May 9, 2018
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina, men's and women's track and field teams will serve as hosts of the 2018 Southern Conference Outdoor Championships this Thursday and Friday, May 10-11. The Catamounts last hosted the outdoor championships in 2016 sweeping the titles. WCU has served as host four times including 2012, 2008, 2005 and 2016.
2018 Outdoor Track and Field Championships Schedule
Live Results
Event Program
Day One Heat Sheets
"We as a staff are excited to have a chance to host the Southern Conference Championships in Cullowhee this year," said Head Track and Field Coach Cale McDaniel. "I know the team loves being able to compete for a title on their home track."
The Catamount will be seeking its third consecutive men's title and eighth overall while the WCU women were dethroned as two-time Champions in 2017 by Samford. The two-day meet will mark the 95th edition of the men's championship and the 32nd instance of the women's championship.
This season's power rankings -- determined by the top eight times or scores that are reported by the schools for each event that will be conducted at this week's championships -- predict wins for Western Carolina on both sides.
"We have a very accomplished group of seniors leading us this year," McDaniel said. "I am relying on their experience to guide us through the weekend" The Catamount men own 213.5 points in the power rankings, putting them well ahead of Samford's 158.5 and ETSU's 132.5. Western Carolina scored in all but the 1,500-meter run, the 3,000-meter run and the javelin throw. The Western Carolina women hold a slimmer margin over Samford, accruing 180 points to the Bulldogs' 156.5. The Catamounts totaled 108.5 points in the field events. This year's championship is free to the public. Live results, daily recaps, photos and video highlights can be found at SoConSports.com.
""The Southern Conference is full of great talent and coaching," McDaniel said. "This will be as exciting as any conference championship that I can remember."
Storylines:
- The championships meets are being held in Cullowhee, North Carolina, for the fifth time. Western Carolina previously hosted in 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2016.
- All of the winners of the individual superlatives from last year return this season. On the men's side, Most Outstanding Athlete and Most Outstanding Field Performer Ben Johnson of ETSU is back, as are Most Outstanding Track Performers Malik Diggs of The Citadel and Dakota Lamont of Western Carolina and Freshman of the Year Devaniel Dale of Western Carolina. On the women's side, Most Outstanding Athlete Kyra Atkins of ETSU, Most Outstanding Track Performer Dasha Arnaut of Western Carolina, Most Outstanding Field Performer Selena Popp of Samford and Freshman of the Year Jazmine Gooden of Western Carolina return.
- On the men's side, the winners of a whopping 16 of the 19 individual events from 2017 are back this season. Double winners that return include WCU's Lamont (200-meter dash, 400-meter dash); Furman's Frank Lara (5,000-meter run, 10,000-meter run); The Citadel's Diggs (110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles); and ETSU's Johnson (discus throw, javelin throw).
- The women return the winners of 12 of the 19 individual events. ETSU's Atkins won the 200-meter dash and the 100-meter hurdles, while Western Carolina's Arnaut won the 400-meter dash and the 400-meter hurdles.
- Samford senior Tray Oates will be looking for his third straight outdoor pole vault title. In February, Oates became the first student-athlete in SoCon history to win the indoor event four times. He currently has the fourth-best mark on the NCAA Division I performance list with a height of 5.66 meters (18 feet, 6.75 inches), which would easily surpass the meet record of 5.50 meters that he set at the 2016 meet.
- Samford's Keyth Fightmaster and Marquis Barnes are seeking their third titles in the high jump and long jump, respectively, each after earning wins in 2015 and 2017. ETSU's Simeon Roberts has claimed the last two titles in the 3000-meter steeplechase.
- The Citadel's Mady Riegel is vying for her third consecutive title in the javelin. Furman's Allie Buchalski is the two-time defending champion in the 5,000-meter run, while Atkins has won the last two titles in the 100-meter hurdles.
- Four meet records were set last season on the women's side: Buchalski in the 5,000-meter run (16:12.98), Atkins in the 100-meter hurdles (13.25 seconds), ETSU's Katrina Seymour in the 400-meter hurdles (58.15 seconds in the prelims), and Samford's Maggie Johnston in the discus (47.08 meters/154 feet, 5 inches). Buchalski has run 15:39.17 in the 5,000m this season, and Johnston has turned in a throw of 48.80 meters (160 feet, 1 inch) in the discus this regular season.
