Winthrop Invitational Day One Results 

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Juniors Christian Carswell and Holly Gaines led the way for the Western Carolina men's and women's track & field teams at the Winthrop Invitational on Friday as they both placed second in their respective events. Carswell, Gaines and senior Anne Greer were the only Catamounts to compete on Friday. Carswell placed second in the men's decathlon while Gaines and Greer placed second and sixth, respectively, in the women's heptathlon.

Carswell finished just 94 points behind the leader on Friday. He picked up 6,031 points over the 10 events. He had a strong opening placing second in both the 100m and long jump before taking a fifth-place finish in the shot put. The next event, the high jump, was one of Carswell's three event wins as he cleared 2.00m (6-06.75). He finished fifth in the next two events, the 400m and 110m hurdles. He then took second in the discus and first in the pole vault and javelin. After nine events, Craswell held a 68 point lead over Ben Bell of Gardner-Webb. Unfortunately in the final event, the 1500m, Carswell placed seventh while Bell took second while leap frogged Bell over Carswell for the top spot.

On the women's side, Gaines finished 618 points behind the first place finisher. She got off to a slow start as she finished ninth in the 100m hurdles, seventh in the high jump and 13th in the shot put. She then picked up a win in the 200m and a fourth-place finish in the long jump. After five events Gaines sat in fourth place. She picked up a fifth place finish in the javelin which kept her in fourth overall going into the final event. Gaines won the 800m by over two seconds which catapulted her into second overall.

Despite finishing four spots behind Gaines, Greer was just 312 points behind her teammate. She opened the competition with an eight place finish in the 100m hurdles. She then tied for 10th in the high jump. She took fifth in the shot put followed by a ninth place finish in the 200m. She placed seventh in the long jump followed by her best finish which was fourth in the javelin. In the final event, the 800m, she placed 10th overall.

The rest of the Western Carolina men's and women's track & field teams will be in action Saturday, March 28 as they compete at both the Winthrop Invitational and the Yellow Jacket Invitational.