LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – The Gardner-Webb Track & Field team's spring season came to an end at the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

Sophomore Quentin Peterson (McDonough, Ga.) competed for the Runnin' Bulldogs last week (May 22-25) at the East First Round Championships Competition hosted by the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.

Competing in the Men's Shot Put last Wednesday (5/22), Peterson (17.74m/58-21⁄2) finished 31^st. against a field of competitors which included 22 athletes from Power Five programs.

Peterson, who was named the Big South Conference's Men's Most Valuable Athlete based on the highest accumulated point total of 24 points at the Big South Conference Championships, also competed in the Men's Discus Throw on Friday (5/24) but finished 48^th as he fouled during all three of his throws in the competition.

"Nothing can prepare you for the intensity and nerves at the meet," said Gardner-Webb Track and Field head coach Greg Thiel. "To have just three attempts to finish in the Top 12 in the whole Eastern side of the United States in order to move on to the nationals is pretty intense."

Peterson who had a magnificent spring campaign in the field events for the Dawgs, was 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.

"Quentin had an amazing season and he's only a sophomore," said Thiel. "We are so proud of him!"