Buccaneer Invitational Final Results 

Johnson City, Tenn. - For the second time this season, the Western Carolina track & team competed in Johnson City, Tenn., at the Buccaneer Invitational hosted by Southern Conference member ETSU. Senior Devyn Ressler took home the crown in the pole vault to lead the women while junior Christian Carswell won the heptathlon on the men's side.

Ressler led a trio of Catamounts in the pole vault. She cleared 3.80m (12-05.50) to take the top spot while junior Korie Bennett came in fourth with a height of 3.50m (11-05.75). Senior Cara June Elyea rounded our WCU's entrants with a sixth-place finish. She posted a vault of 3.50m (11-05.75).

Carswell won the heptathlon by 55 points after finishing with 4,825 points. Carswell took home 785 points in the high jump as he won the event with a height of 1.98m (6-06.00). In the very first event of the heptathlon he earned 772 points with a time of 7.32 in the 60m. He took home 709 points in both the long jump (6.55m (21-06.00)) and the 60m hurdles (9.17). He finished third in both the pole vault and the 1000m. He posted a height of 4.27m (14-00.00) in the vault good for 693 points. His time in the 1000m was 2:59.10 which garnered him 673 points. Rounding out the seven events was the shot put in which he earned 484 points with a toss of 9.98m (32-09.00).

Senior Michaela Birek and junior Holly Gaines finished second and fourth, respectively, in the women's pentathlon. Birek finished with 3,545 points while Gaines picked up 3,255 points. In the first event, the 60m hurdles, Birek finished fifth with a time of 9.18 for 873 points. Gaines finished 11th with a time of 10.02 which earned her 708 points.

The second event was the high jump and Gaines and Birek finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Gaines earned 678 points with a height of 1.55m (5-01.00) while Birek cleared 1.52m (4-11.75) for 644 points. The third event was the shot put and Birek and Gaines finished seventh and eighth, respectively. Birek registered a distance of 9.65m (31-08.00) while Gaines had a toss of 8.87m (29-01.25). Birek earned 507 points and Gaines picked up 456 points.

In the fourth event, the long jump, Birek took third and Gaines finished sixth. Birek leapt 5.35m (17-06.75) for 657 points while Gaines posted a distance of 5.19m (17-00.50) which earned her 612 points. The final event was Birek and Gaines' best event. They finished first and second, respectively, in the 800m. Birek finished with a time of 2:17.06 which earned 864 points and Gaines posted a time of 2:21.66 which was good for 801 points.

Senior Alisha Bradshaw picked up a third place finish in the women's shot put while sophomore Hailey Cook came in sixth. Bradshaw posted a throw of 14.10m (46-03.25) while Cook's toss was 13.64m (44-09.00).

Junior Michael Cornwell came in third in the men's 3000m seeded run with a time of 8:42.77. Sophomore JC Cornett came in ninth after crossing the line in 8:49.55. The Catamounts final top-three finisher was sophomore Anisia Starege who tied for third in the women's high jump. She posted a height of 1.63m (5-04.25). Junior Molly Fagan tied for ninth in the event with a jump of 1.58m (5-02.25).

Junior Kaitlyn Shetler came in fourth in the women's one mile run with a time of 5:26.30 while finishing eighth in the 800m after crossing the line in 2:24.93. Junior Michaela Williams came in sixth in the 800m with a time of 2:24.20.

Freshman Alyiah Riley came in sixth in the finals of the 60m hurdles after finishing fourth in the prelims and third in the semifinals. Her best time on the weekend was 8.94.

Sophomore Dustin Tripplett came in seventh in the men's pole vault after posting a height of 4.60m (15-01.00). Freshman Corey Ginley cleared 4.45m (14-07.25) which earned him 10th. Freshman Kevin Hires earned eighth in the men's triple jump with a leap of 14.20m (46-07.25).

WCU's final top-10 finisher was freshman Mateius Brown who came in tenth in the shot put with a toss of 14.19m (46-06.75).

The Catamounts will return to action next weekend at the Samford Invitational.