BOONE, N.C. --- The Tusculum University men's and women's track and field teams opened their 2025 outdoor schedule on Friday at the Mountaineer First Chance meet hosted by Appalachian State University.
The Pioneers had 10 first-place performances during Friday's meet, while setting three women's program records. Tusculum had at least one athlete in the top five of 16 of the 20 events in which the Pioneers competed.
Tusculum will compete at the Blue Bear Invitational at Livingstone College on Saturday, March 29.
MEN'S RECAP
Senior Isaiah Olson won the 100 meters in a career-best time of 10.38 seconds, and also won the 200 meters in 21.15 seconds. Olson was also part of the 4x400 relay with senior Xay Bogus, freshman John Ross and freshman Jonathan Harris that took first place in 3:26.27.
Harris finished sixth in the 400 meters at 51.91 seconds and was 10th in the 200 meters in 22.08 seconds, while Bogus was eighth in the 800 meters (2:07.70). Freshman Levi Carson was seventh in the 800 at 2:06.73, and Ross took second in the 400 hurdles with a time of 57.99 seconds.
Sophomore Michael McGrath won the javelin in his Tusculum debut with a throw of 52.04 meters (170 feet, 9 inches), while sophomore Noah Girard was fifth at 46.33 meters (152 feet). In the shot put, junior Adrian Gumm was fifth with a best mark of 14.16 meters (46 feet, 5 1/2 inches).
WOMEN'S RECAP
The Pioneers had first-place finishes in six of the 11 events in which they completed, along with five runner-up finishes. In all, Tusculum had 24 individuals and two relays place inside the top 10 in their respective events.
Junior Jahzara Hart set a school record in winning the 100 meters at 11.45 seconds, followed by junior Shanice Cox in second at 11.90 seconds and junior Kiera Taylor third in 11.97 seconds. Freshman Qitarah Castlin placed fourth in 12.01 seconds, and junior Theresa Green-White was sixth in 12.10 seconds.
Cox was second in the 200 meters at 24.50 seconds, with Castlin taking third in 24.73 seconds and Taylor fifth in 24.90 seconds. Green-White finished seventh at 25.04 seconds, and grad student Tashianna Gray was 10th in 25.63 seconds.
Gray was second in the 400 meters at 58.96 seconds, and grad student Alayna Suitte won the open 800 meters in 2:32.85, with grad student Megan Humiston in sixth at 2:41.85.
In hurdles, Green-White won the 100 meters at 14.00 seconds with freshman Kori Moore in second at 14.38 seconds. In the 400 hurdles, Moore won in a time of 1:07.02 and grad student Eva Tolliver finished fourth at 1:12.79.
The 4x100 "A" relay of Taylor, Cox, Green-White and Hart won the event in 45.85 seconds, breaking the school record of 46.73 seconds set last year by a group that included both Taylor and Green-White. The quartet of sophomore Alonda Shelton, Castlin, Moore and sophomore Kieley Smith was second at 48.87 seconds.
Junior Danyell Booker set the program record in the shot put with a second-place throw of 11.61 meters (38 feet, 1 inch), breaking the record of 11.54 meters set by Alyssa Farmer in 2019. Senior Amber Hogan won the hammer throw at 44.27 meters (145 feet, 3 inches) and was fifth in the shot put at 10.23 meters (33 feet, 6 3/4 inches).
Freshman Agustina Dittrich placed fourth in the long jump at 5.32 meters (17 feet, 5 1/2 inches) and was seventh in the javelin at 23.72 meters (77 feet, 10 inches). Smith took eighth in the javelin with a throw of 23.40 meters (76 feet, 9 inches) and was 11th in the long jump at 4.85 meters (15 feet, 11 inches).
Mountaineer First Chance Meet - at Boone, N.C.
Tusculum results
MEN
100: 1. Isaiah Olson, 10.38; 16. Kayvon Pickett, 11.06.
200: 1. Isaiah Olson, 21.15; 10. Jonathan Harris, 22.08; 12. Kayvon Pickett, 22.46; 25. Benit Kitapindu, 23.71.
400: 6. Jonathan Harris, 51.91; 8. Benit Kitapindu, 53.08.
800: 7. Levi Carson, 2:06.73; 8. Xay Bogus, 2:07.70; 11. Landen Locklear, 2:08.77.
400 hurdles: 2. John Ross, 57.99.
5000: 12. Jerry Ricker, 17:20.55; 16. Ryan Drysch, 17:43.09.
4x400: 1. Tusculum (Bogus, Olson, Ross, Harris), 3:26.27.
Shot put: 5. Adrian Gumm, 14.16m (46-5 1/2); 9. Gavin Rowell, 13.70m (44-11 1/4); 15. Dylan Horne, 12.63m (41-5 1/4); 18. Richard Burney, 11.89m (39-0)
Hammer throw: 18. Richard Burney, 34.31m (112-7).
Javelin: 1. Michael McGrath, 52.04m (170-9); 5. Noah Girard, 46.33m (152-0).
WOMEN
100: 1. Jahzara Hart, 11.45 (school record); 2. Shanice Cox, 11.90; 3. Kiera Taylor, 11.97; 4. Qitarah Castlin, 12.01; 6. Theresa Green-White, 12.10; 10. Alonda Shelton, 12.43; 15. Agustina Dittrich, 13.01; 16. Eva Tolliver, 13.02.
100 hurdles: 1. Theresa Green-White, 14.00; 2. Kori Moore, 14.38.
200: 2. Shanice Cox, 24.50; 3. Qitarah Castlin, 24.73; 5. Kiera Taylor, 24.90; 7. Theresa Green-White, 25.04; 10. Tashianna Gray, 25.63; 13. Alonda Shelton, 25.90.
400: 2. Tashianna Gray, 58.96.
400 hurdles: 1. Kori Moore, 1:07.02; 4. Eva Tolliver, 1:12.79.
800 (open): 1. Alayna Suitte, 2:32.85; 6. Megan Humiston, 2:41.85; 16. Victoria Caliendo, 3:09.24; 17. Kieley Smith, 3:10.23.
4x100: 1. Tusculum A (Taylor, Cox, Green-White, Hart), 45.85 (school record); 2. Tusculum B (Shelton, Castlin, Moore, Smith), 48.87.
Long jump: 4. Agustina Dittrich, 5.32m (17-5 1/2); 11. Kieley Smith, 4.85m (15-11)
Shot put: 2. Danyell Booker, 11.61m (38-1) (school record); 5. Amber Hogan, 10.23m (33-6 3/4).
Hammer throw: 1. Amber Hogan, 44.27m (145-3).
Javelin: 7. Agustina Dittrich, 23.72m (77-10); 8. Kieley Smith, 23.40m (76-9).
