Over the weekend ETSU recorded nine SoCon Titles

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (February 26, 2017) – After claiming multiple individual Southern Conference titles on Sunday afternoon, both the ETSU men’s and women’s team track & field teams placed third at the 2017 SoCon Indoor Track & Field Championships.

"I am very pleased with the outcome of the Southern Conference TF Championships held at ETSU this weekend," said director of track & field/cross country George Watts. "Those in attendance saw a great meet and excellent performances by our athletes. We crowned nine individual champions, had numerous podium finishes and so many personals bests it was difficult to keep track of them."

The women’s team finished third for the second consecutive year with an overall point total of 107.50. Placing second was Western Carolina with 151.50 points while Samford earned the 2017 SoCon Indoor Track & Field Championship with a point total of 208. 

On the men’s side, the Bucs also placed third with a total of 137 points and right behind Samford with 155 points. Western Carolina won the 2017 SoCon Indoor Track & Field Championship with a point total of 170.

"Our 3rd place finishes are a result of our athletes competitive effort and ability to overachieve in championship meets," said Watts. "We've hosted three meets this season and this was a culmination of a great series of meets.We couldn't do it without the support of our staff and our dedicated track and field officials."

Junior Patrick Taylor was honored with the SoCon’s Heath Whittle Award which is given to the athlete with the most points scored at the meet. Taylor had an overall total of 25 points.

Senior Katrina Seymour was named the Most Outstanding Athlete for the Women, which is given to the athlete who scores the most points at the meet. Seymour captured three individual SoCon titles and one SoCon title as part of the 4x400m relay for an overall point total of 32.5.

The ETSU men had eight all-conference performers and five all-freshman performers while the women had three all-conference selections and three all-freshman selections.  

"The highlight of the meet was Katrina Seymour and Patrick Taylor earning athlete of the meet honors as high point winners," said Watts. "Katrina won a rare triple in the 60, 200, 400 and earned a 4th gold on the 4x400m relay while Patrick came into his own this weekend with wins in long jump and 200 and a 4th in the 60."

Starting off the day for the Bucs was senior Nathan Rivera who captured the men’s heptathlon SoCon championship with a point total of 5,041. Rivera won four of the seven heptathlon events.

The second conference title of the day came in the 60 meter hurdles as sophomore Kyra Atkins claimed the SoCon crown. Atkins finished first with a time of 8.32 and was just .03 away from breaking the conference record in the event. Following Atkins in third place was fellow sophomore Lamisha Simmons with a time of 8.66.

Senior Katrina Seymour claimed the first of her four SoCon titles on the afternoon in the 60-meter dash. Seymour claimed the 60m SoCon title with a time of 7.57, besting the second-place finisher by just 0.01. Later on Seymour won her second straight 400m conference title with a time of 55.91.

Seymour’s third SoCon individual title came in the 200m as the senior had a time of 24.32. Right behind Seymour in second place in the 200m was sophomore Kyra Atkins who finished runner-up with a time of 24.33.

Claiming the second men’s SoCon individual title of the day was senior Matt Moore who ran a time of 6.77 in the 60 meters to claim the title. It was the second straight 60m conference title for Moore and was .04 off the conference record.

Also on the men’s side junior Patrick Taylor claimed his first SoCon individual title in the 200 meter as Taylor ran a time of 21.88.  

In the final event of the day the ETSU women’s 4x400 meter relay team of Katrina Seymour, Kyra Atkins, Kiana Davis and Lamisha Simmons captured the SoCon title after running a time of 3:50.04. The Buccaneer squad was a full second ahead of the runner-up.

For more information on Buccaneer Track and field, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the track and field pages.