Four Bucs win events; Stallworth crowned Women’s Track Athlete of the Meet

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Jan. 12, 2019) – The ETSU Track and Field team closed its home opening meet on a high note on Saturday inside the MSHA/ETSU Athletics Center — recording multiple strong finishes and earning an individual accolade on Day Two.

The Bucs had four event winners on the track side, completing a strong second day in the home meet. One of those winners, redshirt freshman Lindsey Stallworth (Knoxville, Tenn.), hoisted hardware at the end of the day as she earned the ETSU Track and Field Invitational Women’s Track Athlete of the Meet award.

“I was happy to see our team have a solid performance on Day Two of the ETSU Track and Field Invitational,” said ETSU Director of Track and Field George Watts. “I felt like we did a good job of meeting our expectations for this meet.  We had four wins today and I feel like we maxed out in most of our events. Lastly, I want to thank  our dedicated officials who work tirelessly throughout every home meet weekend and do a first-class job. We truly could not do it without them.”

Track Highlights from Day One

• The morning began with three ETSU victories, as distance runners Stallworth, Ben Varghese (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Wes Pectol (Greeneville, Tenn.) each took gold in their respective distance runs.

• Stallworth finished with a time of 9:56.90 in the women’s 3K to edge Appalachian State’s Hana Ratcliffe by two seconds. ETSU freshman Genevieve Schwarz (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) took third at 10:19.72, while Makayla Shaw (Jonesborough, Tenn.) and Mia Depillo (Fort Wayne, Ind.) each cracked the top 10 in seventh and ninth, respectively.

• In the men’s 3K, Varghese dominated his way to a 8:16.53 finish, beating second place by over 23 seconds. The sophomore’s time currently ranks fifth nationally in the TFRRS rankings.

• Two other Bucs competed in the 3K alongside Varghese, as Ben O’Connor (Statesville, N.C.) placed seventh at 8:56.16 and Matt Scarr (Wamberal, NSW, Australia) rounded out the top 10 at 9:03.19.

• ETSU’s third win of the day came in the men’s mile, as Pectol took the gold with a 4:20.67 time. The duo of senior James Garst (Jonesborough, Tenn.) and junior Khayvonn Benson (Marietta, Ga.) took third and fifth place, while freshman Seth Bowden (Maryville, Tenn.) followed in ninth for four ETSU top-10 finishers.

• Senior Kiana Davis (Ooltewah, Tenn.) added a fourth win for the Bucs, sprinting a 7.62 time in the 60 meter dash final. Freshman Lanaya Martin (Columbia, S.C.) and senior Lamisha Simmons (Hollywood, Fla.) also competed to make the final field three-eighths Blue and Gold, with Martin placing fifth and Simmons seventh. 

• Martin and Simmons also made the 60 meter hurdles final, with Simmons finishing fourth at 8.79 and Martin finishing eighth at 9.48 in her collegiate debut.

• Sophomore Jessica Lord (Morristown, Tenn.) also cracked the top-10 in the women’s mile, placing ninth with a time of 5:23.55 for a personal best. Her previous PR came in last year’s ETSU Track and Field Invitational at 5:37.80.

• ETSU had two teams compete in the 4x400m relay, with the A team placing fifth at 3:59.85 and the secondary squad finishing ninth at 4:10.04.

Field Highlights from Day One

• After finishing fourth in the weight throw yesterday, sophomore Symphony Buxton (Knoxville, Tenn.) came back on Saturday afternoon with a fourth place showing in the women’s shot put with a mark of 13.03m.

• Sophomore Jaden Finch (Glen Aubrey, N.Y.) placed 12th in the women’s shot put with a mark of 11.42m.

• Freshman thrower Kolin Miller (Lebanon, Tenn.) narrowly missed the top-10 in the men’s shot put, placing 11th with a mark of 12.74m.

• Local product Noah Shelton (Gray, Tenn.) made his freshman debut in the high jump and cleared the bar at 1.85m.

Thoughts from Coach Watts

On 60m dash win by Davis: "Kiana Davis had her best season opener to win the 60m dash and have the fastest split of our 4x400m relay participants.  Kiana appears ready to have a fantastic senior year."

On Simmons doing it all: "Lamisha Simmons had a solid meet by placing in the 60m dash, 60m hurdles and running a leg on our A team 4x400m. Lamaisha always gives you her best effort — and today was no exception.

On Lanaya Martin's debut: "As I mentioned yesterday, freshman Lanaya Martin also made the finals in the 60m, 60m hurdles and gained some valuabale experience in her first collegiate competition. It was an impressive first meet."

On Stallworth's Win: "Lindsey Stallworth ran a smart relaxed race to win her first 3000m race ever and really seems prepared to have a fine indoor season."

On Buxton in throwing events: "I'm pleased with Symphony Buxton's throw in the shot as she had a solid first meet in the throws."

On Varghese's dominant 3K: "Ben Varghese had a great opener in the 3k winning by over 20 seconds and showing why he was an NCAA qualifier in cross country this past Fall. The sky is the limit for Ben."

On Wes Pectol's ETSU debut: "Fifth year transfer and med student Wes Pectol backed up his 800m performance with a win in the mile run. I've been very impressed with the progress he's made while balancing his medical school studies. Wes is a Greeneville High School grad, and I think it's so cool that he is representing ETSU in track while attending medical school." 

Next Meet

Up next for ETSU is the Gamecock Inaugural in Columbia, S.C. on Jan. 18-19. The meet is hosted by the University of South Carolina. 

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