FINAL RESULTSBIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University men's track and field team can now claim back-to-back Southern Conference Outdoor Championships as the Bulldogs closed out the final day of competition at the Samford Track & Field Complex on Sunday, April 26. The women finished with a strong showing as well to garner a second place finish in the team standings.
After securing a 12 point lead at the end of the first day of the Southern Conference Track & Field Championships, the Samford men ended up not needing it as they raced away with the men's team championships by a combined 41 points. The 244 total points scored is the most by any Samford track and field squad in the program's history.
"The last forty five minutes of today's meet was just phenomenal; we won the high jump, the triple jump, we went one-two-three in the discus, won the 5k, got second in the 4x400." 2015 SoCon Coach of the Year and Samford head coach
Rod Tiffin expressed. "Closing the meet out like you're supposed to, somebody asked me 'Why do we even run the 4x400?', because that's what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to finish the meet out like we did, you finish strong and you keep fighting to the very end and that's what our guys did this weekend."
A trio of Bulldogs swept the individual awards en route to the team's second ever SoCon championship with one shining brighter than all the rest.
"Sidney's our heart and soul, you know he won three events for us this weekend and he has battled for them every year." Tiffin said. "We're going to hate to lose that big senior but all of the guys and all of our freshmen really stepped up this year. Also, right now there's two guys right there with him that will hopefully take his place when he steps out of it but you hate to lose a guy like Sidney, he's irreplaceable."
Sidney Jordan earned the SoCon's Most Outstanding Athlete Award and Most Outstanding Field Performer Award after taking home three individual championships: the men's discus, men's shot put and the men's hammer throw.
Two other Bulldogs acquired some of the SoCon's top accolades that can be bestowed upon a student-athlete competing at the SoCon championships.
Brandon Hazouri was tabbed the SoCon's Most Outstanding Track Performer while
Carson Howe was named SoCon Freshman of the Year.
The Samford women seemingly had a mountain to climb after the initial day of competition but that didn't deter them from giving it everything they had on the final day.
"We actually had a really, really good meet on the women's side." Tiffin continued. "Western had a great championship and really just kept getting better and better over the two days too but our women hung in there and kept fighting and fighting and fighting. We actually scored more points than I thought we would score coming into the meet."
Despite not having won back-to-back titles like the men, the future is certainly bright for the program going forward thanks to a promising group of returning student-athletes.
"I was excited about our young freshmen too. What can you say about
Sarah Sanford though; I mean to do what she did this weekend as a freshman was just remarkable." Tiffin concluded.
FINAL RESULTSCOMPLETE AWARDS & POINT TOTALS BELOW Final Men's Team Results1. Samford – 244 points
2. Western Carolina – 203 points
3. ETSU – 118.5 points
4. VMI – 89 points
5. The Citadel – 67.5 points
6. Furman – 47 points
7. Chattanooga – 26.5 points
8. Wofford – 16.5 points
9. UNCG – 5 points
Final Women's Team Results1. Western Carolina – 272 points
2. Samford – 183 points
3. ETSU – 91 points
4. Furman – 77 points
5. VMI – 75 points
6. Chattanooga – 49 points
7. The Citadel – 40 points
8. Mercer – 17 points
9. Wofford – 12 points
10. UNCG – 3 points
Men's Individual Awards Most Outstanding Athlete Sidney Jordan, Samford
Most Outstanding Track PerformerBrandon Hazouri, Samford
Most Outstanding Field PerformerSidney Jordan, Samford
Freshman of the YearCarson Howe, Samford
Coach of the YearRod Tiffin, Samford
Women's Individual AwardsMost Outstanding AthleteTayla Carter, Western Carolina
Demeteria Edgecombe, ETSU
Most Outstanding Track PerformerDemeteria Edgecombe, ETSU
Most Outstanding Field PerformersAlisha Bradshaw, Western Carolina
Freshman of the YearAllie Buchalski, Furman
Coach of the YearDanny Williamson, Western Carolina
Men's All-Freshman Team – Day 2 DecathlonAustin Billings, Samford
Killian Carey, VMI
Jeremiah Sokol, VMI
DiscusDerrick Freeland, The Citadel
Mateius Brown, Western Carolina
Killian Carey, VMI
Shot PutDerrick Freeland, The Citadel
Mateius Brown, Western Carolina
Logan Louzander, ETSU
High JumpKeyth Fightmaster, Samford
Tanner Riddle, ETSU
Austin Billings, Samford
Triple JumpMarquis Barnes, Samford
Kevin Hires, Westen Carolina
1,500m RunArse'ne Guillorel, Samford
Haydn Borghetti-Metz, ETSU
Bryan Whyms, UNCG
400m RunHenry Kiedy, Western Carolina
Carson Howe, Samford
Dakota Lamont, Western Carolina
100m RunBrendan Caldwell, Western Carolina
Jeff Beane, UNCG
110m HurdlesDavon Guerrier, VMI
800m RunAshton Wilson, ETSU
Josh Willard, VMI
Bryan Whyms, UNCg
400m Hurdles Marquis Barnes, Samford
Drake Watson, Chattanooga
Davon Guerrier, VMI
200m RunCarson Howe, Samford
Henry Kiedy, Western Carolina
Dakota Lamont, Western Carolina
5,000m RunArse'ne Guillorel, Samford
Austin Sprague, Furman
Josh Bricknell, Furman
Women's All-Freshman Team – Day 2 HeptathlonKatie Beuerlein, Wofford
Erin West, Western Carolina
Kasey Widmyer, Wofford
DiscusAlisha Blackmon, Western Carolina
Shot PutAlisha Blackmon, Western Carolina
High JumpCourtney Prengaman, Samford
Julia Logan, VMI
Carrie Neill, Samford
Triple JumpTiana Pisoni, Samford
Timia Easley, ETSU
Kennedy Smith, SMI
1,500m RunAllie Buchalski, Furman
Karisa Nelson, Samford
Jacquelyn Crow, Furman
400m RunAubree Collins, ETSU
Christina Hill, VMI
Ty Harris, The Citadel
100m RunKerisha Goode, VMI
Yaa Agyepong-Wiafe, VMI
Alyiah Riley, Western Carolina
100m HurdlesSarah Sanford, Samford
Qiona Payton, Samford
Alyiah Riley, Western Carolina
800m RunJacquelyn Crow, Furman
Emma Garner, Samford
Hannah Warren, ETSU
400m HurdlesSarah Sanford, Samford
Victoria Wicks, Samford
Nicki Smith, ETSU
200m RunCarson Howe, Samford
Henry Kiedy, Western Carolina
Patrick Taylor, ETSU
5,000m RunAllie Buchalski, Furman
Emma Mashburn, Furman
Emily Drouin, Chattanooga
