HICKORY, NC - The Lenoir-Rhyne Men's Track & Field Team came home with plenty of hardware this week at the SAC Track & Field Championships. Highlighting the meet was Kahlil West, who took home Field Athlete of the Meet honors thanks to a first place finish in the long jump and second place finishes in the decathlon and high jump.

West, who has won his second consecutive SAC Championships Field Athlete of the Meet award, won the long jump with a leap of 7.15m (23-5.50). This was actually his second longest jump of the day, as he jumped 7.38m (24-2.50) during the decathlon long jump. In that decathlon West came away with first place finishes in the 100m, long jump, high jump, 400, and the 100m hurdles. His leap of 2.04m in the high jump put him second in that event. 

Winning the decathlon with a big PR of 6947 points was Oliver Thatcher. The senior from Chandlers Ford, England, now sits at #9 in Division II with that mark. He took fist in the shot put, discus throw, and set a big PR of 4.55m in a first-place pole vault finish. 

Picking up the Bears' only victory on the track was freshman Havyn Spain in the 400 meters. Coming in with a prelim time of 47.51, the freshman ran a gutsy time of 46.69 in the final to pull out a come from behind victory. This time ranks him 10th in Division II. Just behind Spain was senior Marcus Crumpler, who ran a big PR of 47.11 to take bronze in the event. Both Spain and Crumpler, along with Sean Crumpler and Kahneil Budham, ran a season best time of 3:14.33 in the 4x400 to take second in that event. 

Finishing second in the 100m hurdles was freshman Antonyio Davis. His prelim time of 14.29, which was 0.01 faster than his finals time, ranks him 39th in DII this season. Mike Karicher, competing in his last SAC Championships, finished as runner-up in the Pole Vault with a final mark of 4.65m (15-3.00). Just one inch behind West in the long jump was Tylei Woolard, who's leap of 7.12m was just one inch off first. The 4x100m Relay team of Isaiah Reyes, Malachi Carter, Royce Turner Jr., and Corey Baker hit a DII provo mark with their time of 40.80, giving them bronze in that event. 

In the throws, Harrison Waddell was second in the hammer throw with a new personal best mark of 53.23m (174-8.00), set on his last throw of the competition. Taking third in the javelin was fan favorite and veteran Josh Wise, who rounded out his LR career with a mark of 53.72m (176-3.00). 

Top-Eight Finishers

• 100m Dash
  • Isaiah Reyes - 7th, 10.69
• 400 Meters
  • Havyn Spain - 1st, 46.69
  • Marcus Crumpler - 3rd, 47.11
• 1500 Meters
  • Jacob Parkinson - 6th, 3:54.96
• 110m Hurdles
  • Antonyio Davis - 2nd, 14.30
  • Kahneil Budham - 8th, 15.28
• 400m Hurdles
  • Kahneil Budham - 6th, 55.88
• 4x100m Relay
  • Isaiah Reyes, Malachi Carter, Royce Turner Jr., Corey Baker - 3rd, 40.80
• 4x400m Relay
  • Havyn Spain, Sean Crumpler, Kahneil Budham, Marcus Crumpler - 2nd, 3:14.33
• High Jump
  • Kahlil West - 2nd, 2.04m (6-8.25)
• Pole Vault
  • Mike Karicher - 2nd, 4.65m (15-3.00)
  • Aaron Jennings - 5th, 4.20m (13-9.25)
  • Steven Phan - 6th, 4.20m (13-9.25)
• Long Jump
  • Kahlil West - 1st, 7.15m (23-5.50)
  • Tylei Woolard - 2nd, 7.12m (23-4.50)
• Triple Jump
  • Nick Henriques - 5th, 14.61m (47-11.25)
• Discus
  • Ezra Grate - 4th, 45.83m (150-4.00)
• Hammer Throw
  • Harrison Waddell - 2nd, 53.23m (174-8.00)
• Javelin
  • Josh Wise - 3rd, 53.72m (176-3.00)
  • Dion Enongene - 8th, 47.15m (154-8.00)
• Decathlon
  • Oliver Thatcher - 1st, 6947
  • Kahlil West - 2nd, 6696
  • Dion Enongene - 5th, 5589

Men's Final Standings

1. Wingate 220

2. Lenoir-Rhyne 134

3. Carson-Newman 92

4. Catawba 64.5

5. Anderson 62

6. Limestone 50

7. Emory & Henry 44

8t. Mars Hill 40

8t. Newberry 40

10. Tusculum 33

11. Lincoln Memorial 13

12. UVA Wise 12.5

13. Coker 10