ETSU earns six podium finishes at High Point

HIGH POINT, N.C. (March 22, 2019) – For the second straight week, ETSU track and field competed in North Carolina as the team continued its early outdoor season at the High Point Vertklasse Meeting on Friday.

Senior transfer Wes Pectol (Greeneville, Tenn.) earned his first gold of the outdoor campaign, breaking the tape in the men’s 1500 to highlight four top ten finishers for the Blue and Gold. ETSU had six podium finishes on opening day.

Track Highlights from Day One

• Four Bucs finished in the top 10 of a 72-runner field, led by Pectol and runner-up Noah Charles (Johnson City). Junior Khayvonn Benson (Marietta, Ga.) placed fourth, within a second of Charles, while Ben O’Connor (Statesville, N.C) finished ninth.

• ETSU had a pair of early personal records in the 3000m steeplechase with freshmen Seth Bowden (Maryville) and Zach Johnson (Kingsport) placing third and fourth, respectively.

• Joining the personal record parade, sophomore Makalya Shaw (Jonesborough) ran a time of 4:56.33 in the women’s 1500 meter run.

Field Highlights from Day One

• Senior Nyambi Shoates (Atlanta, Ga.) had a career performance in the women’s long jump, earning silver with a second place mark of 5.62m — setting a personal best. Freshman Johnaida Eliscar (Columbia, S.C.) was eighth at 5.38 meters.

• Freshman Mekalya Brown (Elgin, S.C.) had a strong showing in the women’s high jump, tying with the third best mark of the field at 1.51 meters.

• Another standout freshman who competed in multiple events was local product Noah Shelton (Gray). The highlight of his day came in the high jump, recording the third highest clearance at 1.86 meters.

Up Next

The meet continues on Saturday with a loaded schedule, opening with the men’s hammer at 9 a.m. Redshirt senior Ben Johnson (Nashville) and freshman Kolin Miller (Lebanon) are set to compete in the event.

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For more information on ETSU track and field, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the track and field pages. Also, follow the program on Twitter @ETSU_TF_XC and on Instagram at the handle @etsuxctf.