Cullowhee, N.C. -- After an extended hiatus due to Winter Storm Cora, the Western Carolina track and field teams are set to see action for the first time in 2025 as they resume indoor competition at the Virginia Tech Invite in Blacksburg, Va.
A combined 22 teams are attending the two-day meet - the first multi-day event of the season for the Catamounts - with representation across all levels of NCAA competition and the NAIA. VMI is the only other Southern Conference school scheduled to see action in Blacksburg, as five Keydets are currently slated to compete.
WCU is expected to field 41 Catamounts at the invitational meet and is one of only six schools to send 40 or more student-athletes. The Charlotte 49ers are anticipated to send the most at 62, with the host institution Virginia Tech fielding the second most at 59.
Friday's portion of the competition begins at 3:30 p.m. with the women's unseeded pole vault. Track events start at 4 p.m. with the women's mile run. Saturday's competition gets going earlier, with an 11 a.m. start in the women's seeded pole vault and the women's high jump. Sprinters will have to wait a bit longer until the sound of the gun at 2 p.m. in the women's 400m.
Friday & Saturday's Meet
Virginia Tech Invite | (Fri.) 3:30 p.m. - 8:35 p.m. | (Sat.) 11:00 a.m. - 4:25 p.m.
Live Results:
https://tinyurl.com/36728bvf
Teams (22): App State, Charlotte, Claflin, Duke, Eastern Mennonite, High Point, James Madison, Liberty, Lynchburg, Milligan, NC State, Norfolk State, North Carolina Wesleyan, Radford, Richmond, UNC Asheville, VCU, Virginia, Virginia Tech, VMI, Wake Forest,
Western Carolina
Catamounts to Watch:
The Catamount field squad looks to continue their momentum after a strong season debut at the Clemson Opener in December.
Damon Worley and
Ericka Jackson claimed the top finishes for the men's and women's teams, with Worley taking fourth in the men's pole vault and Jackson finishing fifth in the women's shot put.
Though early in the season, the Catamounts currently lead the SoCon in several sprint events.
Cymoria Thomas and
Shaneil Lysight posted the best performances in the league in the 60m and 60m hurdles, respectively while the men's trio of
Quinton Godfrey,
Skyler Woodard, and
Nadir Stukes hold the podium positions in the 200m.
Up Next for The Catamounts
Now fully in the meat of the 2024-25 indoor schedule, the Catamounts see three straight weeks of competition including the Virginia Tech Invite. They'll return to South Carolina for the Clemson-hosted Orange and Purple Classic January 24-25 before swinging back up through Virginia for the VMI Winter Relays Jan. 31-Feb. 1, in Lecington.
