ETSU track teams finish well in A-Sun finale

The ETSU men’s and women’s track and field teams put together a string of impressive performances at the Atlantic Sun Indoor Championships, but it wasn’t enough to capture the title as both teams finished second in the team standings.

The women’s team earned its best finish in school history, accumulating 127.50 points over the two-day competition, including 71 on the final day. Jacksonville won the women’s team event for the eight consecutive year with 173 points, while the Kennesaw State men claimed their second-straight indoor crown over ETSU, 228.50-184.

“It was a great effort by both teams this weekend,” said Director of Track & Field George Watts. “We were obviously hoping to win, but we still accomplished some great things.”

ETSU swept the multi-events with a pair of sophomores. Katerina Vodova won the pentathlon while K’vonte Scott was victorious in the heptathlon.

Vodova scored a combined 3,466 points over five events while breaking the pentathlete meet record in the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 8.5 inches.

“It was all about strategy,” said Vodova. “I’ve been suffering from a groin injury. I’m happy to do as well as I did with the support of my coaches.”

Scott totaled a lifetime best and a conference meet record of 5,160 points. He was a perfect 4-for-4 on the first day of competition, winning the 60-meter in 7.28 seconds, long jump ( 22-1.75), shot put (39-09.25), and high jump (6-4.75). Fellow teammate Evaristo Wells placed third with 4,758 points.

The ETSU sprinters put on a show in front of the home crowd. In the women’s 60-meter dash, junior Emani Harrison, who was out for redemption after finishing second in the last two indoor championships, shot out of the starting blocks and didn’t look back as she crossed the finish line in an Atlantic Sun meet record of 7.49.

Junior Ifrish Alberg successfully defended his conference title while leading a clean sweep of the podium in the 60-meter dash. Alberg set an Atlantic Sun meet record with a time of 6.68. The time ranks him 19th nationally among NCAA Division I athletes.

“I wanted to execute a sound race and run faster than my prelim time,”  said Alberg, who ran 6.69 in the opening heats. “I’m glad I was able to defend my title.”

Rashad Campbell and Diego Lawrence finished in second and third, with times of 6.78 and 6.87, respectively. Campbell also placed third in the 200-meter with a seasons best time of 21.77.

Lawrence earned all-conference honors in the long jump as well with a third-place finish there (24-01.50).

Senior Tim O’Dell repeated as A-Sun champion in the 400-meters, winning in 48.66. O’Dell was in last place going into the final 50 meters of the race, but made a late surge and passed three runners, including the second-place finisher Zac Davis (48.74) to win the title.

The Buccaneers won three field events on the weekend. Tyler Stepp took a surprising first-place finish in the long jump, defeating Kennesaw State’s Rasmus Rooks (24-4.25) with a 24-7.75 leap.

Freshman Kristin Chapman captured her first A-Sun title, claiming the high jump with a lifetime best mark of 5-7.

Kelly Monteleone set an Atlantic Sun  meet record in the triple jump, recording 41-01.75 to win the event. Lexie Burley placed third with a mark of 40 feet even.  
Several Bucs earned second-place finishes including Chelsea Clark (3000m, 9:52.63), Jason Johnson (triple jump, 48-5.50), and  Filop Jalovy (800m, 1:52.99).

Jalovy also had a  third-place finish in the mile with a time of 4:18.06 and Courtney Kinlaw earned the bronze as well in the long jump with an 18-11.75.

ETSU placed two relays in the top three with the men’s distance medley relay (10:09.06) finishing in second and the 1,600 meter men’s relay placing third (3:19.51).