LEXINGTON, VA. -- Furman won four events Friday to open the 2025 Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship, which is being held this weekend at the Corps Physical Training Facility in Lexington, Va.

Both Paladin distance medley relay teams won gold on Friday.  Freshmen Zoie Lamanna, Claire Cook, Jais Ward, and Nysa Males turned in a time of 11:50.12 to win Furman's ninth-straight women's DMR title, while the Furman men's team of senior Casey Burr, and freshmen Owen Delaney, Tripp Roemer, and senior Matthew Smith crossed the line in 10:02.18.

The Furman women took the top three spots in the 3,000m.  Junior Carly Wilkes won the event with a personal-best time of 9:22.99, while junior Jenna Mulhern placed second at 9:48.66.  Junior Emma Jones finished third with a time of 9:55.87, while Anna Graves earned a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman Team after placing eighth with a time of 10:15.67.  Senior Bethany Graham finished ninth at 10:20.74, and Katie Sobieraj joined Graves on the all-freshman team in 11th place with a time of 10:24.40.  

Sophomore Chris Knight won the men's event with a time of 8:21.11, while fifth-year student Evan Guzman placed second at 8:22.66.  Ryan Smith finished third with a time of 8;23.05 and was honored with a SoCon All-Freshman team citation, while senior Foster Wilfong was fifth at 8:26.29.  Senior Nick Goldstein turned in a time of 8:34.89 for ninth place.  

Six Paladins advanced to Sunday's 800m finals.  Matthew Smith led all men with a time of 1:52.49, while Roemer was sixth at 1:53.30, and senior Carson Williams was seventh with a time of 1:53.98.  On the women's side, Cook qualified in first place with a time of 2:13.40, followed by Ward in second at 2:14.11.  Senior Callie Harper qualified in fourth place with a PR of 2:14.53.

All four Furman women advanced in the mile on Friday.  Senior Madelynne Cadeau led all runners at 5:05.88, while Males qualified in fifth place with a time of 5:11.40.  Lamanna qualified seventh with a time of 5:11.64, followed by junior Clair Garrett in eighth place with a time of 5:12.11.  

After the first day of competition, Samford leads the men's meet with 54 points.  Western Carolina sits in second with 44 points, followed by Furman in third with 38 points.  On the women's side, Samford scored 53 points on day one to take the lead over Wofford, who is in second place with 43 points.  Western Carolina is currently third with 37 points, just ahead of Furman, which is in fourth place with 35 points.

The final day of competition will begin Saturday morning at 10 a.m. with the women's triple jump.  Running events start at 12:10 p.m. with the women's 5,000m.  Furman will compete in the men's and women's 800m, mile, 5,000m, and 4x400m relay on Saturday.  The Paladin men are looking to win their ninth-straight title in the mile, while the women are looking for their ninth-straight championship in the 5,000m. 

SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships - Day 1 Complete Furman Results
Men's Results
400m Qualifying
13th Joe Womack 52.55

800m Qualifying
1st Matthew Smith 1:52.49Q
6th Tripp Roemer 1:53.30q
7th Carson Williams 1:53.98Q

3,000m
1st Chris Knight 8:21.11
2nd Evan Guzman 8:22.66
3rd Ryan Smith 8:23.05
5th Foster Wilfong 8:26.29
9th Nicholas Goldstein 8:34.89

Distance Medley Relay
1st Lamanna, Cook, 11:50.12
       Ward, Males

Women
800m Qualifying
1st Claire Cook 2:13.40Q
2nd Jais Ward 2:14.11Q
4th Callie Harper 2:14.53Q

Mile Qualifying
1st Madelynne Cadeau 5:05.88Q
5th Nysa Males 5:11.40Q
7th Zoie Lamanna 5:11.64Q
8th Clair Garrett 5:12.11Q

3,000m
1st Carly Wilkes 9:22.99
2nd Jenna Mulhern 9:48.66
3rd Emma Jones 9:55.87
8th Anna Graves 10:15.67
9th Bethany Graham 10:20.74
11th Katie Sobieraj 10:24.40

Distance Medley Relay
1st Burr, Delaney, 10:02.18
      Roemer, Smith

Men's All-Freshman – Day 1
3,000m
Ryan Smith, Furman

Women's All-Freshman – Day 1
3,000m
Anna Graves, Furman
Katie Sobieraj, Furman