Entering as the defending champions, Berry left Danville, Ky., as the reigning, defending Southern Athletic Association Men's Outdoor Track & Field Champions, earning 252.5 points at the league's championship meet to best its closest competitiors by 89 points.
The leaders after day one, the Vikings continued to pile on the points throughout the second day of the meet. After winning the 10,000m on day one,
Bradshaw Lathbury cruised to a win in the 5,000m on day two, setting a new meet record with a 14:55.3.
Troy Blackwood would finish in third, helping Berry to 16 points towards the total score after one event Saturday.
Christian Rivera, Haiden Raikes,
Deiondre Wilson, and
Jahari Jones finished in third in the 4x100m Relay to add to Berry's score.
In the 1500m, Berry took five of the top eight places with freshman
Ethan Smith winning in a time of 3:58.47.
Peter Ivester was third,
Grady Coppock was fourth, Lathbury was fifth, and
Xavier Anderson placed seventh as the Vikings scored 27 points in that one event alone.
Jones would continue to hit his stride in the 400m. The sophomore won the event in a time of 47.34, a new meet record and the seventh-fastest time in D-III so far this season. Jones would finish third in the 200m with a nice 21.69, while also scoring points for Berry in the 100m by finishing in fifth place with an 11.16.
Berry's throwers continued to make hay during day two.
David Billiard won the Discus with a throw of 47.26, winning the event by over five meters over teammate
Dawson Livingston, who finished second.
Mason Robinson would finish seventh as BC scored 20 points in the event.
Jackson Sears would place second for Berry in the Javelin, hitting a mark of 52.41. Robinson would finish in fourth for BC.
Ultimately over the two days, the Vikings got 26 points from sprint events, 18 from hurdles, 85 in distance running, 79 in throws, 30.5 in jumps, and 14 points in relays.
In last year's championship performance, Berry earned 218 points, winning by just 27 points as the meet came down to the final events. In 2023, the Vikings shattered the SAA record for points in a championship meet, breaking the mark of 227.5 set by Birmingham-Southern in 2017.
The season isn't over for many of the Vikings as competition will continue in an effort to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. Berry currently has five marks in the Top 30 nationally in various events.
