Cullowhee, N.C. – The Western Carolina track and field team represents the Southern Conference in Asheville this weekend as the Catamounts compete in the Big South vs. SoCon Conference Challenge. The two-day meet hosted by UNC Asheville will pit several Southern Conference teams against their counterparts from the Big South Conference.
Events begin at 1 p.m. on Friday and will run through 4:45 p.m. on Saturday.
2026 Big South vs SoCon Conference Challenge:
Teams (7): Big South: Gardner-Webb, Radford, UNC Asheville, and Winthrop; SoCon: VMI, Wofford, and Western Carolina
Friday, March 20: 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 21: 9:00 a.m. - 4:55 p.m.
Live Results: https://tinyurl.com/mrcurxaj
Watch Saturday (ESPN+): https://tinyurl.com/3wnjzyvm
Catamounts to Watch:
All three of WCU's reigning SoCon Athletes of the Week will see action in Asheville, as Shaneil Lysight, Trevor Williams, and Austin Cline are all scheduled to compete. Lysight will see action in the 100m hurdles, Williams is set to compete in the 400m and 200m dash, with Cline leading the Catamounts in the hammer throw and shot put.
WCU fields the top-seeded athlete in 13 events over the weekend. CJ McFerrin (110m Hurdles), Elias Barton (400m), Kyndal Saunders (400m), Matthias Peterson (1500m), Katherine Hopkins (1500m), Justin Hayes (2000m steeple), Austin Cline (hammer throw & shot put), Lexie Durban (hammer throw), Josh Flack (high jump), Jackson Livingston (javelin throw), Ericka Jackson (javelin throw), and the Catamount women's 4x400m team of Jada Erwin, Cymoria Thomas, Shaniya Shirley, and Aniya Patterson all lead their respective events entering the weekend.
The Catamounts will send a field of six competitors to the 110m hurdles, with standouts CJ McFerrin and dual sport athlete Painter Richards-Baker leading the team there. Additionally, multi's athletes Bennett Whitefield, Ethan Hibberts, and Dakota Braucher will compete in the event.
The WCU women's track team will see at least six competitors in the 100m – 400m with Cymoria Thomas, Shaniya Shirley, Jada Erwin, Emma Goins, Miranda Watts, Marissa Watts, Aniya Patterson, Kyndal Saunders, Leah Butler, Gabrielle Harris, Millie Simmons, and Jasmine Smith on deck for the Catamounts.
Up Next for the Catamounts:
WCU has a week away from competition before returning to the track for the VertKlasse Meeting, hosted by High Point. The two-day meet runs from April 2-3.
