Saturday, May 12, 2007

Johnson City, Tenn. – Four months after ETSU captured the A-Sun indoor title, the Buccaneers proved they were a forced to be reckoned with in the league, earning the 2007 Atlantic Sun Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship with 192 team points.

The Bucs enjoyed medalist sweeps in both the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash during the second day of action in Johnson City, as James Rainer collected top honors in each event. Rainer added to his collection as the ETSU 400-meter relay team also captured a first place finish.

Freshman Jarrod Burton also found himself atop the awards stand after winning the shot put with a distance of 15.42 meters. Burton finished the event with a meet-best 30 individual points, along with teammate Michael Wright.

For his efforts, Burton was selected as the Championship’s Most Outstanding Men’s Freshman Athlete.

After holding the lead at the end of Day 1, Gardner-Webb fell to second place. The Runnin’ Bulldogs built their lead in the field after the first day and slowly watch ETSU run away with the crown.

GWU’s Jake Didion earned another first place finish for the Bulldogs, capturing his second consecutive triple jump title. The only other Day 2 individual title for GWU came from Jerel Langley in the javelin.

In the long distance events, Belmont combined to earn 88 of its 129 team points. Ryan Snellen, Colin Magut, Hillary Cheruiyot, Jacob Buckman, Calob Swartz, John Brigham, and Daniel Jones combined for those points with Magut standing out among his own pack and earning the meet’s Most Outstanding Male Track Athlete award.

OTHER AWARD WINNERS: Dave Walker (Coach of the Year), Jarrod Burton (Most Outstanding Freshman Performer), Cody MacArthur (Most Outstanding Field Performer), and Colin Magut (Most Outstanding Track Performer)