Des Moines, Iowa - Rising sophomore Alex Young shattered his personal best hammer throw mark at the 2013 USA Outdoor Track & Field Junior Championships, earning him a second place finish in the event as one of two Runnin' Bulldogs to compete at the prestigious meet on Friday, June 21.

With the Top 2 finish, Young becomes the first ever Runnin' Bulldog to qualify for 2013 Pan American Junior Athletics Championship in Medellin, Colombia August 23-25, where Young will represent Team USA in the men's hammer throw.

Sitting in third place late in the competition, Young unleashed a monster throw on his final attempt in the men's hammer throw on Friday afternoon, achieving a distance of 69.14 m that would hold up as the second furthest of the event. Earlier this season, Young (LaVergne, Tenn.) achieved a distance of 62.09 m with the collegiate implement, a mark which earned him first place honors at 2013 Big South Outdoor Championships.

Young's performance at the Junior National Championships adds yet another signature moment to an impressive rookie campaign in this his first year with Gardner-Webb track & field. In addition to winning the Big South hammer throw title during the Outdoor season, Young also won the Big South crown in the men's weight throw during the Indoor season in addition to establishing school record performances in the indoor shot put (16.52 m), weight throw (20.72 m), and the outdoor shot put (17.18 m).

Fellow rising sophomore Sarah Perkins also represented the Runnin' Bulldogs on Friday, running her signature 400 m hurdles. Perkins finished with a time of 1:04.52 in the event, running 25th fastest among a quick field Friday afternoon.

Perkins (Gorham, Maine) has enjoyed an outstanding freshman season at GWU, highlighted by posting the fifth best 400 m hurdles time in the Big South Conference during the 2013 Outdoor season. Perkins bolted to a personal best time of 1:01.75 at 2013 Big South Outdoor Championships to place fifth in the event.