Lexington, Va. – A second event win and 11 top five finishes capped Western Carolina track and field's final day of competition at the VMI Winter Relays that concluded Saturday at the Corps Physical Training Facility.
Senior John Davis paced the Catamounts with the top finish on the day, winning the men's 800-meter run. Competing in his second consecutive indoor meet, the Columbia, S.C, native earned the event win with a finish of 1:55.0, just edging out Lees-McRae's Joshua Gillis who finished in 1:55.15. The event win was the first of Davis' career and his best finish since taking second in the outdoor 800m at the Catamount Classic last season.
The Catamount men's team additionally recorded four second place finishes on the day with Franklin, N.C., freshman Elijah Cochran, senior Will Mitchell, and sophomore Ethan Hibberts earning strong placements. Cochran tallied a pair of second place finishes in the men's 60-meter hurdles and the men's high jump, setting personal bests in both events with a time of 8.39 and a 1.88m clear, respectively. He also set a personal best in the long jump on the first day of the meet with a leap of 6.70m.
Mitchell and Hibberts earned their finishes in the 3,000-meter run and the heptathlon respectively. Mitchell was one of only two runners to complete their 3k in under 8:45, finishing just behind UNC Pembroke's Lucas Nervo with at 8:42.49. Hibberts battled in the heptathlon with first place finishes in the shot put, high jump, and 60m hurdles helping fuel a day two climb to second place with 4,259 total points.
Rounding out the top men's finishes were senior Cameron Pompey with a third-place finish in the men's high jump and freshman Nadir Stukes who took fifth 400m. Pompey's clear of 1.83m was his best mark so far of the season, while Stukes 51.14 finish set a new personal best in the event.
The Catamount women were led by Raelyn Vadal in the triple jump, as the junior was one of only four student-athletes with leap longer than 11.10-meters. Her mark of 11.48m secured her second third-place finish of the weekend as she claimed the same placement in the long jump on day one.
Sophomore Katherine Hopkins, junior Toria Roundtree, and sophomore Leah Butler all earned top five finishes on the day, posting fourth, fifth, and fifth in the women's 3,000m, the weight throw, and the 800m, respectively. Hopkins' time of 10:44.80 was her first mark of the 2025 indoor season, while Roundtree and Butler set personal bests in their respective events with a 15.23m toss and a 2:21.97 finish.
Up Next for the Catamounts:
The Catamount track and field team has a week off from competition before returning to action with the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational in Lynchburg, Va. on Feb. 14-15. WCU then opens its quest for a conference championship, returning to Lexington for the 2025 Southern Conference Indoor Championships on Feb. 28 through March 1.
