East Carolina Treks To South Carolina For Carolina Challenge

Friday, January 31

Columbia, S.C.

TBA

East Carolina University

Carolina Challenge

East Carolina Treks To South Carolina For Carolina Challenge

January 30, 2020 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field, Track & Field

Live Results | Meet Information | Event Schedule

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina track and field program continues its indoor campaign this weekend when it travels to the University of South Carolina for the Carolina Challenge at the Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex.

In addition to the host Gamecocks, ECU will face off against a large field which includes Campbell, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Elon, High Point, Kansas, North Carolina A&T, VCU and Winthrop.

"We are very excited to go to the University of South Carolina this weekend," Director of Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross County Curt Kraft said. "We have never been there for an indoor track and field meet. It is my understanding that the facility is absolutely beautiful, and we are looking forward to the competition."

The Pirates are off to a strong start this season that has culminated in the women's squad earning a No. 13 United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Southeast Regional Ranking. Junior Mackenzie Whitaker posted a school-record performance in the pentathlon at last weekend's Hokie Invitational, garnering 3,834 points to vault into the American Athletic Conference lead. That mark is good for ninth nationally.

ECU received another strong performance from freshman Melicia Mouzzon in Blacksburg as she ran a 60-meter time of 7.30 that is good for the school record, a tie atop the league performance list and 13th among NCAA Division I athletes. She is also the second-fastest freshman nationally in the discipline.

On the men's side, senior Ryan Davis notched a huge number in the weight throw, breaking a 14-year old program record with a toss of 21.78 meters. He leads the AAC in the event and is fifth in the country.

Following the Carolina Challenge, East Carolina will send athletes to a pair of events next weekend – the Doc Hale Elite Meet in Blacksburg, Va., and the Camel City Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"We are at the halfway point of this very quick indoor season," Kraft added. "We are coming off a great weekend and we hope that we can continue this momentum. I have always told our teams it's all about consistency. If we are going to be a great team, we have to continue to compete with consistency each and every weekend with our performances."

Carolina Challenge Entries

Women
60m: Rosalynd Hollingsworth
200m: Mariah Atwater, Leya Essex, D'Nia Freeman, Rosalynd Hollingsworth, Melicia Mouzzon, Naomi Whitaker
400m: Leya Essex
800m: Cara Gaudioso
Mile: Cara Gaudioso, Brooke Lindsay, Nuria Tillo-Prats
5000m: Bethany Weaver
60m HH: Alyssa Sandy, Brooke Stith, Naomi Whitaker
Pole Vault: Mia Alamo-Worley, Lena Calkins, Sommer Knight, Kelcie Robertson, Savannah Wood
Long Jump: Brooke Stith
Triple Jump: Mackenzie Whitaker
Shot Put: Rebekah Bergquist, Tavia Ranger, Candice Whitley
Weight Throw: Rebekah Bergquist, Mya Muse, Candice Whitley

Men
60m: Royal Burris
200m: Royal Burris, Zach Wadas
400m: Coleman Ferrell
800m: Deric Martinez
3000m: Haven Honeycutt, Travis Leach, Ted Sielatycki
5000m: Dean Abushouk, Nat Romaine, Matthew Russell
60m HH: Asa Simmons
High Jump: Blake Mathews
Pole Vault: Jake Justice
Long Jump: Niejel Wilkins
Shot Put: Neil Blanken, Ryan Davis
Weight Throw: Neil Blaken, Ryan Davis