Track wraps AAC Championships with four more conference titles

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 23, 2022) – The Milligan University track & field teams took home four conference titles on the second day of the Appalachian Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Kermit Tipton Stadium on the campus of Science Hill high school.

The Buffs finished the outdoor championships with a total of eight AAC titles with four men's and four women's crowns. Milligan's men finished third overall out of 14 teams with 123 points while the Buffs' women were seventh at 97 points, just three points out of a top-five finish. Graduate student Will Stockley claimed AAC Newcomer of the Year honors after capturing an AAC title in the 5k and a third-place showing in the 1500.

"Extremely proud of our team and staff on so many fronts," said head coach Chris Layne. "To shoulder this meet both organizationally and athletically and perform the way we did just says so much about the resiliency of our young men, young women and our entire staff."

Avery DeWolf Burton, Alyssa Bearzi and Caitlin Dominy finished first, second and third in the women's 5k. Burton took the meet title in 17:56.89, Bearzi was the runner-up in 18:08.01 and Dominy finished third in 18:30.55.

Stockley and Aaron Jones took first and second in the men's 5k. Stockley clocked in at 15:18.59 and Jones logged a time of 15:18.85. Evan Henson joined the top eight in 15:49.58 and Jake Crow won the second heat in 15:56.86.

Alex Brittain ran to an AAC title in the men's 3000 meter steeplechase with a personal best mark of 9:39.54. Pablo Rivas notched a PB of 10:01.37 to finish third and Keaton Hincher was fourth with a PR of 10:11.25. Thomas Johnson broke 11 minutes in the event for the first time in his career in 10:59.63.

Ali Burns won the women's 3000 meter steeplechase title in 12:07.43, a personal record.

Kiley Wood placed fourth (2:23.69) and Rachel Dulaney was seventh (2:29.20) with a personal best in the 800.

Corey Greeson reached the finals in the javelin and finished sixth with a throw of 43.55 meters.

Milligan took third in the men's 4x400 meter relay as Skylan Stephens, Alex Windham, Sylas Chambers and Ja'Quan Williams finished with a school record time of 3:19.57. The Buffs' men's 4x100 meter relay grouping of Kamdyn Lee, Keith Fletcher, Nicolas Motau and Conner Goodrich ran to a fourth-place finish with a school redcord time of 42.45.

Chambers was fifth in the 800 in 1:53.88, Windham placed sixth in 1:54.39 and Austin Walker took ninth in 1:57.85.

Fletcher sprinted to 22.17 in the 200 meter dash to finish seventh.

The women's 4x400 relay unit of Megan Christian, Gracie Allen, Rebecca Glover and Wood took seventh in 4:18.43.

The Buffs return to action on Saturday, May 7 at the Montreat College Last Chance Meet.