LEXINGTON, VA. -- Furman won three events, the women's distance medley relay, plus the men's and women's 3,000m, Saturday in the opening day of competition at the 2018 Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship, which is being held this weekend at the Corps Physical Training Facility in Lexington, Va.
After the first day of competition, Samford leads both the men's and women's meets. In the men's competition, Samford has 46 points, while Furman is in fourth place with 33 points. Samford has 83.5 points to lead the women's race, while Furman has 26 points for fourth place.
The Paladin women's distance medley relay team of sophomore Gabrielle Jennings, senior Becca Cooley, senior Jacquelyn Crow, and freshman Emma Kuntz posted a time of 11:52.94 for the win, establishing a new Furman record and facility record.
The Paladin men placed five runners among the top nine in Saturday's 3,000m final, scoring 25 points in the event. Senior Frank Lara won the event with a time of 8:13.79. Lara was followed by sophomore Mason Coppi in second at 8:17.76. Freshman Daniel Bernal and senior Aaron Templeton were back-to-back in fifth and sixth, respectively. Bernal posted a time of 8:19.55, and Templeton crossed the line in 8:22.11. Rookie Trent Mandato finished ninth with a time of 8:39.16. For their efforts, Bernal and Mandato were named to the SoCon All-Freshman team.
In the women's 3,000m, sophomore Emma Grace Hurley recorded a time of 9:54.74 for the win, while sophomore Grace Dwyer finished third at 9:59.92. Freshman Reilly Caldwell turned in a time of 10:25.42 for ninth place.
The men's distance medley relay team of sophomore Madison Daniel, senior Troy Reeder, sophomore Jake Ogden, and sophomore Thomas Moore finished second with a time of 10:11.02.
Five runners advanced to Sunday's final in the men's mile. Templeton qualified second with a time of 4:18.18, and Coppi was third at 4:19.18. Reeder posted a time of 4:18.90 for fifth place, while Ogden was seventh with a time of 4:19.15. Sophomore Luke Meade grabbed the last qualifying spot in 12th place with a time of 4:23.04. Ogden also qualified in the 800m after placing eighth with a time of 1:57.03.
The Paladins also had five runners advance in the women's mile. Freshman Kristlin Gear led the Paladins in second place with a time of 5:01.57, and Crow qualified fifth at 5:03.28. Burr qualified in eighth place with a time of 5:04.93, followed by Jennings in ninth at 5:04.94. Freshman Emily Lane took the 12th and final qualifying spot with a time of 5:12.44.
Kuntz led the Paladins in the women's 800m qualifying, crossing the line in 2:14.71 for second place. Sophomore Riley Burr qualified third at 2:14.99, and Gear was sixth with a time of 2:16.68.
The final day of competition will begin Sunday morning at 9:15 a.m. with the men's heptathlon.
Julie Paré, Furman Sports Information
SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships - Day 1 Complete Furman Results
Men's Results
60m Dash
14th Chad Word 7.37
800m Qualifying
8th Jake Ogden 1:57.03Q
17th Madison Daniel 2:00.84
19th Hayden Cox 2:02.23
Mile Qualifying
2nd Aaron Templeton 4:18.18Q
3rd Mason Coppi 4:18.19Q
5th Troy Reeder 4:18.90Q
7th Jake Ogden 4:19.15Q
12th Luke Meade 4:23.04Q
14th Quintin McKinnish 4:30.80
3,000m
1st Frank Lara 8:13.79
2nd Mason Coppi 8:17.76
5th Daniel Bernal 8:19.55
6th Aaron Templeton 8:22.11
9th Trent Mandato 8:39.16
Distance Medley Relay
2nd Daniel, Reeder, 10:11.02
Ogden, Moore
Long Jump
14th Chad Word 6.26m
17th Austin Chewning 4.13m
Women's Results
60m Dash
17th Carlen Baran 8.43
800m Qualifying
2nd Emma Kuntz 2:14.71Q
3rd Riley Burr 2:14.99Q
6th Kristlin Gear 2:16.68Q
Mile Qualifying
2nd Kristlin Gear 5:01.57Q
5th Jacquelyn Crow 5:03.28Q
8th Riley Burr 5:04.93Q
9th Gabrielle Jennings 5:04.94Q
12th Emily Lane 5:12.44Q
13th Becca Cooley 5:13.91
3,000m
1st Emma Grace Hurley 9:54.74
3rd Grace Dwyer 9:59.92
9th Reilly Caldwell 10:25.42
Distance Medley Relay
1st Jennings, Cooley, 11:52.94
Crow, Kuntz
Pentathlon
10th Shannon Smith 2805 points
13th Reagan Chewning 2292 points
