m run after finishing the race in 2:13.42 at the Tiger Paw Invitational earlier this season.
Gardner-Webb's men's squad also figures to turn heads this weekend. Led by a strong group of throwers, the Runnin' Bulldogs' sights will be set on improving from its seventh place Conference finish from last season.
Freshman Alex Young (LaVergne, Tenn.) has enjoyed an outstanding rookie campaign, consistently improving throughout the season leading up to the Tiger Paw Invitational two weekends ago. Young set school records in both the shot put 16.43 m) and weight throw (19.57 m), events in which he ranks second in the Big South to date.
Carson Sears also headlines the Runnin' Bulldogs' contingent of throwers. The junior from Suwanee, Ga. has posted Top 5 marks in both the shot put and weight throw this season, having thrown 15.62 m at the Hilton Garden Invitational (5th) and 18.08 m at the Tiger Paw Invitational (3rd) in the respective events.
Men's pole vaulter Tyler Samotis, a redshirt freshman from Hendersonville, N.C., earned the top mark entering this weekend when he vaulted 4.90 m (16'0.75") at the Tiger Paw Invitational.
Senior Josiah Stanton-Brooks also holds the top performance in his premier event, the 800 m run. The Seattle, Washington native raced to a time of 1:52.72 at the Tiger Paw Invitational, over 1.5 seconds faster than the second best time in the Big South this season.
Named Big South Field Athlete of the Week once this Indoor season, junior Terry Davis (Wilson, N.C.) currently ranks third in the Conference in the triple jump, having twice bettered his personal best mark this season. His most recent personal best came at the same track where 2013 Big South Championships will be held, when Davis achieved a distance of 14.58 m at the Hilton Garden Invitational.
For live results, fans can follow all the action from this weekend's Big South Conference Championships via GWUSports.com.
