Eagles Place Third at Southern Conference Outdoor Championships
4/27/2008 4:01:00 AM
CULLOWHEE, N.C. ? The Georgia Southern track & field team gave it all they had on Sunday at the Southern Conference Outdoor Championships, but couldn't muster enough points in defense of their title, as the Eagles placed third at the Catamount Athletics Complex in Cullowhee.
Western Carolina claimed their first title since 2001 compiling 216 points, while Appalachian State finished in second with 189. GSU placed third amassing 153 points, followed by Chattanooga 65, Elon 59, Davidson 45, The Citadel 38, Furman 26, College of Charleston 17 and UNC Greensboro 6.
Senior Carla Ballard (Morrow, Ga.) earned the SoCon Championship in the 400m hurdles racing to a time of 1:01.22. Ballard also earned a fifth place finish in the 400m dash sprinting a time of 57.10.
Sophomore Melanie Trumbo (Lilburn, Ga.) jumped a season best 5'06.00” claiming the high jump crown. Jasmine Lightning (Dacula, Ga.) placed second in the event with a leap of 5'04.25”. Trumbo also notched a third place finish with a score of 4, 321 in the heptathlon.
Jennifer Charles (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) was successful in the shot put, placing first with a distance of 44'07.50”.
Junior Shauntel Jennings (Stone Mountain, Ga.) earned a fourth place finish in the 800m with a time of 2:17.35.
Senior Amber Wilson (Calhoun, Ga.) was narrowly edged in the 100m hurdles placing second with a time of 14.48. She also turned in an eighth place finish in the 400m hurdles and a fifth place finish in the heptathlon.
Lynndsey Hyter (Dallas, Texas) placed second in the triple jump leaping a distance of 39'1.75” and also recorded a third place finish in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.59.
The Eagle relay teams competed well as the 4x400m team turned in a second place finish with a time of 3:48.99, while the 4x100m squad placed third coming in at 47.68.
In all, Georgia Southern claimed four individual Southern Conference Championships with Ballard winning the 400m hurdles, Trumbo in the high jump, Charles in the shot put and Shaunta Hamilton (Westside) in the long jump.
While the regular season is concluded, GSU will prepare for the Georgia Tech Invitational, which begins Friday May 16, before heading to the East Regional Championships in Tallahassee, Fla. on May 30.
