LEXINGTON, VA. -- The Furman men's indoor track and field team finished as runner-up Saturday at the 2026 SoCon Championship at the Corps Physical Training Facility in Lexington, Va.

The Paladin men scored 129 points, marking the highest indoor championship point total in program history, and brought home a trophy for the first time since 1976 when Furman won the men's SoCon indoor meet. 

"I am very proud of both of the programs," said Robert Gary, Furman men's track and field head coach, following the meet.  "We had some wonderful individual performances.  The men really put it together, scoring a record number of points and earning a trophy for the first time in 50 years."

Furman won four events on Saturday, after taking first in three events on Friday's opening day.  

The Furman men won gold in the mile for the tenth-straight year.  The Paladins captured the top four spots and six out of the top seven slots in the event.  Graduate student Bryn Woodall led all runners with a time of 4:03.70, while junior Brayden Seymour took second at 4:05.46.  Graduate student Albert Velikonja finished third with a time of 4:08.57, followed by sophomore Tripp Roemer in fourth at 4:08.59.  Sophomore Matteo Tonnos turned in a time of 4:09.82 for seventh, and freshman Zach Youngblood placed eighth at 4:15.19. 

The Paladin women swept the podium in the mile.  Senior Camryn Wennersten recorded a time of 4:40.24 to win the event, while sophomore Jais Ward finished second with a time of 4:45.02.  Freshman Annie Miller took third at 4:47.18, and freshman Kate Bannigan turned in a fifth-place finish at 5:00.00. 

In the men's 5,000m, all six Paladin runners finished among the top seven.  Junior Chris Knight took gold with a time of 14:14.59, and junior Owen Shifflett claimed silver at 14:17.53.  Senior Luke Taylor and sophomore Rives Boltwood tied for third after crossing the line in tandem in 14:17.77.  Freshman Ty Jones finished sixth with a time of 14:25.51 followed by junior Trevor Coggin in seventh in 14:28.28. 

Freshman Tessa Walter posted a time of 16:37.92 to win the women's 5,000m, giving the Paladins their tenth-straight victory in the event.  Sophomore Zoie Lamanna placed fourth at 17:07.70, and sophomore Joiner Evans finished seventh with a time of 17:25.22.  Sophomore Katie Sobieraj crossed the line in 17:51.07 for 12th place.  

Woodall finished second in the men's 800m at 1:15.67, and freshman Jack Wallace claimed fifth place with a time of 1:52.56.  Sophomore Alex Friedli was sixth at 1:55.25.  On the women's side, sophomore Claire Cook placed second in the event with a time of 2:07.25, and freshman Annie Miller placed fourth at 2:10.04.  Sophomore Delaney Vickers finished sixth with a time of 2:10.30. 

The Paladins received eight SoCon All-Freshman Team citations on day two of the meet.  Leland Bishop was honored in the 400m, Wallace in the 800m, Youngblood in the mile, and Jones in the 5,000m for the men.  On the women's side, Miller was honored in both the 800m and the mile, Bannigan earned accolades in the mile, and Walter was featured on the team in the 5,000m. 

Samford won both the women's and men's meets for the seventh-consecutive year.  The Bulldogs scored 228.5 points on the men's side, followed by Furman in second and Western Carolina in third with 123.5 points.  On the women's side, Samford scored 151 points, followed by Western Carolina with 133 points for second place.  Wofford finished third with 128.5 points, and Furman was fourth with 94 points.

SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships - Day 2 Complete Furman Results
Men's Results
800m Finals
2nd Bryn Woodall 1:51.67
5th Jack Wallace 1:52.56
6th Alex Friedli 1:55.35

Mile  
1st Bryn Woodall 4:03.70
2nd Brayden Seymour 4:05.46
3rd Albert Velikonja 4:08.57
4th Tripp Roemer 4:08.59
7th Matteo Tonnos 4:09.82
8th Zach Youngblood 4:15.19

5,000m
1st Chris Knight 14:14.59
2nd Owen Shifflett 14:17.53
3rd Luke Taylor 14:17.77
3rd Rives Boltwood 14:17.77
6th Ty Jones 14:25.51
7th Trevor Coggin 14:28.28

4x400m Relay
5th Bishop, Wallace, 3:21.33
Delaney, Seymour

Women
800m Finals
2nd Claire Cook 2:07.25
4th Annie Miller 2:10.04
6th Delaney Vickers 2:10.30

Mile Finals
1st Camryn Wennersten 4:40.24
2nd Jais Ward 4:45.02
3rd Annie Miller 4:47.18
5th Kate Bannigan 5:00.00

5,000m
1st Tessa Walter 16:37.92
4th Zoie Lamanna 17:07.70
7th Joiner Evans 17:25.22
12th Katie Sobieraj 17:51.07

4x400m Relay
4th Ward, Vickers, 3:50.60
Wennersten, Cook

Men's All-Freshman – Day 2
400m   
Leland Bishop, Furman 

800m 
Jack Wallace, Furman  

Mile  
Zach Youngblood, Furman  

5,000m 
Ty Jones, Furman  

Women's All-Freshman – Day 2
800m 
Annie Miller, Furman  

Mile 
Annie Miller, Furman  
Katherine Bannigan, Furman  

5,000m 
Tessa Walter, Furman

Men's Team Scores
1. Samford 228.5
2. Furman 129
3. Western Carolina 123.5
4. VMI 71
5. Wofford 57
6. The Citadel 23
7. UNCG 23

Women's Team Scores
1. Samford 151
2. Western Carolina 133
3. Wofford 128.5
4. Furman 94
5. ETSU 60
6. VMI 53.5
7. Chattanooga 27
8. UNCG 8
9. The Citadel 8