SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford Track & Field head coach Rod Tiffin was named the 2019 Men's Outdoor Team Coach of the Year and junior Maggie Johnston was named as the Female Most Outstanding Field Performer.
 
Johnston was named the Female Most Outstanding Field Performer after securing two championships and a runner-up finish in the throwing events. Johnston won her third straight title with the discus with a throw of 51.40 meters, setting a conference record. The junior also took home the women's shot-put championship and finished runner-up to her teammate Tatiana Taylor in the women's hammer throw.
 
Johnston's performances in the throwing events led to 28 total points overall toward the women's team total.
 
Samford's women's team defeated Wofford by a total of 102 points and gave the Bulldogs their second outdoor conference championship in the past three seasons.
 
The Samford men's team finished as narrow runner-up's to defending champion Western Carolina and Coach Rod Tiffin was named the Men's Co-Coach of the Year along with Jesse Norman of the Catamounts.
 
Tiffin led the men's team to four event victories at the conference championships, including perhaps the most exciting victory in conference track and field history. Sophomore Warren Fitzpatrick chased down Caleb Albrecht of Western Carolina in the final leg of the 4x400-meter relay to give the Bulldogs a win by a thousandth of a second over the Catamounts. Samford's win put a halt to an eight-year run by Western Carolina in the relay.
 
Several athletes from the Samford track and field teams will compete to try and better their times and distances for the NCAA Regionals in the Tennessee Challenge on May 4^th in Knoxville, Tennessee.
 
For all news and results from the Samford University Track & Field program, follow @SamfordXC_TF on Twitter and @samfordxctf on Instagram.