MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - Both Men and Women won the meet against a strong group of regional D2, D3, and NAIA schools.  In dual meet scoring, Both men and women beat SAA rival Oglethorpe and CCS Piedmont.

Women:

-High Jumpers swept the top four going 1-2-3-4 led by Kris Williams 1.56m clearance

-Anna Rose ran a great season opening 10,000m taking 2^nd with a lifetime PR.  Teammates Olivia Lambert, Anna Ayers, and Emma Lambert finished right behind in 3-4-5.

-Emily Kate Thompson won the 100H breaking her own school record in the process with a 15.09.  Teammates Macy Murdock and Josie Loggins placed 2^nd and 4^th.

- Sophomore Macy Murdock lead a Viking 1-2-3 sweep by winning the 400H breaking her own school record with a time that has traditionally been a top 30 nationally ranked time at the end of the season of 1:03.97.  Emily Kate Thompson and Josie Loggins placed 2^nd and 3^rd.

-Freshman Onoyeme Egure broke the Berry school record in the Shot Put (formerly held by Genesis Leggett) with a big PR throw of 13.33m (43'9). Her throw will also be a top 50 nationally ranked mark this season

-Senior Cailin DeLeo placed 3^rd in the Javelin and teammate Sadie Phillips placed 4^th with a new lifetime PR

-Sadie Phillips and Malysha Winston went 3-4 in the Hammer throw, both with lifetime PR's

-Junior CJ Jones placed 2^nd in both the Long Jump and Triple Jump.

Men:

- Alden McDonald won the Pole Vault with a new outdoor PR of 4.91m and likely securing a berth to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in firs meet of the season.  Teammate Connor Johnson placed 4^th with a new lifetime PR of 4.46m

-Ethan Smith place 2^nd in the 10,000m with a new PR of 32:25.07.  SO teammate Troy Blackwood finished 4^th

-Freshman Jackson Jorski won the Javelin with a new lifetime PR of 51.82m in his collegiate debut.  SR teammate Jackson Sears placed 2^nd.

-Senior David Billiard won the Shot Put and the Discus.

-Sophomore Dawson Livingston won the Hammer Throw with teammate Mason Robinson taking 3^rd.

-Freshman Gage Lee placed 3^rd in the High Jump with a new collegiate PR

-Junior Jahari Jones won the 100m, 200m and anchored the winning 4x100m relay team on the day along with teammates Deiondre Wilson, Jaden Melville, and Josh Rogers

-Senior Grady Coppock won the 1500m with a strong early season 3:58.08 with teammate Brody Wallace finishing 3^rd.

-Connor Cole and Marcus Wilson went 2-3 in the 400H

-Ben Hanlon won the 3000m Steeplechase in 9:38 with teammate Grady Coppock taking 2^nd

Head Coach Luke Syverson on the meet:

"This was a great outdoor season opener for our team.  It was the largest opening meet we have hosted against competition from all divisions from D1 Presbyterian to NAIA Truett-McConnell. 

I was really impressed with how well our team competed especially coming off our first indoor championship meet. 

Egure's record in the Shot and Murdock's record in the 400H are both times that have traditionally been on the bubble for NCAA qualifying at the end of the season. 

McDonald's first attempt make at 4.91m in the pole vault is a great confidence boost going into next weekend's NCAA indoor championship and will likely qualify him for the outdoor championship in late May. 

More than all of that, the coaching staff did a great job preparing their event groups and helping host a quality meet that allowed for a great competitive effort."


The Vikings will take on the NCAA Indoor Championships March 8-9 and their next outdoor meet will be at Rhodes College on March 15.