CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Led by senior Mason Hazel's first-place finish in the men's 5,000 meter run, the Anderson men's track and field team finished fifth and the women's team in seventh place at the 2018 South Atlantic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, hosted at the Irwin Belk Complex on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University.
Hazel, the defending SAC champion in the 5,000 meters, posted a championship meet record by crossing the finish line in a time of 14:35.77, which was nearly 10 seconds faster than the nearest runner. Freshman Philip Quillen finished ninth in a time of 15:32.21, with freshman Weston Hutto (15:38.49) and freshman Joey Teachout (15:50.66) finishing 13th and 15th, respectively.
Senior Christopher Burton also earned all-conference honors by finishing second in the 200 meter dash in a time of 21.21 and third in the 100 meter dash. Freshman Cameron Owens-Hunter finished seventh in the men's 800 meter run in a time of 1:54.58, while classmate Connor Wheatley claimed 15th in the men's discus throw with a distance of 35.42 meters.
The men's 4x100 meter relay team, consisting of Burton, senior Caleb Stephenson, sophomore Jordan Anderson and freshman Austin Elgin finished fourth in a time of 41.90 and the 4x400 meter relay squad of Anderson, senior Rashod Monts, freshman Robert Jones and Owens-Hunter claimed fourth place in a time of 3:24.73.
Junior Jolyn Copeland finished 11th in the women's discus throw with a distance of 33.35 meters and claimed 12th in the women's shot put with a toss of 10.80 meters. Sophomore Morgan Bridges finished fourth in the women's 1,500 meter run in a time of 4:48.43, while junior Abigail Bozarth claimed fifth place in a time of 4:50.13. Bridges also claimed fourth place in the 800 meter run in a time of 2:20.14.
Junior Abigail Bozarth finished fifth in the women's 5,000 meter run in a time of 18:14.01, while sophomore Emily Olson was 30th in a time of 22:14.85, with sophomore Jasmine Barmore taking home seventh place in the women's 400 meter dash after crossing the finish line in a time of 1:00.32.
Junior Madison Seay brought home second place in the women's 400 meter hurdles in a time of 1:04.19 and the women's 4x400 relay squad, consisting of Barmore, Bridges, Seay and freshman Olivia Rish finished sixth in a time of 4:02.65.
Next up on the schedule for the Trojans is the Hillsdale (Mich.) College GINA Relays, April 26-28.
Women - Team Rankings - 21 Events Scored
1) Wingate 206.5
2) Queens (N.C.) 200
3) Lenoir-Rhyne 127.5
4) Coker 95
5) Carson-Newman 49
6) Lincoln Memorial 40
7) Anderson (S.C.) 36
8) Mars Hill 20
9) Tusculum 19
10) Catawba 12
11) Newberry 10
Men - Team Rankings - 21 Events Scored
1) Queens (N.C.) 240.5
2) Wingate 171
3) Lenoir-Rhyne 113
4) Carson-Newman 81
5) Anderson (S.C.) 56
6) Coker 38
7) Lincoln Memorial 36
8) Mars Hill 32
9) Catawba 16.5
10) Tusculum 16
11) Newberry 15
