CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Furman took gold in the women's 3,000m Steeplechase and both the women's and men's 10,000m Monday to open the 2026 Southern Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Western Carolina's Catamount Athletic Complex in Cullowhee, N.C. 

Freshman Annie Miller won the women's 3,000m Steeplechase with a time of 10:16.13, earning a SoCon All-Freshman team citation, while sophomore Jais Ward finished second with a personal-best time of 10:18.21. 

The Paladins also took the top two spots in the women's 10,000m.  Senior Sierra Bower recorded a personal-best time of 34:47.30 to claim first place, while freshman Tessa Walter finished second at 35:00.73.  Freshman Elly Velasquez was sixth at 36:14.48, and both Walter and Velasquez were honored as members of the SoCon All-Freshman team.  Sophomore Joiner Events placed 15th at 38:15.22, and sophomore Katie Sobieraj was 17th at 39:19.69.

Furman scored 39 points in just the two events and sits in third place after the first day of competition.  Samford leads the women's meet with 71.5 points, and Western Carolina in second with 49.5 points.

The Furman men claimed the top six spots in the men's 10,000m.  Junior Owen Shifflett notched a personal-best time of 30:23.27 to earn his second 10,000m title after also winning the event in 2024, while sophomore Ryan Smith took silver at 30:26.66.  Sophomore Rives Boltwood finished third with a time of 30:28.82 followed by graduate student Evan Guzman in fourth place at 30:31.09.  Freshman Ty Jones earned a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman team after placing fifth with a time of 30:40.08, and junior Trevor Coggin turned in a time of 30:56.06 to finish sixth.     

In the 3,000m Steeplechase, senior Colton Kempney and sophomore Alex Friedli finished back to back in second and third place, respectively.  Kempney logged a time of 9:26.19 followed closely by Friedli at 9:29.86.

The Paladins scored 50 points in the two events to finish the first day of competition in second place, just one point behind leader Samford.  Western Carolina ranks third with 49 points.

Furman posted the fastest qualifying times in both the men's and women's 800m.  Graduate student Bryn Woodall led all men at 1:50.99, while sophomore Claire Cook paced the women at 2:11.42.  Senior Camryn Wennersten qualified in sixth place at 2:15.71 followed by freshman Tara Watkins in seventh at 2:15.86.

In the 400m trials, freshman Leland Bishop advanced in seventh place with a time of 49.26, and sophomore Joe Womack is through to the finals in eighth place at 49.50.  Freshman Jackson Sorbello finished 11th in the event with a time of 51.48.  In the 200m, sophomore Owen Delaney finished 14th with a PR of 22.50.

The meet will conclude on Tuesday, with events airing on ESPN+ beginning at 1:30 p.m.  Furman will run in the men's 4x100m relay starting at 2:15 p.m. to kick off the day.  The meet concludes with the women's and men's 4x400m relays at 5:25 p.m. and 5:35 p.m., respectively, followed by the awards ceremony.  Thirty events will crown champions on the final day of the meet.

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Men's results – Day 1
1. Samford 51 
2. Furman 50 
3. Western Carolina 49 
4. Citadel 35 
T5. ETSU 16 
T5. VMI 16 
T5. Wofford 16 
8. UNCG 1

Women's results – Day 1
1. Samford 71.5 
2. Western Carolina 49.5 
3. Furman 39 
4. ETSU 25.5 
5. Mercer 19 
6. Wofford 15.5 
7. Citadel 8 
8. Chattanooga 4 
9. VMI 2

SoCon Championships - Day 1
Complete Furman Results
Men
200m Prelims
14th Owen Delaney 22.50 - PB
16th Luke Milman 42.57

400m Prelims
7th Leland Bishop 49.26q
8th Joe Womack 49.50Q
11th Jackson Sorbello 51.48

800m Prelims
1st Bryn Woodall 1:50.99Q

10,000m Finals
1st Owen Shifflett 30:23.27 - PB
2nd Ryan Smith 30:26.66
3rd Rives Boltwood 30:28.82
4th Evan Guzman 30:31.09
5th Ty Jones 30:40.08
6th Trevor Coggin 30:56.06
 

3,000m Steeplechase Finals
2nd Colton Kempney 9:26.19
3rd Alex Friedli 9:29.86

Women 
800m Prelims
1st Claire Cook 2:11.42Q
6th Camryn Wennersten 2:15.71Q
7th Tara Watkins 2:15.86Q

10,000m Finals
1st Sierra Bower 34:47.30 - PB
2nd Tessa Walter 35:00.73
6th Elly Velasquez 36:14.48
15th Joiner Evans 38:15.22
17th Katie Sobieraj 39:19.69

3,000m Steeplechase Finals
1st Annie Miller 10:16.13
2nd Jais Ward 10:18.21 - PB

Men's SoCon All-Freshman Team – Day 1
10,000m 
Ty Jones, Furman  

Women's SoCon All-Freshman Team – Day 1
10,000m
Elly Velasquez, Furman 
Tessa Walter, Furman

3,000m Steeplechase
Annie Miller, Furman