LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – For the first time since 2022, the Gardner-Webb Track & Field team will have a representative heading to the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Sophomore
Quentin Peterson (McDonough, Ga.) will represent the Runnin' Bulldogs next week (May 22-25) at the East First Round Championships Competition which will be hosted by the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.
Peterson, who will be competing in
the Men's Shot Put and the Men's Discus Throw, will be looking to advance to the 102nd NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship to be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on the campus of the University of Oregon.
Advancing to the East First Round Championships Competition continues the magnificent spring campaign turned in by Peterson in the field events.
At
the 2024 Big South Outdoor Track & Field Championship held at Dick Vert Stadium on the campus of High Point University, Peterson turned in three medal-winning performances as he took second place in the
Men's Hammer Throw, Men's Discus Throw and
Men's Shot Put.
In the
Men's Hammer Throw, Peterson's (57.86m 189-10) finished behind Keyandre Davis of USC Upstate (58.28m 191-2). His throw surpassed his previous best which had put him No.6 All-Time in the Gardner-Webb record books.
Peterson (50.40m 165-4) followed Chris Van Niekerk of High Point (53.96m 177-0) in the
Men's Discuss Throw with a new personal-best in that event as well.
In the
Men's Shot Put his new personal best throw of 17.86m 58-71⁄4 trailed only Van Niekerk, who turned in a Big South Record 18.77m 61-7.
Overall, Peterson was named the
Big South Conference's Men's Most Valuable Athlete based on the highest accumulated point total of 24 points.
At the App State Open Invitational on the campus of host Appalachian State University, Peterson, who this spring had won the
gold twice in the Men's Shot Put and
once in Men's Hammer, captured
his second gold medal in the Men's Discus Throw with a throw of 55.36m.
Peterson also had a Top 5 showing in the
Men's Shot Put as his 16.65m toss was good for fifth place.
At the 17th Annual Catamount Classic Invitational on the campus of host Western Carolina University, Peterson turned in a gold-medal-winning outing for the Dawgs in the
Men's Hammer throw.
Peterson's first place-winning toss of 59.82m (196-03) put him at the time, No.6 on the school's all-time list.
Peterson also turned in a third-place, medal-winning performance in
the Men's Shot Put with a toss of 17.09m (56-01.00).
At the Gamecock Invitational, Peterson on the campus of the University of South Carolina, Peterson turned in a gold-medal-winning performance for the Dawgs in
the Men's Shot Put.
Peterson's first place-winning toss of 17.24m (56-06.75), at the time, broke his school record once again.
Peterson finished second in
the Men's Discuss Throw to South Carolina's Dylan Targgart (54.95m/ 180-03) with a toss of 53.46 (175-05).
At the
Kennesaw State Invitational, Peterson turned in two gold-medal-winning performances for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
The McDonough, Ga. native paced the 28-man field with a gold medal and a then school-record setting performance in the
Men's Discuss Throw.
Peterson's toss of 53.23.m (174-07) was a then new personal best.
In the
Men's Shot Put, Peterson also took home a first-place medal with a toss of 16.00m (52-06.00).
The Dawgs super-soph added another medal to his personal collection at the
Kennesaw State Invitational as he placed third in the
Men's Hammer Throw with a 56.89m (186-07).
At the season opening
Montreat Open Peterson was second with a throw of 54.44m in the
Men's Hammer Throw.
In addition to his athletic excellence, Peterson also excelled in the classroom as he was selected to the
2024 Men's Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team with 3.93 GPA in Exercise Science.
"We are so proud of Quentin and all that he has accomplished this year," said Gardner-Webb Track & Field head coach Greg Thiel. "We are excited to see him compete on a national level."
