WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – On Thursday, Milligan University's men's and women's indoor track & field squads began their two-day quests to win conference titles at the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Indoor Track & Field Championships in Winston-Salem, N.C at the JDL Fast Track. After day one, the Buffaloes' men sit with an 11.5 point lead over second place Montreat, while the MU women hold a five-point lead over second place Brenau.

At the AAC Championships, Milligan's headliners were Ellen-Mary Kearney, who won the women's 1000m, Landon York, who took first in the 60m hurdles to reach Friday's final, and the 4000m distance medley relay squads, who each captured first place.

The women's 60m hurdles got the day started for the Buffs. Aleah Soderman (9.48) was the top finisher for the squad in third place and Jade Mansogo (9.52) was on her heels in fourth place. Both performances were a personal best and qualified for tomorrow's final.

On the men's side Landon York made the Buffs' presence felt by kicking off the event with a first-place finish in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.63. Kenny Carlton (8.65) was splitting hairs in second and Jordyn Winegar-Collis (9.14) capped the event in seventh. They all moved on to Friday's final.

Hunter Crook had a personal best run in the men's 60m sprints, clocking in at 6.99 seconds and reaching the final on Friday.

Kearney clocked in at 2:49.39 to win the women's 1000m event, setting an AAC meet record. Ana Canibano (2:59.57), Kaylee Coll (3:01.76), Gabriella Hoover (3:05.30) and Isabelle Johnson (3:08.24) rounded out Milligan's top five finishers in the event, with Canibano scoring five points, Coll scoring four, Hoover with three and Johnson with one, respectively. All but Kearney posted personal-best marks.

Marti Molins Rallo was the top finisher on the men's squad in the 1000m event coming in second place with a mark of 2:26.88 and qualifying for the NAIA National Championships. Carter Windham was right behind him in third place with a pace of 2:27.98 also qualifying nationally. Rowen Moser-Bryan (2:36.55), Jaiden Carmichael (2:37.57), Bryson Lewis (2:37.88), Joshua Starr (2:40.56) and Dillon Craig (2:40.99) all put up strong performances and finished within the top 20.

Aleah Soderman finished in fifth place running at a pace of 1:00.65 in the women's 400m.

Luis Peralta (2nd, 49.03) and Kaleb Spears (3rd, 49.05) each had nice runs in the men's 400m to score major points.

In the women's 5000m, Milligan had four impressive runs from Karly Wilhjelm (2nd, 17:42.49), Joanna Halterman (5th, 18:19.90), Kirsten Geary (8th, 18:53.74) and Sunny Eorgan (9th, 18:57.04).

For the men in the 5000m, Caleb Greene led the way in third place, finishing at 15:00.56 and Luke Kennedy was behind him in sixth with a mark of 15:33.92. Ethan Bennett (11th, 16:21.54) and Elijah Gouge (12th, 16:23.03) also had top-20 finishes.

In the women's high jump, Hope Arnold cleared the 1.47m mark for a fifth place finish.

Conner Mowell leaped his way into a fourth-place finish in men's high jump with a mark of 1.85m.

Annika Hoefler had a 12.51m throw for sixth place in the women's weight throw. Faith Helton was in seventh place with a throwing distance of 12.28m.

In the men's weight throw, Trevor Sinard tossed the weight 15.44m in sixth place and Dillon Handshey recorded a throw of 13.38m in 12th place.
 
The distance medley relay capped off the night for the women. In the event, McKenzie Fitzgerald, Aleah Soderman, Ana Canibano and Ellen-Mary Kearney combined for a time of 12:04.60 to win the event, which is the fifth-fastest time in the NAIA this year and is well ahead of the 'A' qualifying standard.

For the men's nightcap in the distance medley relay, Bryson Lewis, Brayden Simpson, Carter Windham and Aaron Gottlied put together a 10:16.94 run to claim a victory of their own. 

RESULTS

Next on the schedule for the two squads is day two of the AAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, where the men will look to defend their title and the women will be looking to return to the top of the podium tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 20.