BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –
Makaila McIntyre picked up her third career Southern Conference outdoor long jump title to highlight Saturday's action at the 2022 Southern Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championship held at the Samford Track and Soccer Complex.
After six events, the WCU men's team is in third place with 31 points, one point shy of second place Furman. The WCU women are in fourth place with 26 points after six events, six points behind third place Wofford. Samford leads both the men's (82) and women's (85) standings entering Sunday.
McIntyre became a three-time Southern Conference long jump champion as she won the event with a leap of 5.73 meters (18'9.75"). McIntyre, who was the reigning champion and also won the event in 2019, is the first three-time champion in the long jump since Georgia Southern's Jasmin Walker took first place in three consecutive years from 2012-14.
Kate Mattison recorded a personal best time of 36:34.29 for a runner-up finish in the women's 10,000-meters on Saturday morning. Mattison's time is the second-fastest in program history and eclipsed the previous facility record of 36:40.53 along with event winner Emily Little of Furman.
Victoria Solheim earned a fifth-place result in the women's hammer throw with a top mark of 47.45 meters (155'8").
Sydney Runyan took seventh place in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, completing the race with a time of 11:55.67 in her event debut.
Carter Unger finished seventh in the women's pole vault as she cleared a height of 3.26 meters (10'8.25").
With four out of seven events completed in the women's heptathlon,
Omare McBride is in sixth place with 2,381 points.
Javon Brown was the runner-up in the men's long jump with a personal best leap of 7.28 meters (23'10.75"). Brown and Samford's Ty Kimberlin both posted a mark of 7.28 meters, but Kimberlin claimed the event win with a second-best jump that measured 7.25 meters compared to a 7.18 mark.
Javell Brown finished in third place thanks to a leap of 7.16 meters (23'6").
Tyler Rodriguez was fifth with a top jump of 6.99 meters (22'11.25") followed by
Brandon Harvey in sixth after a leap of 6.91 meters (22'8").
Thomas Martin tied an outdoor personal best height in the men's pole vault as he cleared a height of 4.45 meters (14'7.25") to finish in fifth place.
Charles Cooley followed in sixth place as he also topped out at 4.45 meters (14'7.25") with
Jonathan Lehe finishing eighth after a height of 4.35 meters (13'1.5").
Adam Hart finished seventh in the men's hammer throw with a top distance of 44.25 meters (145'2").
A large portion of Saturday's track action consisted of preliminary rounds. In the women's 100-meter hurdles, three Catamounts –
Dami Shodeinde,
Mallory Lowe, and Tre'Breh Scott – each advanced to Sunday's final. After winning the women's long jump, McIntyre clinched a spot in the women's 100-meter dash finals.
Marissa Blakely logged the fastest women's 400-meter dash time at 55.64 with
Nytrinitey Jenkins and
Mikayla Turner also earning spots in the finals. Later in the day, Blakely logged the fastest time in the women's 200-meter dash and will be joined by Jenkins in Sunday's final.
In men's track prelims,
Michael Harris ran the fastest time in the men's 400-meter dash as he completed the race in 48.21.
David Miles ran a personal best time of 10.75 to qualify for the men's 100-meter dash finals and will be joined by Ronald Kent and
Marcus Brown.
Jalen Elwell punched his ticket to the men's 800-meter run finals with a personal best time of 1:52.22.
Kaleb Ambrose qualified for the finals in the men's 400-meter hurdles. Kent, Brown, and Miles also qualified for the finals in the men's 200-meter dash.
Sunday's action begins at 10 a.m. ET with the conclusion of the men's decathlon and women's heptathlon. Field events start at Noon ET with the men's high jump and women's shot point with track finals going at 2 p.m. ET.
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Men's results – Day 1
1. Samford – 82 points
2. Furman – 32
3. Western Carolina – 31
4. The Citadel – 27
T5. ETSU – 22
T5. VMI – 22
7. UNCG – 15
8. Wofford – 3
Women's results – Day 1
1. Samford – 85 points
2. ETSU – 33
3. Wofford – 32
4. Western Carolina – 26
5. Furman – 25
6. The Citadel – 15
7. Chattanooga – 13
8. VMI – 4
T9. Mercer – 0
T9. UNCG – 0
Day 1 champions
Men: 10,000-meter run Dylan Christopher, UNCG (30:48.12);
hammer throw Seth Wolfe, Samford (59.48 meters);
pole vault Jed Sisco, Samford (5.20 meters);
javelin Ashton Domingue, Samford (67.01 meters);
long jump Ty Kimberlin (7.28 meters);
3,000-meter steeplechase Ben Garner, Samford (8:55.55).
Women: 10,000-meter run Emily Little, Furman (36:16.17);
hammer throw Hannah Daffin, Samford (53.60 meters);
long jump Makaila McIntyre, Western Carolina (5.73 meters);
javelin Erin Long, Samford, (51.02 meters*);
3,000-meter steeplechase Nicole Matysik, Furman (10:55.84);
pole vault Brittany Bishop, Samford (4.01m*).
* meet record
