Lexington, Va. - Western Carolina sophomore Michelle Velez set a school record by clearing 13 feet in the pole vault at the Winter Relays Feb. 1-2. The height is additionally a provisional qualifying mark for the 2002 NCAA Championships.

Senior Virginia LaCombe, who posted an NCAA height the previous week at North Carolina, took top honors this week by winning the high jump and triple jump. LaCombe did not start competition in the high jump until the bar was at 5'6" - when the other competitors had already finished jumping. After negotiating the height to win, the bar was immediately moved to six feet, which she just missed clearing. In the triple jump, LaCombe had a winning distance of 37'9.25". LaCombe also ran the lead leg of the winning 4x400-meter relay team. Holly Bright won the 800 meters with a time of 2:26.99.

On the men's side, senior Donnie Bryant won the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.63. He ran 7.77 in the preliminaries and 7.70 in the semifinals. All his hit times were personal records in the event. Also claiming top honors was Caleb Bailey, who won the mile with a time of 4:26.50.

On the 2002 SoCon Women's Performance list, Western Carolina owns the top spot in five events and the second spot in 10 events. Conference leaders to date include Ronetta Burgess in the 55-meter hurdles (7.99), Burgess in the 60-meter hurdles (8.52), LaCombe in the high jump (5'10"), Velez in the pole vault (13'0") and the distance medley relay team (12:41.48). Burgess is second in the 55 meters (7.11), 60 meters (7.61) and 200 meters (25.61), while Velez is second in the 55-meter hurdles (8.27) and 60-meter hurdles (8.80). Whitney Woods is second in the 3,000 meters (10:15.90) and the 5,000 meters (18:14.22). Rosalyn Hood ranks second in the long jump (18'7"), Quiletta Dunston is second in the weight throw (52'9.25"), Laura Tieszen is second in the pole vault (12'0") and the 4x400-meter relay team ranks second (3:53.87).

For the men, Darus Cofield is early a full second faster than teammate Bola Oyegundwa -his next competitor - in the 400 meters with his time of 48.62. The Catamount 4x400-meter relay team owns the league's top spot (3:17.98), while Justin Davis and Nick McNeil lead the league in the long jump (23'2") and weight throw (55'6.25"), respectively. Freshmen James Rainer and Tubuyus Alford are among the league's top four in the 55 and 60 meters, while Alford is second in the 200 meters (22.87). Also ranking second on the SoCon lists are Caleb Bailey (800 meters), Jesse Norman (5,000 meters), Donnie Bryant (55 and 60-meter hurdles), Justin Davis (triple jump) and Charles Rice (pole vault).

WESTERN CAROLINA RESULTS

Women
55m Final     Benetta Boyd                    7.62       6th
55m Semis     Benetta Boyd                    7.47
              Staci Fitzpatrick               7.66
200m          Benetta Boyd                    27.07      7th
              Jennifer Spivey                 27.63      8th
              Staci Fitzpatrick               28.38      16th
400m          Jennifer Spivey                 60.60      2nd
800m          Holly Bright                    2:26.99    1st
              Becky Signoretti                2:33.27    14th
              Vanita Carlson                  2:35.86    19th
Mile          Vanita Carlson                  5:32.50    11th
3,000m        Jesse Stackhouse                11:36.69   10th
Triple Jump   Virginia LaCombe                37'9.25"   1st
              Altavise Franklin               34'4.24"   5th
High Jump     Virginia LaCombe                5'6"       1st
Pole Vault    Michelle Velez                  13'0" *    2nd
                                              * - WCU record and NCAA provisional mark
              Laura Tieszen                   12'0"      3rd
              Dana Anglin                     11'6"      5th
              Tricia Shepard                  10'6"      6th
              Chi Sawyer                      9'6"       10th
Shot Put      Altavise Franklin               36'2.75"   8th
4x400 Relay   LaCombe, Velez,                 4:08.35    1st
                  Signoretti, Spivey
              Franklin, Fitzpatrick           4:46.05    9th
                  Tieszen, Shepard
DMR           Bright, Spivey,                 12:54.90   6th
                  Signoretti, Carlson


Men
55m Final     Darius Bryson                   6.57       5th
55m Semis     Darius Bryson                   6.59
55m Prelims   Darius Bryson                   6.59
              Marcus Robinson                 6.84
              Josh Hill                       6.95
55mH Final    Donnie Bryant                   7.63       1st
              Jared Maliska                   7.92       2nd
55mH Semis    Donnie Bryant                   7.70
              Jared Maliska                   8.01
              Deonte Cook                     8.49
              Andre Brown                     DNF
55mH Prelims  Donnie Bryant                   7.77
              Jared Maliska                   8.10
              Andre Brown                     8.21
              Deonte Cook                     8.25
              Seajae Hartness                 8.43
200m          Darius Bryson                   23.54      4th
              Josh Hill                       24.32      16th
              Bryan Dobbins                   24.34      18th
              Evan Illuzada                   25.12      25th
              Marcus Robinson                 25.19      26th
400m          Josh Hill                       54.45      15th
              Bryan Dobbins                   55.87      25th
              Evan Illuzada                   59.66      33rd
800m          James Irwin                     2:02.07    5th
              Cory McCall                     2:06.18    15th
              Eddie Vick                      2:07.70    18th
              Ryan Crise                      2:08.92    22nd
Mile          Caleb Bailey                    4:26.50    1st
              Ryan Crise                      4:43.70    21st
3,000m        Philip Ramsey                   9:26.91    11th
              Andy Pruett                     9:49.48    22nd
Triple Jump   Doug Petway                     42'6"      6th
High Jump     Teddy Burgis                    6'2"       7th
Pole Vault    Sean Heaton                     14'6"      3rd
              Seajae Hartness                 14'6"      5th
4x400 Relay   Bryson, Cook,                   3:35.05    7th
                  Brown, Bailey
DMR           Irwin, Vick,                    10:49.80   2nd
                  Bailey, McCall