Indoor Track earns 32 All-AAC awards at AAC Championships

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 19, 2024) – The Milligan University men's and women's indoor track and field teams collected 32 all-conference awards as the Buffs swept the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Championships last week.

Milligan repeated as men's and women's indoor track conference champions. It marked the third-straight men's title and the third women's conference crown in the last five seasons. The Buffs won 14 AAC championships and set a pair of championship meet records.

All-AAC honors are distributed to athletes and relays who finish in the top-three at their respective events in the championship meet. Both Milligan's men and women earned 16 all-conference awards.

The Buffs won five major conference awards in 2024. Will Stockley was the AAC Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year for the second in his career, previously collecting the honor in 2022. Ellen-Mary Kearney was named the AAC Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. Kearney won three conference titles and Stockley captured a pair of conference championships and a runner-up finish.

Romario Taylor took AAC gold in the 200 and 400 and was tabbed as the AAC Men's Newcomer of the Year. Hannah Brown was selected as the AAC Women's Newcomer of the Year after finishing as the AAC runner-up in the 5k and scoring in the mile and 3k.

Head coach Chris Layne and his staff of Sebastien O'Neill and Natalia Rivas-Foster swept the men's and women's AAC Coaching Staff of the Year honors for the second-straight year.

A total of 11 women and 14 men snagged at least one All-AAC individual or relay award. Ellen-Mary Kearney led Milligan's women with four all-conference honors. Caitlin Dominy and Megan Christian had three All-AAC awards and Patricia Barrera collected two. Stockley and Arran Kearney led Milligan's men with three All-AAC certificates. Taylor, Aaron Jones, Keith Fletcher, Carter Windham, Bryn Woodall, Roman Hodgson and Ja'Quan Williams each earned two All-AAC awards at the conference championship.

Ellen-Mary Kearney set the AAC Championships women's 800 record in 2:16.20 and Aaron Jones broke his own championship meet record in the 5k in 14:42.13.

The Buffs turn their attention to the NAIA National Championships next week in Brookings, S.D. The NAIA announces its championship field on Friday.

Milligan All-AAC

AAC Champions (14)

Caitlin Dominy – 3k – 10:05.03
Caitlin Dominy – 5k – 17:36.54
Ellen-Mary Kearney – 800 – 2:16.20*
Ellen-Mary Kearney – 1k – 2:56.35
Ellen-Mary Kearney – Mile – 5:01.22

Keith Fletcher – 60m Hurdles – 8.12
Aaron Jones – 5k –14:42.13*
Will Stockley – 1k – 2:28.13
Will Stockley – Mile – 4:18.22
Romario Taylor – 200 – 22.17
Romario Taylor – 400 – 49.84
Carter Windham – 600 – 1:24.88
Roman Hodgson, Arran Kearney, Sylas Chambers, Carter Windham – 4x800 relay – 8:02.24
Arran Kearney, Roman Hodgson, Bryson Lewis, Bryn Woodall – Distance Medley Relay – 10:27.44

AAC Runners-up (13)

Hannah Brown – 5k – 18:05.50
Megan Christian – 400 – 1:02.11
Megan Christian – 600 – 1:43.09
Mary Custodio – Pole Vault – 2.57 meters
Caitlin Dominy – Mile – 5:01.68
Ashlyn Haas – 3k – 20:24.85
Megan Christian, Ellen-Mary Kearney, Hope Krell, Cameron Walker – 4x400 Relay – 4:13.89

Keith Fletcher – 200 – 22.44
Aaron Jones – Mile – 4:19.32
Arran Kearney – 800 – 2:00.36
Will Stockley – 3k – 8:19.81
Ja'Quan Williams – 400 – 50.51
Ja'Quan Williams, Evan Hayes, Jeremy Evans, Skylan Stephens – 4x400 Relay – 3:26.20

AAC Third Place Medalists (5)

Patricia Barrera – 3k – 10:32.71
Patricia Barrera – 5k – 18:12.24
McKenzie Fitzgerald – 800 – 2:24.07
Macy Hinkle – High Jump – 1.46 meters

Bryn Woodall – 3k – 8:23.59

* - AAC Record
# - Milligan Record

Note: All-times ran on 200-meter flat track