Conference Carolinas

King Ranked First in Men’s Indoor Track & Field Coaches Preseason Poll

1/15/2015 12:00:00 AM

 

High Point, NC – Conference Carolinas Indoor Track & Field Coaches have voted King University as the top men’s indoor track & field team coming into the 2014 season. King University won their first Conference Carolinas title a season ago, and returns a solid core from that team as the Tornado look to repeat in 2014.

First-year head coach Amanda Williamson returns four USTFCCCA All-Region sprinters that should lead the Tornado. The quartet of Justin Newring, Reggie Warren, Alson Edgecombe and Jordan Tippens has experience as they turned finished second in the 4x400 meter relay at last year's indoor championships. Newring also finished in the top-5 of five individual events at the indoor championships.

The Tornado should be strong in the distance events as well with NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships qualifier Spencer Frantom leads this group. King might have young throwers and jumpers, but they gained invaluable experience during last year's title run. Eric Jones leads this group, as he was an All-Region performer in the long jump a season ago.

 

"Conference Carolinas is a strong track and field conference, and the competition this year will be tough," head coach Amanda Williamson said. "We have the goal to repeat as conference champions this indoor season, but it is not going to come easy."

USTFCCA Men's Southeast Region Indoor Coach of the Year Cameron Babb and the Limestone men’s indoor track & field team have been picked to finish second in the preseason Conference Carolinas coaches poll.

Led by All-Conference members Tristan Perignon, Westley Ouzts, and Cord Sgaglio, Limestone is poised to take first overall after they finished second at last year’s conference meet. Also junior Jeremy Griffin and freshmen Elijah Simon and Marshawn Scott have already broken school records this season.

Mount Olive finished fourth at last year’s inaugural Conference Carolinas Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championship and finished the indoor season ranked No. 5 in the USTFCCCA Division II Southeast Region Top 10. The Trojans have finished in the regional top 10 in both years since adding men’s indoor track and field.

Dylan Lafond was named 2013 Conference Carolinas Men’s Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year and became the first Mount Olive student-athlete to compete in an NCAA Track and Field Championship. Lafond placed 14th in the mile run preliminaries at the 2013 NCAA Division II Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championship and came within two seconds of advancing to the finals.

The Trojans also return All-Conference Carolinas performers Aki Kitagawa and Nick Mac Adam. In addition to earning all-conference honors in the long jump and the triple jump, Mac Adam was the 2013 Conference Carolinas Men’s Indoor Track and Field Scholar Athlete of the Year. Kitagawa was an all-conference performer in the 3000 meters.

North Greenville finished fourth in the poll with Belmont Abbey fifth followed by Lee-McRae, and Barton College respectively rounding-out the poll standings.

 

Conference Carolinas Men’s Indoor Track & Field Pre-Season Poll        

(# of First Place Votes in Parenthesis)