ROCK HILL, S.C. - For the fifth straight season, the Carson-Newman men's track & field team were predicted to finish inside the top-four of the SAC Indoor Track & Field rankings while the women were selected ninth the conference announced on Thursday, Dec. 2.
The Eagle men earned 107 total points to clinch the third-place preseason honor, their first third-place vote since the 2020 preseason rankings. Since beginning indoor track & field competition in 2018, the Eagles have been voted third in the conference preseason polls three times counting the 2021-22 preseason poll. Queens and Wingate took the top spot on the men's side with six first-place votes and 127 points.
The conference did not hold indoor championships last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Eagle men still had a phenomenal indoor season with seven Eagles earning USTFCCCA All-Region honors. The men were led by Sterling Melancon and Devon Moore, who both earned All-Region honors in the 60 meter and 200 meter runs.
Moore was named the men's track athlete to watch from Carson-Newman by the South Atlantic Conference. The defending SAC Track & Field Athlete of the Year had a stellar indoor season in 2021, finishing in the top-five in 15 of the 16 events he competed in during the 2021 Indoor season. Moore earned event wins in the 60 meter run at four different events and earned event wins in the 200 meter run at the Buccaneer Invitational (21.59 seconds), and the VMI Winter Classic (21.44 seconds).
The 2021 USTFCCCA Southeast Region Indoor Athlete of the Year, Moore finished fourth in the 60 meter run at the 2021 NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships with a time of 6.81 seconds while finishing fourth in the 200 meter run with a time of 21.39 seconds. For his hard work, Moore earned All-American honors in the 60 meter and 200 meter runs, passing Tanner Stepp for the most career All-American honors in Carson-Newman track & field history with eight. Moore picked up a pair of All-American honors during the outdoor season as well, giving him an astonishing ten All-American honors for his career.
"We're very excited for this season," says Moore. "Everybody boosts each other up and we build confidence. We just need to believe in ourselves and trust in God and let whatever happens, happen."
Joseph Oreva was named the men's field athlete to watch from Carson-Newman. As a freshman, Oreva dominated in the long jump for the Eagles, winning the long jump at every event he competed in in his first year in Mossy Creek. Oreva solidified his place in the history books by breaking the 44-year-old school record for indoor long jump with a jump of 7.84 meters at the Buccaneer Invitational. The 2021 USTFCCCA Southeast Indoor Region Male Field Athlete of the Year overcame an ankle injury to finish fourth at the 2021 NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships with a jump of 7.46 meters to earn All-American honors.
On the women's side, the Eagles were voted ninth in the SAC preseason poll with 59 points. It is the lowest that Carson-Newman has been slotted in the women's indoor poll since the conference started recording indoor track & field since 2017. Queens was voted first-place in the poll with eight first-place votes and 129 points. Wingate was slotted at second with four first-place votes and 125 points.
Despite not competing in a conference championship indoor meet last season, the women's track & field team saw four athletes earn USTFCCCA All-Region honors, lead by Tia Davis who earned laurels in the 60 and 200-meter runs.
Davis was selected as the Carson-Newman women's track athlete to watch by the SAC. Davis excelled for the Eagles last winter, finishing in the top-10 in the 200 meter run at every event in the 2021 indoor season. Davis enters the 2021-22 season tied with former Eagle Amanda Lowe for the school record in the 60 meter run, collecting a time of 7.72 seconds for a season-high third place finish in the event at the 2021 UIndy Last Chance Meet.
Nathalie Schumacher was selected as the Carson-Newman women's field athlete to watch for the 2021-22 season. Schumacher finished in the top-three in every event she competed in the high jump, including winning the event twice at the KMS Invite (1.65 meters) and the Buccaneer Invitational (1.58 meters). Schumacher earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors for the second straight indoor season last year.
"It's hopefully going to be a fun season this year," says Schumacher. "Having coach Kris (Potts-Howard) as a coach is fun because he knows us and we know him since he's competed with most of us. I'm excited because I have an extra year because of the COVID season. As a team, the jumpers have looked really good as have the throwers. I hope we get to compete at a lot of competitions together as a team and have a great season."
To keep up with the rest of the Carson-Newman track & field action, stay locked in at cneagles.com or on twitter at @cn_eagles.
2021-22 SAC MEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD PRESEASON POLL
|
Rank |
School (1st place votes) |
Points |
|
T-1 |
Queens (6) |
127 |
|
T-1 |
Wingate (6) |
127 |
|
3 |
Carson-Newman |
107 |
|
4 |
Limestone |
98 |
|
5 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
90 |
|
6 |
Catawba |
86 |
|
7 |
Tusculum |
74 |
|
T-8 |
Coker |
57 |
|
T-8 |
Anderson |
57 |
|
10 |
Newberry |
45 |
|
11 |
Mars Hill |
29 |
|
12 |
Lincoln Memorial |
27
|
2021-22 SAC WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD PRESEASON POLL
|
Rank |
School (1st place votes) |
Points |
|
1 |
Queens (8) |
129 |
|
2 |
Wingate (4) |
125 |
|
3 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
111 |
|
4 |
Anderson |
100 |
|
5 |
Limestone |
94 |
|
6 |
Catawba |
75 |
|
7 |
Coker |
73 |
|
8 |
Tusculum |
62 |
|
9 |
Carson-Newman |
59 |
|
10 |
Lincoln Memorial |
40 |
|
11 |
Newberry |
32 |
|
12 |
Mars Hill |
24 |
