BIRMINGHAM, ALA. -- Sophomore Emily Little won the women's 10,000m title, and junior Nicole Matysik took gold in the women's Steeplechase to lead Furman Saturday in the opening day of the 2022 Southern Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Samford's Shauna Yelton Field in Birmingham, Ala.

A native of Atlanta, Ga., Little, who was one of three Paladins in the top nine in the 10,000m, posted a facility record of 36:16.17 for the win.  Sophomore Kylie Wittman turned in a time of 38:30.29 for fourth place, and freshman Sierra Bower finished ninth with a time of 40:08.55.  Matysik, who hails from Key West, Fla., won the 3,000m Steeplechase with a personal-best time of 10:55.84, giving the Paladins their first SoCon Steeplechase title.

The Paladins scored 25 points in the two event to finish the first day of competition in fifth place.  Samford leads the meet with 85 points following Saturday's event.

Senior Noah Dolhare led a group of four Paladins in the top seven in the men's 10,000m.  He posted a time of 30:50.65 for second place, followed by freshman Nick Goldstein in third at 30:53.35.  Junior Adam Beucler crossed the line in 30:58.03 for fourth place, and freshman Ethan Vargas was seventh with a time of 31:50.15.  

In the other men's final of the day, junior Josh Powers turned in a fourth-place finish in the men's 3,000m Steeplechase with a time of 9:26.41.  He was followed by freshman Foster Wilfong in fifth at 9:33.66 and freshman Casey Burr in seventh place with a time of 10:02.69.

Furman tallied 32 points in just the two events, landing the Paladins in second place after the first day of competition.  Samford also leads the men's meet after scoring 82 points in the first day of competition.

Bower was named to the SoCon All-Freshman team in the 10,000m on the women's side, while Goldstein and Vargas represented the Paladins in the men's 10,000m.  Wilfong and Burr received the honor for their performances in the men's 3,000m Steeplechase. 

Four Paladins advanced to Sunday's finals in the women's 1,500m.  Sophomore Megan Marvin, the reigning SoCon Champion, posted the top qualifying time of 4:37.11, while sophomore Bethany Graham was second at 4:37.27.  Junior Abigail Robertson qualified with the third-fasted time of 4:37.70, and sophomore Madelynne Cadeau was fourth at 4:38.92.  Freshman Kaylie Armitage finished 14th in the event at 4:56.39.

Marvin qualified second in the 800m with a time of 2:12.46, while sophomore Beth Donnelly was 10th at 2:21.70, followed by freshman Callie Harper in 11th place at 2:22.60.  Junior Caroline Nguyen qualified ninth for Sunday's 400m hurdles finals, notching a time of 1:08.93.

In the 400m trials, freshman Monica Seitz finished 12th with a time of 1:00.15, followed by senior Sammy Trone in 13th at 1:03.89.  In the 200m trials, Seitz was 25th at 26.99 and Trone placed 27th at 27.45.

On the men's side, five Paladins advanced in the 1,500m.  Senior Aaron Wier recorded the second-fastest time at 3:56.54, while sophomore Carson Williams was fifth with a time of 3:54.46.  Junior Mac Roberts turned in a time of 3:54.92 for sixth-place, and freshman Gabe Montague was eighth at 3:56.77.  Freshman Matthew Smith qualified second in the 800m with a time of 1:51.13 and qualified tenth in the 1,500m with a time of 3:57.21.  Wier finished 12th in the 800m at 1:55.19.

Sophomore Jonah Dill qualified in eighth place with a time of 57.04 in the 400m Hurdles, while sophomore Adrian Gonzalez finished 14th in the 100m trials with a time of 11.52 and 11th in the 200m trials  at 23.28.

The meet will conclude on Sunday, with the first of the final six decathlon events at 9 a.m. and the heptathlon resuming at 9:15 a.m.  Field events begin with the men's high jump and women's shot put finals at 11 a.m. and the men's 4x100m relay gets the track events started at 1 p.m.  The day concludes with the men's and women'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. Samford – 82 points

2. Furman – 32

3. Western Carolina – 31

4. The Citadel – 27

T5. ETSU – 22

T5. VMI – 22

7. UNCG – 15

8. Wofford – 3

Women's results – Day 1

1. Samford – 85 points

2. ETSU – 33

3. Wofford – 32

4. Western Carolina – 26

5. Furman – 25

6. The Citadel – 15

7. Chattanooga – 13

8. VMI – 4

T9. Mercer – 0

T9. UNCG – 0

SoCon Championships - Day 1

Complete Furman Results

Men

100m

14th Adrian Gonzalez 11.52

200m

11th Adrian Gonzalez 23.28

800m

2nd Matthew Smith 1:51.13Q

12th Aaron Wier 1:55.19

1,500m

2nd Aaron Wier 3:56.54Q

5th Carson Williams 3:54.46Q

6th Mac Roberts 3:54.92q

8th Gabe Montague 3:56.77Q

10th Matthew Smith 3:57.21q

10,000m

2nd Noah Dolhare 30:50.65

3rd Nick Goldstein 30:53.35

4th Adam Beucler 30:58.03

7th Ethan Vargas 31:50.15

400m Hurdles

8th Jonah Dill 57.04q

3,000m Steeplechase

4th Josh Powers 9:26.41

5th Foster Wilfong 9:33.66

7th Casey Burr 10:02.69

Women

200m

25th Monica Seitz 26.99

27th Sammy Trone 27.45

400m

12th Monica Seitz 1:00.15

13th Sammy Trone 1:03.89

800m

2nd Megan Marvin 2:12.46Q

10th Beth Donnelly 2:21.70

11th Callie Harper 2:22.60

1,500m

1st Megan Marvin 4:37.11Q

2nd Bethany Graham 4:37.27Q

3rd Abigail Robertson 4:37.70q

4th Madelynne Cadeau 4:38.92q

14th Kaylie Armitage 4:56.39

10,000m

1st Emily Little 36:16.17

4th Kylie Wittman 38:30.29

9th Sierra Bower 40:08.55

400m Hurdles

9th Caroline Nguyen 1:08.93

3,000m Steeplechase

1st Nicole Matysik 10:55.84.

Men's SoCon All-Freshman Team – Day 1

10,000-meter run

Nick Goldstein, Furman

Ethan Vargas, Furman

Men's 3,000-meter steeplechase

Foster Wilfong, Furman

Casey Burr, Furman

Women's SoCon All-Freshman Team – Day 1

10,000-meter run

Sierra Bower, Furman