Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Catamount Athletics Year in Review: #3

Catamount Athletics Year in Review: #3 - Track & Field Takes Second in SoCon Championships

The Western Carolina men's and women's track & field teams wrapped up competition in the 2012 Southern Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships held in Cullowhee. Both the men's and women's teams placed second in the outdoor championships for the second straight year.

Western Carolina was edged by Appalachian State in the men's results with the Mountaineers tallying 238 points. WCU earned 225 points with Samford finishing in third with 107 points. On the women's side, WCU totaled 149 with ASU taking the title with a score of 207.50.

Individually, WCU student-athletes were awarded two accolades as Benny Davis was named Most Valuable Track Performer and Alisha Bradshaw was named Freshman of the Year.

The men's 4x400-meter relay won their eighth consecutive title with a time of 3:15.90. WCU's team consisted of Aaron Tribble, Aaron Harris, Demari Boswell and Benny Davis. The women's team - consisting of Lena Elliott, Genevieve Emrick, Jocelyn Keen and Felisha Garren - also won the 4x400-meter title with their time of 3:46.80.

In the women's 4x100-meter relay, Western Carolina's five-year reign in the event ended as WCU placed second with a time of 46.02. Appalachian State won the event, crossing the stripe in 45.92.

Three Catamounts earned points in the men's triple jump with WCU's Cornelius Williams winning the event with his jump of 14.99m. His jump was a personal best for the senior. Bob McNeil (14.69m) and Sam Lusty (13.63m) placed third and seventh, respectively.

Western Carolina picked up the top five spots in the men's 400-meter dash with Aaron Harris picking up his first win in the event with his personal best time of 48.03. Aaron Tribble (48.53), Benny Davis (48.86), Brandon Hairston (49.68) and Demari Boswell (49.73) rounded out the top five. On the women's side, two student-athletes finished in the top five as Felisha Garren finished second, crossing the stripe in 55.00 while Lena Elliott placed fifth with her time of 56.39.

Benny Davis also won his first SoCon Outdoor 200-meter title with his personal best time of 20.82, just off former Catamount Manteo Mitchell's record of 20.73.

In the women's 5000-meter run, junior Mara Smith placed third with a personal best 17:34.48. Alisha Bradshaw picked up her second win of the weekend as she won the women's discus with her throw of 43.71m. Classmate Aleisha Archie-McMillan placed second with her 42.17m throw. Sophomore Kim Cannon also earned points in the discus with her throw of 38.98m. In the men's discus, Jamie Van Pelt threw 51.55m to earn second place in the event.

In the men's shot put, sophomore Jonathan Newton threw a personal best 14.84m to place third.

In the decathlon, junior Luke Burton finished second overall with his highest point total of the season as the junior tallied 6207 points. Teammates Kyle Bernier (5375) and Wayne Parker (5150) placed fifth and sixth in the decathlon.

In the women's high jump, freshman Xaviera Bass earned All-Freshman status for her fourth place finish. Bass cleared 1.65m, a personal best.

Courtesy WCU Sports Information

Purple & Gold's Year in Review - Top 10:
10.  WCU's 2012 Football Season
9. The 2012 WCU Athletic Hall of Fame Class
8. Foster Tabbed First Team All-Southern Conference
4. Western Carolina Scores Upset Win over No. 8 Georgia


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