CLEMSON, S.C. – Western Carolina kicked off the 2021-22 indoor track season on Friday with one event win and a new school record at the Clemson Opener. In addition to the win, Catamount student-athletes compiled 13 top-five and 32 top-10 finishes.

"I'm excited about how we started this indoor season," head coach Jesse Norman said. "We added a school record, Mekyll Robinson in the 300-meter dash and an event win from David Miles in the 200-meter dash. Our field events were strong with numerous top-five finishes. I feel like this is a great starting spot for the Catamounts this year."

Miles earned his first event win at WCU as he claimed the 200-meter dash with a new personal best time of 21.63. He posted his second personal best of the meet in the 300-meter dash, finishing fifth with a time of 34.18.

Zae Smith earned a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.74. Smith also finished in eighth in the 200-meter dash at 22.24. Other top-10 finishes for the men's sprinters included Michael Harris with a seventh-place finish in the 200-meter dash (21.89) and an eighth-place result in the 400-meter dash (34.30).

Omar Simpson led the Catamount men in the 600-meters with a time of 1:23.78 to finish in sixth place.

In men's field events, Charles Cooley snagged a third-place finish in the pole vault after he topped a height of 4.70 meters (15'5"). Cooley was followed by Thomas Martin in seventh (4.25 meters/13'11.25") and Jonathan Lehe in ninth (3.95 meters/12'11.5").  Brandon Harvey was fourth in the high jump with a height of 1.92 meters (6'3.5") followed by Owen Barr with a 10^th-place finish after he cleared a height of 1.82 meters (5'11.5").

Javon Brown led two Catamounts in the top-10 in the long jump with a mark of 6.56 meters (21'6.25") for an eighth-place result, narrowly edging Tyler Rodriguez's top leap of 6.55 meters (21'6"). Javell Brown placed fifth in the triple jump with a mark of 14.23 meters (46'8.25") with Javon Brown in sixth (14.12 meters/46'4") and Theus Johnson in 10^th (13.12 meters/43'0.5").

Adam Hart was third in the hammer throw with a toss of 15.10 meters (49'6.5") followed by Riley Center in 10^th (12.57 meters/41'3"). Ryan Eldridge picked up a fourth-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 15.33 meters (50'3.5") with Center in sixth (14.45 meters/47'5").

Robinson wrote her name in the record books in the 300-meter dash with a time of 34.18 as she finished in seventh place. She bested the previous record of 40.17 set by Tayla Carter in 2012. Robinson also led three WCU runners in the top-10 in the 200-meter dash with a time 25.10 for a sixth-place result ahead of Marissa Blakely in seventh (25.18) and Nytrinitey Jenkins in ninth (25.37).

Makaila McIntyre was the runner-up in the women's long jump with a mark of 5.94 meters. McIntyre also had a strong day on the track, qualifying for the finals in the 60-meter dash and placing fifth in the finals with a time of 7.67.

Carter Unger kicked off the indoor season with a third-place finish in the pole vault, clearing a height of 3.60 meters (11'9.75"). Jennifer Wagner placed seventh after she cleared the bar set at 3.0 meters (9'10").

In the weight throw, Victoria Solheim began the year with a third-place result thanks to her throw of 17.08 meters (56'0.5"). Taniyah Thomas was 10^th in the event with a top distance of 13.31 meters (43'8").

Omare McBride finished fourth in the triple jump with a mark of 12.18 meters (39'11.5").

WCU resumes the indoor season on Jan. 15, heading to the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C. for the Mondo College Invitational.

Keep track of everything related to Catamount track & field and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports) and Twitter (@catamounts, @catamountxctf).