WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.- Carson-Newman track and field left the SAC Championships with new records, new rankings, and numerous spots on the podium.
"What a great weekend. There is truly so much to be proud of, and so many of our athletes were fighters today," head coach for the track and field team David Needs said.
Carson-Newman track and field finished the SAC Indoor Championships in third and fourth place in the conference. The men's track and field team finished in third place with 69 points. Wingate placed first, and Lenoir-Rhyne came in second. In total, 12 men's teams competed at the championships.
"Today's performance was very symbolic of our team. We bounced back in the way we knew we had to, and the attitude was exceptional all around. Yesterday we had some moments of disappointment, but today there were multiple points of celebration," Needs said.
Kyle Nabe stood on the podium for his third-place finish in the men's heptathlon 60-meter hurdles. Nabe finished in 8.93 seconds. Jackson Bostick ran the men's heptathlon 1,000-meter dash in 3:05.90 to place fourth.
"Both Kyle and Jackson knew that they had to place in a certain position for us to head home with that third-place trophy. The stakes were high, and they exceeded expectations," Needs said.
Ashwin Jood finished in third place in the men's 400-meter dash in 49.28.
"The thing I find so impressive about Ashwin is that he came in with a great mindset that helped win himself a third-place finish, and he just got here in January. I am confident in his ability, and I know he is working to get to a place where he can really help us in the outdoor season as well," Needs said.
Makanakaishe Charamba won gold in the 60-meter dash finals by setting a new meet record in 6.72 seconds. Siphosethu Boya placed fourth in 6.85 seconds.
"Makanakaishe is now the all-time record holder in the 60-meter dash. Siphosethu came into the event and placed fourth, and that isn't his primary event. It was honestly a day full of impressive performances across the board," Needs said.
Charamba and Boya also competed in the men's 4x400-meter dash with KJ Laribo and Ashwin Jood. The men finished fourth in 3:21.58.
"Makanakaishe chose to run a leg in the 4x400 to help the team get to where we needed to be. I think one of the most refreshing parts of the day was seeing the team rally around each other and support each other through the process," Needs said.
Matthew Blackmon placed second in the 60-meter hurdles finals in 8.01 seconds.
Shane Connell won gold in the men's high jump with a 2.06-meter clearance. KJ Kemp finished in seventh with 1.97-meter clearance. Luke Smith placed fourth in the men's shot put with a 14.86-meter mark. Courtavious Garrett snagged silver in the men's triple jump with a 14.65-meter performance.
"I really enjoyed seeing Shane and Courtavious do well throughout the day. We just had a lot of people show up in big ways, and they rose to the challenge," Needs said.
The women's track and field team placed fourth with 70 points. Wingate, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Catawba secured the top-three spots on the podium.
In the women's 400-meter dash, Tytiana Wilson placed second in 56.87. In the 60-meter hurdles finals, Kadidja Sangare secured a second-place finish in 8.79. Sade De Sousa also snagged silver in the 60-meter dash finals with a time of 7.42 seconds. De Sousa rounded out the top-five in 200-meter dash in 25.62.
The women's 4x400-meter relay placed second with a final time of 3:58.03. Morgan Bailey, Tytiana Wilson, Abbie Zander, and Lauren Tabor competed in the event for the Eagles.
"Our women's 4x400 team placed second because they fought until the very last second. I am extremely proud and impressed with that effort today," Needs said.
Brooke Taylor placed fourth in the women's triple jump with an 11.23-meter mark. Morgan Stanton secured a fifth-place spot in the high jump with a 1.59-meter clearance.
"Not only am I proud of the performance from our women's team today, but I am also extremely proud of Abby Owens for her academic achievement as well. If you think about the weekend she has had, it is insane. She won her event, hit a provisional qualifying mark for nationals, and then turned around and won the Elite 23 award. If that doesn't represent the best of who we are, then I don't know what does," Needs said.
Abby Owens placed first in the women's pole vault in day one of the SAC Championships with a 3.68-meter mark. Owens was named the 2023 SAC Women's Track and Field Wealth Enhancement Group Elite 23 Winner at the conclusion of the meet. The award honors the student-athlete who has the top cumulative grade-point average in each of the league's 23 team championship events.
"Overall, for us to go from placing fifth and fifth in the conference to third and fourth is a step in the right direction. As a coach, I am proud of the athletes and the entire coaching staff, including athletic trainers. This was their time to shine too, and they did a great job of motivating the athletes and picking people up when they were down. It was a strong team effort with a positive outcome for our group," Needs said.
Carson-Newman track and field left the SAC Indoor Track and Field Championships with third place and fourth place standings in the conference. The Eagles end the regular indoor season but will be back in action for the NCAA DII Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships beginning Friday, Mar. 10.
