UNCG’s Dylan Christopher is Back-to-Back 10k Champion, Spartans Shine on Day One of SoCon Track and Field Championships

UNCG Christopher is Back-to-Back 10k Champion, Spartans Shine on Day One of SoCon Championships

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men’s and women’s track & field teams had seven Spartans compete on day one of the Southern Conference (SoCon) Outdoor Championship.

Men

The highlight on the men’s side was fifth year Dylan Christopher winning his second-straight 10,000-meter individual championship. He crossed the finish line .21 ahead of East Tennessee State’s Evan Guzman with a time of 31:36.09 making it a complete photo finish.

Last year, Christopher won the 10,000-meter run with a time of 30:48.12, picking up the Spartans’ first outdoor title since two-time Olympian Paul Chelimo claimed the 1,500-meter run at the 2012 SoCon meet.

He is the first two-time & back-to-back SoCon champion on the men’s side, while Ashley Schnell was the first Spartan to accomplish the feat in 2011 and 2012 in the 1,500-meter run.

Sophomore Ethan Long also earned points for the Spartans as he finished seventh out of 12 competitors in the 10,000-meter run with a time of 32:26.35.

200m

20. Elijah Jones – 23.34

10,000m

1. Dylan Christopher – 31.36.09

7. Ethan Long – 32.26.35 debut

Women

On the women’s side, two of four Spartans that ran in the 800-meter run qualified for finals tomorrow. Sophomore Reagan O’Quinn qualified with a personal best time of 2:13.86, four seconds faster than her previous personal record. She finished third out of 18 competitors.

Fifth year Chandler McCaslin placed fourth to also qualify for finals tomorrow in the 800-meter run with her personal best time of 2:14.11.

800m

3. Reagan O’Quinn – 2:13.86 – qualified PB

4. Chandler McCaslin – 2:14.11 – qualified PB

12. Shay Soukup – 2:21.29

14. Laila Burk – 2:23.02

Up Next
UNCG will compete in day two of the SoCon Championships tomorrow, Tuesday, May 9 at the Catamount Athletic Complex. The track portion of the championship will begin at 4:00 p.m. Tomorrow, the meet will be broadcast on ESPN+ starting at 3:30 p.m.

Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro