MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina men's and women's track & field teams combined to record seven top-10 finishes, including over the preliminaries of the 400-meter hurdles and 200-meters events, on day one of the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at Doug Shaw Stadium at Myrtle Beach High School.
Both the women's and men's teams are in eighth-place overall on the team standings following the first day of competition.
Day two of the conference championship meet will begin tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET.
Women's Team
The Chanticleers' women's team scored points all across the track and field on Thursday, posting top-10 finishes in the hammer throw, pole vault, and 10,000-meters, while also having two other Chants qualify for the finals in the 200-meters and 400-meter hurdles.
Sophomore thrower
Zayna Fray-Samuel placed fourth in the hammer throw event with a distance of 56.42 meters, while in the pole vault event, redshirt junior
Kynnedy Dennis cleared the bar with a season-best mark of 3.76 meters to finish in a tie for sixth place overall.
Also posted a top-10 mark on Thursday was redshirt sophomore
Ellie Wolski, as she raced to a seventh-place showing in the 10,000-meters with a personal-best time of 35:40.04. Her time is also the sixth-best mark for the distance event in CCU's history.
Two more Chants scored top-10 finishes in the preliminaries to qualify for the finals in their respective events, as
Alexis Glasco crossed the finish line with the second-best time in the 400-meter hurdles prelims at 1:00.14.
First-year Chant
Amanda Kinloch just missed out on the finals, placing ninth overall in the 400-meter hurdles with her time of 1:03.77 in the prelims.
Fellow sprinter
Kayla Sweeney placed third overall in the 200-meter preliminaries with her time of 23.69 (+0.4) to place her in the finals on Saturday.
Men's Team
On the men's side, two Chants posted personal-best times in the 200-meter prelims, while a trio of Chants posted top-20 finishes across two throws events.
Freshman
Deondre Hardy finished 10th overall in the 200-meter prelims with a personal-best time of 21.55 (+0.8), while fellow first-year Chant
Jaavier Jackson crossed the finish line with a personal-best time of 22.47 (+0.5) to place 29th overall.
Junior
DeVonte Harris placed 18th overall with a season-best time of 21.76 (-0.7) in the prelims of the 200-meters.
In the throws events, senior
Aaron Keeler placed 13th overall with a mark of 49.47 meters in the javelin throw, while sophomore
Michael Martello (46.23m) and freshman
Killian Oberheu (38.58m) finished 15th and 17th, respectively, in the hammer throw.
Chanticleer Performers – Day 1
WOMEN
Women's Hammer Throw
4.
Zayna Fray-Samuel – 56.42m
11.
Lauralyn Clifford – 50.71m
Women's Pole Vault
T6.
Kynnedy Dennis – 3.76m
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles - Prelims
2.
Alexis Glasco – 1:00.14 Q
9.
Amanda Kinloch – 1:03.77
DNF –
Alyssa Smith
Women's 200-Meters - Prelims
3.
Kayla Sweeney – 23.69 (+0.4) Q
18.
Sydney Clemens – 24.65 (-2.2)
Women's 10,000-Meters
7.
Ellie Wolski – 35:40.04 (PR)
MEN
Men's Hammer Throw
15.
Michael Martello – 46.23m
17.
Killian Oberheu – 38.58m
Men's Javelin Throw
13.
Aaron Keeler – 49.47m
Women's 200-Meters - Prelims
10.
Deondre Hardy – 21.55 (+0.8) (PR)
18.
DeVonte Harris – 21.76 (-0.7)
29.
Jaavier Jackson – 22.47 (+0.5) (PR)
32.
Garrett Wilkins – 22.72 (+0.8)
Men's 10,000-Meters
DNF –
Tomas Duncan
For complete coverage of CCU Cross Country and Track & Field, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalTFXC (Twitter), @GoCCUsports (Instagram), and facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
