Four Runnin' Bulldogs Win Individual Events at Appalachian State Pre-Conference Open
February 23, 2014 | Track & Field
Boone, N.C. - A.J. White won the men's shot put, Brandaun Addison won the men's 55 m dash, Josh Wembolua won the men's 55 m hurdles, and Tyler Samotis won the men's pole vault to lead Gardner-Webb at the Appalachian Pre-Conference Open in a final tuneup for 2014 Big South Indoor Championships.
In the men's shot put, A.J. White (Hurricane, W.Va.) topped the field, tossing 15.35 m to place 1st in the event. The sophomore won the event for the first time this season, and fellow Runnin' Bulldog Jordan Smith placed 8th with a distance of 13.86 m.
Junior Ben Bell (Greensboro, N.C.) added a 12th place finish in the men's shot put with a distance of 12.01 m.
Addison (Easley, S.C.) sprinted to the win in the men's 55 m dash, holding on to his No. 1 finals seed to finish the race in 1st place. The sophomore raced to a time of 6.52 in prelims and in finals of the event.
Also finaling in the men's 55m dash was freshman Malik Crawford (Rock Hill, S.C.), who finished in 4th place with a time of 6.66 in finals. The Runnin' Bulldog rookie achieved a time of 6.61 in prelims of the event.
Wembolua (Matthews, N.C.) earned the win in the 55 m hurdles. The sophomore placed 1st in the event thanks to a finals time of 7.74.
Samotis (Hendersonville, N.C.) tied for 1st place in the men's pole vault, winning his third event on the year. The redshirt freshman cleared 4.80 m to post GWU's top mark in the event, while sophomore Tyler Marsengill (Rock Hill, S.C.) tied for 4th place with top height of 4.60 m.
In the women's weight throw, freshman Sarah Mitchell (Roswell, Ga.) tied for 6th, leading GWU with a distance of 14.82 m. Teammate Kyntoya Hansford (Miami, Fla.) added an 11th place showing for the Runnin' Bulldogs by posting a distance of 13.29 m in the event.
Senior thrower Stephanie Hamilton (Blair, Neb.) also achieved a 6th place individual finish in Boone over the weekend, placing 6th in the women's shot put. Hamilton, who threw 11.98 m in the event, was joined by 10th place finisher Olivia Moody (Plano, Ill.) as Runnin' Bulldogs in the Top 10 of the event. Moody tossed 8.02 m in the event.
Moody, a senior, also competed in the women's 55 m hurdles, racing to post the 2nd fastest time at 9.17.
Sophomore Kaylan Myers (Lexington, N.C.) posted the 6th highest mark in the women's high jump. Myers cleared 1.55 m in the event.
In the women's 1 mile run, freshman Jenna Ford (Wasilla, Alaska) paced her way to a time of 5:32.50, 2nd best in the event. Ford, in her first season as a Runnin' Bulldog, has left her mark already as a consistent distance runner, having transitioned to the Indoor season after leading Gardner-Webb in every meet of the cross country season this past Fall.
In the men's 1 mile run, senior Drew Ford (Wasilla, Alaska) posted the 2nd fastest time. Ford crossed the finish line at 4:56.45 in the event.
Three Runnin' Bulldogs competed in the women's pole vault, led by freshman Elise Moffatt (Kennesaw, Ga.), who cleared 3.62 m to finish in 7th place. Sophomores Megan Melton (Riverside, Calif.) and Kailey Robinson (Connelly Springs, N.C.) placed 8th and 10th, clearing 3.47 m and 3.17 m respectively.
Gardner-Webb put forth a strong showing in the women's 55 m dash, getting finals appearances from freshman Jordan Davis (Atlanta, Ga.) sophomore Merideth Byl (Tucson, Ariz.), and sophomore Sarah Perkins (Gorham, Maine). Davis placed 2nd with a finals time of 7.34, Byl was 3rd after finishing in 7.55 in finals, and Perkins timed in at 7.64 in finals.
Perkins also ran the 200 m dash at the Appalachian Pre-Conference meet, achieving a time of 25.96 to place 2nd in the event.
In the men's 200 m dash, senior Richard Jules (Tampa, Fla.) led the Runnin' Bulldogs, achieving a 5th place finish with a time of 23.11. Sophomores Joseph Martin (Broadway, Va.) and Marquise Evans (Mebane, N.C.) raced to times of 23.19 and 24.34 to place 6th and 9th, respectively, in the event.
Senior Katie Spiro (Sylva, N.C.) led the Runnin' Bulldogs in the 800 m run, turning in a time of 2:32.70. Teammate Claire Cates (Hillsborough, N.C.) added a 5th place finish for GWU; the sophomore ran 2:37.07 in the event.
In the men's 800 m run, senior Trey Crook (Lexington, N.C.) posted the 2nd fastest time at 2:06.97 in leading a large contingent of GWU runners in the event. Junior Nick Rogers took 3rd (2:07.41), sophomore Aaron Cronk placed 4th (2:10.03), Ford placed 5th (2:10.66), freshman James Haynes finished 6th (2:13.96), and sophomore Matthew Cook captured 7th (2:21.62).
Gardner-Webb competes at Big South Indoor Championships Friday, February 28 through Saturday, March 1 in Blacksburg, Va.
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