MONTREAT, N.C. (April 27, 2019) – The Truett McConnell University men's and women's track & field teams finished in sixth place at the 2019 Appalachian Athletic Conference outdoor track & field championships, hosted by Montreat College on Friday and Saturday.
"This was the most competitive conference championship we have competed in," Head Coach Joe Imhoff said. "We broke many school records and are sending seven athletes to the national track meet. Everyone competed hard to score points to help us finish well on both the men's and women's side. I am proud of how hard the team worked this season and I am grateful to be their coach."
TMU recorded two first place finishes during the weekend. Individually, freshman Dasia Stennett won the 400m dash with a time of 57.78 seconds. Stennett also placed in the top eight for the women's 100m and 200m. The men's 4x100m relay, featuring Amir Hightower, Keishon Franklin, Hoy Thurman IV and Keontrae Clayton, also placed first for the Bears with a school record time of 41.23 seconds.
Two Bears individually placed runner-up on the men's side. Franklin finished in second in the men's 400m dash with a time of 47.95 seconds. Additionally, Franklin placed third in the men's high jump with a school record of 1.96m (6'5") and third in the men's 200m with a national A standard and school record of 21.37 seconds. Junior Donald Bonner took second in the men's triple jump with a mark of 14.44m. Bonner previously punched his second straight ticket to nationals in this field event.
Both the men's and women's 4x400m relays finished runner-up. The men's squad featured Franklin, Bonner, Donald Swinson and Thurman and they recorded a new school record of 3:17.23. The women's squad featured Esther Nakanwagi, Haley Thompson, Amaya Elliott and Stennett and they also set a new school record (4:03.95).
Sophomore Sharod Cobb finished third in the men's 400m hurdles with a time of 55.38 seconds. Bonner, in fact, followed in fifth (55.93).
Freshman Owen Nobles recorded a fifth place finish in the men's 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 10:56.77.
In the men's pole vault, Simeon Lipsey took third with a mark of 3.95m and fifth in the men's javelin (38.61m). Kyle Stringer placed seventh in the men's discus throw (37.87m).
Freshman Jasmyne Fry placed third overall in the women's discus throw with a mark of 33.91m.
Junior Ivie Nobles recorded a fifth place finish in the women's 1,000m run (42:25.80) and a sixth place finish in the women's 3,000m steeplechase (12:59.54). Senior Margaret Wiedeman also earned some team points for the Lady Bears in the women's 800m finishing seventh with a time of 2:26.34. Thompson placed fifth in the women's high jump and Nakanwagi placed sixth in the women's triple jump (9.96m).
Another freshman, Karis Harbin, finished in fifth in the women's javelin throw with a mark of 27.25m.
