Cullowhee, N.C. – In a dress rehearsal of sorts for the 2026 Southern Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships set to be hosted at the Catamount Athletics Complex in early May, the Western Carolina track and field teams posted 59 top-five finishes, winning nine events at a condensed Catamount Classic, presented by The Everson.
The Catamounts cruised at their home meet, setting 20 personal bests and honoring 23 seniors for their careers with the Purple and Gold in a special mid-meet ceremony.
WCU seniors were responsible for 11 of WCU's top-five performances, with a win in the men's 110m hurdles by two-sport standout Painter Richards-Baker and a fourth-place finish in the 200m highlighting their efforts.
The Catamounts recorded five additional event wins on the track, with Christian Roberts claiming the 400m hurdles, clocking a time of 43.15s. WCU also swept the relays, posting seasonal best times in both the men's and women's 4x100m and the women's 4x400m.
Richards-Baker, Delton Jones, Elias Barton, and Spencer Dube took first in the men's 4x100m with a 41.32s finish, with Richards-Baker and Barton pairing with Trevor Williams and Nadir Stukes to take the 4x400m in 3:19.67.
On the women's side, Jada Erwin, Cymoria Thomas, Shaniya Shirley, and Emma Goins cruised for the 45.50s finish in the 4x100m, with Erwin joining McCarey Beaty, Leah Butler, and Kyndal Saunders for the 4x400m crown in 3:45.76.
The Catamounts also claimed three wins in the field events, with Austin Cline, Josh Flack, and Ericka Jackson all earning the top spot in the hammer throw, high jump, and javelin throw, respectively. Cline's first throw of the day, 57.96m, proved to be his best, as he won the hammer throw with that attempt. He also finished fourth in the shot put with a 15.28m toss.
Flack's event win came in the high jump, as the freshman was the lone student-athlete in the field to clear 2.05m on the day. Flack posted a perfect performance on heights 1.90m-2.05m, clearing on his first try at the height.
Ericka Jackson claimed the javelin throw in impressive fashion, as the Catamount was the only athlete with a throw over 40 meters. Jackson threw past that distance on four of her six attempts on the day, securing the event win with a 42.00m flat toss on her fifth attempt.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
Western Carolina returns to action on their home track, hosting the 2026 Southern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 11-12, at the on-campus Catamount Athletics Complex.
