CULLOWHEE, N.C. --- The Tusculum University men's and women's track and field teams opened competition Friday at the two-day Catamount Classic, hosted by Western Carolina University.
The Pioneers set a pair of school records during Friday's action, as Kyler Hodges became the first Tusculum runner to break four minutes in the men's 1500 meters and Faith Bostick set the record in the women's 200 meters for the second straight week.
The Tusculum men are tied for sixth out of eight teams with 13 points, while the women are in seventh place with 11 points. Action resumes Saturday morning with competition in 13 men's and women's events.
MEN'S RECAP
Hodges ran 3:59.71 in the 1500 meters to finish fourth overall in a field of 23 runners. He broke the school record of 4:00.29 set last weekend by Antonio Aparicio at the Flames Invitational. Alex Perez finished 10th with a time of 4:08.78.
In preliminaries for the 200 meters, Jontavus Walker finished third with a time of 21.64 seconds to advance to Saturday's finals. Walker's time is the seventh-fastest in program history and took nearly a half-second off his season-best mark of 22.10 set at Montreat on March 27.
Walker's time boosted him to second on the program's performance list, with Devan Hart moving up to fourth (22.42), Gerard Hearst to fifth (22.50) and Pierre Dupuy to seventh (22.54).
In the long jump, brothers Javon Brown and Javell Brown finished in a dead heat for sixth place with identical marks of 6.51 meters (21 feet, 4 1/4 inches), putting the duo in a tie for fifth in program history in the event.
In the hammer throw, Alex Higgins finished eighth overall with a best mark of 35.87 meters (117 feet, 8 inches), a season best in the event and the third-best mark in program history.
WOMEN'S RECAP
Bostick was the top qualifier in the 200 meters with a time of 24.47 seconds, which breaks her record of 24.54 seconds she set last Friday at the Flames Invitational.
In the 1500 meters, Emily Coddington shaved nearly 12 seconds off her season-best time set last week at the Flames Invitational, finishing sixth overall in 4:48.20 which is the fourth-best time in program history.
Kenisha Stubbs advanced to the finals of the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.56 seconds. In the long jump, Destini Wilson took seventh at 5.39 meters (17 feet, 8 1/4 inches) to tie for the second-best mark in program history behind her own record of 5.43 meters set at Montreat.
In the javelin, Shanee Angol cracked the 40-meter mark for the third time in as many meets this season, taking second place with a best throw of 40.65 meters (133 feet, 4 inches).
Catamount Classic - at Cullowhee, N.C.
Day 1 of 2
Tusculum results
MEN
200: 3. Jontavus Walker, 21.64 (advances); 17. Devan Hart, 22.42; 18. Gerard Hearst, 22.50; 19. Pierre Dupuy, 22.54; 21. Giovanni Purser, 22.69; 24. Kyle Stanley, 23.20.
1500: 4. Kyler Hodges, 3:59.71 (school record); 10. Alex Perez, 4:08.78; 16. Caleb Archer, 4:19.24; 17. Carson Walls, 4:21.08; 21. Zach Cooper, 4:40.81.
Long jump: t6. Javell Brown, 6.51m (21-4 1/4); t6. Javon Brown, 6.51m (21-4 1/4).
Hammer: 8. Alex Higgins, 35.87m (117-8).
WOMEN
100 hurdles prelims: 8. Kenisha Stubbs, 15.56 (advances).
200: 1. Faith Bostick, 24.47 (advances/school record); 24. Kayneshia Carter, 27.06; 28. Kesia Griffith, 27.63.
1500: 6. Emily Coddington, 4:48.20; 24. Erin Bruce, 5:22.16; 25. Yoland Boyce, 5:28.40.
Long jump: 7. Destini Wilson, 5.39m (17-8 1/4).
Javelin: 2. Shanee Angol, 40.65m (133-4).
