Pioneers advance 10 to finals on first day of SAC Championship

Posted: Feb 24, 2024

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. --- Tusculum University qualified 10 athletes for Sunday's finals on the opening day of the South Atlantic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship on Saturday at the JDL Fast Track.

After five of 17 events, the Tusculum men are eighth place with eight points, while the Pioneer women are tied for 10th out of 13 teams with one point. Competition resumes on Sunday at 9 a.m.

MEN'S RECAP
Senior Marquel Pittman advanced to the finals in both the 60 and 200 meters, qualifying seventh in the 60 at 6.85 seconds and sixth in the 200 at 22.30 seconds.

Graduate student Zack Nelson advanced to the finals in the 400 meters with a time of 50.43 seconds, as did junior Stephen Brewer who took seventh in prelims at 51.29 seconds.

The Pioneer distance medley relay team of freshman Pau Valdepenas, junior Xay Bogus, grad student Antonio Aparicio and freshman Sam Shipp finished fifth at 10:26.10 and broke the school record of 10:28.97 set at the VMI Winter Classic on Feb. 12, 2021.

In the long jump, sophomore Daryl Smith Jr. took sixth place at 6.92 meters (22 feet, 8 1/2 inches) and freshman Lansford Cunningham was eighth at 6.81 meters (22 feet, 4 1/4 inches).

Through five events, Wingate is in first place in the team standings with 52 points, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne in second with 40 points and Anderson in third with 28 points.

WOMEN'S RECAP
Sophomore Theresa Green-White was the top qualifier in the 60 hurdles as she broke her own school record with an NCAA qualifying time of 8.67 seconds. Her previous record was 8.85 seconds set Jan. 13 at the Mondo College Invitational.

Green-White also advanced to the finals in the 200 meters, placing sixth in trials at 25.73 seconds while sophomore Kiera Taylor was third at 25.39 seconds.

Three Pioneers are among the eight finalists in the 60 meters, with freshman A'jaylah Yates taking third at 7.67 seconds, Taylor sixth at 7.65 seconds and freshman Alonda Shelton in eighth at 7.72 seconds.

The Pioneers' distance medley relay of senior Judy Chellah, junior Jada Martin, freshman Caley Sosnowski and sophomore Inmaculada Delgado finished eighth with a time of 13:35.56.

The top five teams are separated by four points after five events, with Wingate leading with 32 points, Anderson and Catawba tied for second at 31 points, Carson-Newman fourth at 30 points and Lenoir-Rhyne in fifth at 28 points.

South Atlantic Conference Championship
Day 1 of 2 - at Winston-Salem, N.C.
Tusculum results
MEN
60 prelims: 7. Marquel Pittman, 6.85 (advances); 14. Isaiah Olson, 6.97; 24. Lansford Cunningham, 7.21.
60 hurdles prelims: 10. Jamal Cash, 8.72; 18. Hunter Burkey, 9.22.
200 prelims: 6. Marquel Pittman, 22.30 (advances); 10. Zack Nelson, 22.63; 14. Isaiah Olson, 22.85.
400 prelims: 3. Zack Nelson, 50.43 (advances); 7. Stephen Brewer, 51.29 (advances).
800 prelims: 9. Antonio Aparicio, 1:57.83.
Mile prelims: 16. Pau Valdepenas, 4:21.19.
Distance medley relay: 5. Tusculum (Valdepenas, Bogus, Aparicio, Shipp), 10:26.10 (school record).
Long jump: 6. Daryl Smith Jr., 6.92m (22-8 1/2); 8. Lansford Cunningham, 6.81m (22-4 1/4); 11. Joshua Stephens, 6.50m (21-4); 20. Jamal Cash, 6.24m (20-5 3/4).
Weight throw: 24. Adrian Gumm, 12.74m.

Team standings (through 5 of 17 events): 1. Wingate 52; 2. Lenoir-Rhyne 40; 3. Anderson 28; 4. Newberry 24; 5. Catawba 13; 6. Lincoln Memorial 11; 7. Carson-Newman 10; 8. Tusculum 8; 9. Mars Hill 7; 10. Limestone 2.

WOMEN
60 prelims: 3. A'jaylah Yates, 7.67 (advances); 6. Kiera Taylor, 7.65 (advances); 8. Alonda Shelton, 7.72 (advances); 9. Theresa Green-White, 7.75.
60 hurdles prelims: 1. Theresa Green-White, 8.67 (advances/school record).
200 prelims: 3. Kiera Taylor, 25.39 (advances); 6. Theresa Green-White, 25.73 (advances); 10. Alonda Shelton, 25.97; 11. A'jaylah Yates, 26.03.
400 prelims: 19. Jada Martin, 1:02.50.
Distance medley relay: 8. Tusculum (Chellah, Martin, Sosnowski, Delgado), 13:35.56.
Weight throw: 11. Amber Hogan, 13.44m (44-1 1/4).
Indoor pentathlon: 10. Kieley Smith, 2,547 points.

Team standings (through 5 of 17 events): 1. Wingate 32; 2. Anderson 31; 2. Catawba 31; 4. Carson-Newman 30; 5. Lenoir-Rhyne 28; 6. Lincoln Memorial 18; 7. Newberry 14; 8. Limestone 6; 9. Emory & Henry 3; 10. Tusculum 1; 10. Mars Hill 1.