Cullowhee, N.C. -- It's championship season for the Catamounts as the 2025 Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships are scheduled for this weekend. The two-day conference-champion-crowning meet is scheduled for Feb. 28 and March 1, hosted by the VMI Keydets at the on-post Corps Physical Training Facility in Lexington, Va.
Representatives from all 10 Southern Conference schools will go for the gold on the women's side while seven schools compete for the men's championship. Last year saw the Catamount men earn their fourth-consecutive runner-up finish, while the women's team was led by an individual championship from Imani Boyd, who took first in the high jump.
Multi events begin at 9 a.m. Friday with the men's heptathlon 60-meter dash. The women's pentathlon is slated to begin at 9:15 a.m. with the 60-meter hurdles. A full slate of track events start at 1:05 p.m. as the women's 3,000-meter run gets underway and is followed by the men's shot put to open field events at 1:30 p.m.
Saturday's schedule opens with the conclusion of the men's heptathlon at 9 a.m. before field events begin at 10 a.m. with the women's triple jump and weight throw. The women's 5,000m is the first track event of the day, starting at 11:45 a.m.
Friday and Saturday's Championship Meet
2025 Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships
(Fri.) 9 a.m. - 4:35 p.m. | (Sat.) 9 a.m. - 2:58 p.m.
Live Results: https://tinyurl.com/yc83ns3h
Watch (Day Two Only): ESPN+ https://tinyurl.com/mtv9myu7
Catamounts to Watch:
Western Carolina's Imani Boyd, the reigning indoor high jump champion, is set to defend her gold medal effort from a season ago. The senior Catamount only has five indoor high jump marks in her career, but her 1.71m clear last season is a personal best and would be the top height in the conference this season.
As for performances this indoor season, sophomore Ericka Jackson has the top mark in the shot put with a 13.33m toss. She is closely followed by freshman Lexie Durban, who ranks fourth in the event thanks to her top attempt of 12.73m.
On the track, the Catamount women's squad is led by Cymoria Thomas who ranks third and eighth in the 60m and 200m events, respectively. The sophomore from Elgin, S.C. also has marks in the 400m and runs a leg of the 4x400m relay for the Catamounts.
Damon Worley and Quinton Godfrey lead the Catamount men's squad in the heptathlon and the 200m respectively. Worley is one of only two athletes in the conference to record over 4,900 points in the heptathlon this season and is ranked just ahead of Samford's Ben Thomason after a 4,952-point performance at the Orange and Purple Invitational. Godfrey has maintained a firm grasp on the top spot in the 200m after a 21.71 sprint at the Clemson Opener back in December. Wofford's Cameron Dalton is just a fraction behind the Catamount speedster with a top time of 21.76 at the Samford Bulldog Invite earlier this month. The two are the only SoCon athletes with a sub-21.80 finish so far this season.
Additionally, Catamount freshman Elijah Cochran is primed for a strong first conference championship appearance as the Franklin, N.C. native ranks among the leaders on the seasonal performance charts in the 60m hurdles, the long jump, and the high jump. Cochran is currently the highest-ranked freshman in the high jump, sitting in fourth after a 1.88m clear at the VMI Winter Relays.
Young blood dominates the long jump and the 60m hurdles seasonal charts entering the championship as Cochran is one of seven and four first years in the top ten of those events respectively.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
Following the conference championship, the Catamounts have a bit of time to prepare for the NCAA Indoor National Championships (March 14-15) before heading into the outdoor schedule at the NC-State-hosted Raleigh Relays (March 27-29) and the Davidson Relays (March 29).
