CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Furman freshman Jonna Strange and sophomore David Ahlmeyer won the women's and men's 10,000m titles, respectively, and junior Cameron Ponder took gold in the Steeplechase to lead Furman Saturday in the opening day of the 2021 Southern Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Western Carolina's Catamount Athletic Complex in Cullowhee, N.C.

A native of Statesville, N.C., Strange, who was one of three Paladin freshman scorers in the event, posted a time of 35:31.32 for the win, followed by Emily Little in second place at 36:34.37.  Wylie Wittman crossed the line in 37:22.21 for fifth place, and senior Emily Lane was tenth at 38:25.38, as the Paladins banked 22 points in the event to finish the day in fourth place in the team competition.  Samford sits in first place with 87 points after Saturday's events.

Ahlmeyer, who hails from Hendersonville, Tenn., recorded a time of 30:33.53 to lead a group of Paladin men who took six of the top seven spots in the 10,000m.  Freshman Andrew Hammel placed second with a time of 30:36.27, followed by sophomore Adam Beucler in third at 30:38.60.  Sophomore Ares Reading clocked in at 31:01.14 for fifth place, followed by senior Trent Mandato in sixth at 31:05.24.  Sophomore Ben Seeber notched a seventh-place finish with a time of 31:12.65, giving the Paladins 33 points in the event.

In the other men's final of the day, Ponder, a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., won the 3,000m Steeplechase, setting a new meet record with a time of 8:49.66, which ranks sixth on the NCAA East Preliminaries qualifying list.  The previous record of 8:49.77, set by Todd Crosson of Marshall, had stood since 1988.  Freshman Spencer Tate placed sixth at 9:34.25, and sophomore Josh Powers finished seventh with a time of 9:56.47.  Sophomore Justin Hager turned in a time of 10:15.10 for 11th place.  Furman tallied 48 points in just the two events, landing the Paladins in second place after the first day of competition.  Western Carolina leads the meet with 52 points on the men's side.

Since the 2020 outdoor championships were canceled due to Covid-19, both freshmen and sophomores are eligible for the 2021 SoCon All-Freshman team.  Strange and Little were named to the team in the 10,000m on the women's side, while Ahlmeyer, Hammel, and Beucler represented the Paladins in the men's 10,000m.  Tate and Powers received the honor for their performances in the 3,000m Steeplechase. 

Three Paladins advanced to Sunday's finals in the women's 800m.  Senior Gabbi Jennings posted the fasted qualifying time at 2:09.72, while freshman Megan Marvin came in second in qualifying at 2:13.03.  Senior Emma Kuntz qualified in third with a time of 2:14.18.  Sophomore Caroline Nguyen advanced through to the finals in the 400m Hurdles, placing seventh at 1:11.20. 

In the 200m trials, sophomore Erin MacDevette finished 27th with a time of 26.31, while junior Sammy Trone placed 31st at 27.94.  Trone turned in an 18th-place finish in the 400m trials, recording a time of 1:04.02.

On the men's side, senior Ryan Adams and sophomore Nick Epstein advanced in the 800m.  Adams posted the top qualifying time of 1:52.58, while Epstein qualified seventh with a time of 1:54.01.  Sophomore Jonah Dill qualified in fifth place with a time of 56.15 in the 400m Hurdles, and barely missed qualifying in the 110m Hurdles, posting a time of 14.90 for ninth place.  Freshman Adrian Gonzalez placed 15th in the 100m trials with a time of 11.56 and 20th in the 200m at 24.05.

The meet will conclude on Sunday, beginning with the first of the final five decathlon events at 9 a.m., with the heptathlon resuming at 9:15 a.m..  Field events begin with the women's discus and men's shot put finals at 11:15 a.m. and the women's 4x100m relay gets the track events started at 1 p.m.  The day concludes with the women's and men's 4x400m relays at 4:25 p.m. and 4:40 p.m., respectively, followed by the awards ceremony.  Thirty events will crown champions on the final day of the meet.

Men's results – Day 1

1. Western Carolina – 52 points

2. Furman – 48

3. Samford – 45

4. The Citadel – 42

5. VMI – 26

6. ETSU – 11

t7. UNCG – 5

t7. Wofford – 5

Women's results – Day 1

1. Samford – 87 points

2. ETSU – 28

3. Wofford – 27.5

4. Furman – 22

5. The Citadel – 21

6. Western Carolina – 19.5

7. Chattanooga – 19

8. VMI – 9

9. Mercer – 1

10. UNCG – 0

SoCon Championships - Day 1

Complete Furman Results

Men

100m

15th Adrian Gonzalez 11.56

200m

20th Adrian Gonzalez 24.05

800m

1st Ryan Adams 1:52.58Q

7th Nick Epstein 1:54.01q

10,000m

1st David Ahlmeyer 30:33.53

2nd Andrew Hammel 30:36.27

3rd Adam Beucler 30:38.60

5th Ares Reading 31:01.14

6th Trent Mandato 31:05.24

7th Benjamin Seeber 31:12.65

110m Hurdles

9th Jonah Dill 14.90

400m Hurdles

5tth Jonah Dill 56.15Q

3,000m Steeplechase

1st Cameron Ponder 8:49.66

6th Spencer Tate 9:34.25

7th Josh Powers 9:56.47

11th Justin Hager 10:15.10

Women

200m

27th Erin MacDevette 26.31

31st Sammy Trone 27.94

400m

18th Sammy Trone 1:04.02

800m

1st Gabbi Jennings 2:09.72Q

2nd Megan Marvin 2:13.03Q

3rd Emma Kuntz 2:14.18Q

10,000m

1st Jonna Strange 35:31.32

2nd Emily Little 36:34.37

5th Kylie Wittman 37:22.21

10th Emily Lane 38:25.38

400m Hurdles

7th Caroline Nguyen 1:11.20q

Men's SoCon All-Freshman Team – Day 1

10,000-meter run

David Ahlmeyer, Furman

Andrew Hammel, Furman

Adam Beucler, Furman

Men's 3,000-meter steeplechase

Spencer Tate, Furman

Josh Powers, Furman

Women's SoCon All-Freshman Team – Day 1

10,000-meter run

Jonna Strange, Furman

Emily Little, Furman