Date Posted: 4/15/2006

CLERMONT, Fla. – The 2006 Atlantic Sun Conference Track & Field Championships concluded today with Gardner-Webb taking the crown on the men’s side, while Jacksonville took top team honors on the women’s side. Gardner-Webb road the strong performances of its field performers and JU capitalized on its speed on the track, as each found a winning team formula to take home their first A-Sun Outdoor Championship trophies.

Gardner-Webb, which held the overnight lead in both men’s and women’s standings, got tremendous results from Cody MacArthur, voted the meet’s Most Outstanding Field Performer as he led all men with a total of 32 points. Along with teammates Michael Buckshaw and Matt Knippen, the trio accounted for a sweep in the hammer throw (MacArthur, Knippen, Buckshaw), a sweep in the discus (MacArthur, Buckshaw, Knippen), and three of the top four spots in the shot put (1. Knippen, 2. Buckshaw, 4. MacArthur). MacArthur added a second place finish in javelin to his outstanding performance. Jumper Jake Didion went double gold with a first-place jump in both long jump and triple jump.

Bulldog Coach Brian Baker was voted the Coach of the Year on the men’s side by his colleagues. Gardner-Webb freshman Dobson Collins earned the meet’s Most Outstanding Freshman Performer as he contributed 12 points to the team total, tops among all freshman men. Belmont’s Colin Magut earned the Most Outstanding Track Performer as he took gold in both the men’s 1500 meter run and the men’s 5000 meter run.

For Jacksonville on the women’s side, it was a strong second day, giving the Dolphins a bookend trophy to their championship hardware from the inaugural A-Sun Indoor Championships this winter. The sprints were JU’s domain, as Most Outstanding Track Performer Janita Ocana took gold in the 100 meter dash, gold in the 200 meters, gold on the 4x100 relay, and silver in both the long and triple jumps. Ocana and teammate Natasha Harvey led all meet point scorers with 36 points. Harvey, the Most Outstanding Female Freshman Performer in the meet, took gold in both the 100 meter hurdles and 400 meter hurdles, as well as gold in the long jump. She added a bronze in the triple jump to her collection of medals.

Jacksonville Coach Ron Grigg was voted women’s track & field Coach of the Year by his peers, as he was at the A-Sun Indoor Championships in February. Grigg’s squad was just 12 competitors strong, but their performances were solid all day. The final individual award on the women’s side went the UNF’s Emily Kohler, voted Most Outstanding Field Performer after posting a total of 26 points for the 5th place Osprey team. Kohler won the javelin, took silver in the high jump, and added a fourth place finish in both the long jump and the triple jump.

Related Links:
 • Atlantic Sun Championship