Track & Field teams break multiple records at GSC championship
Jeremiah McCain, senior digital media studio production major. Photo by Reily Rogers courtesy of Lee Athletic Communications.
The Lee University Track & Field teams are off to a strong start this season. On Feb. 15, the first day of the Gulf South Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships, both the men’s and women’s teams won events and broke records, resulting in wins from both teams at the GSC Championship.
By the second day of the championship, Feb. 16, the Lady Flames had accumulated 260.5 points, placing them 137 points ahead of second-place winner Mississippi College. This year, the Lady Flames won their third consecutive Gulf South Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship.
Christian Noble, a graduate student and the 2021 GSC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, won the 5K with a time of 14:37.29 on the first day of the championship.
"It's a joy to be out here and I'm glad I could be out here for my team," Noble told Lee Athletic Communications. "We went out pretty slow but over the next seven to eight laps I picked up the pace. I made my final move with about three laps to go after Mississippi College's runner took the lead and just went for it from there. I want to win a team title and pick up a few more individual conference titles and hopefully some national championships in Pittsburg, Kansas."
Jeremiah McCain, senior digital media studio production major, broke his own school record with a time of 8.14 in the 60m hurdles preliminary on Feb. 15.
Toni Moore, a graduate student, won the 5K with a time of 17:16.93 while Danielle Horter, sophomore psychology and education major, found her way to the podium with a strong third-place finish of 17:59.49. Olivia McClain, junior business administration major, followed right behind with a fourth-place time of 18:00.13.
Celine Ritter, graduate student and 2021 Indoor National Champion, won the mile (4:45.72), 800-meter (2:13.89) and 3000-meter (10:01.59) races. She was named Most Outstanding Track Performer, and her time in the mile smashed the previous meet record by 22 seconds, according to a GSC press release.
Kristen Blevins, senior digital media journalism major, broke the GSC indoor and school record in the 60m dash preliminary with a 7.58 (and broke it again in the finals with a 7.55.) In the field events, Deborah Rubin, senior human development major, broke a four-year old school record in the shot put. Carissa Hall, sophomore biology major, created her own school record with a 5.37m long jump.
Leizl Theron, sophomore biological sciences major, broke the long jump record during her pentathlon with 5.41m.
"Our girls did a great job today and exceeded expectations from where we expected to be," said Head Coach Caleb Morgan, according to Lee Athletic Communications. "We were really good in the 200 and the multi-athletes stepped up. Kristen Blevins lowered her national qualifying mark in the 60 which is awesome and we were really solid in the 5K with Toni leading the way and Danielle and Olivia giving us huge points in the top four. Our girls always step up at championship time."
For more information on the team and updates throughout the season, follow them on Instagram.
Kristen Blevins is the Lee Clarion Sports Editor.
