LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Central Arkansas track and field teams each claimed the ASUN Indoor Championships, winning four gold medals on Thursday before running away with the competition on Friday. Both teams dominated as the points continued to roll in, and the men claimed their championship by 70.5 points, while the women won their conference title by 7.5.
For his leadership in taking Central Arkansas to the next step, head coach
Josey Weaver was named the Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year by the conference for both the men's and women's teams. Weaver, in his third season as head coach, has built the programs to a new, impressive height, with upper classmen and youngsters alike playing large roles on the teams.
Additionally,
Jeremiah Boudreaux was named the Most Valuable Performer at the ASUN Championships after coming through with 26 points for Central Arkansas. He took home a first-place finish in the high jump and two second-place finishes in the 200m and Men's 4x400m relay.
Early golds were won by the Bears' weight throwers, as
Aidan Patton (21.07m) and
Joia Perry (19.95m) each won by more than a meter. Perry's throw was impressive for several reasons: it broke into the national top-50 for Division I throws this season, set a new program record by more than half a meter, and set an ASUN Indoor Championship record. On the men's side, the Bears took the entire podium, with Patton winning gold,
Jaden Schneeberger claiming silver (20.02m) and
Malik Beasley earning bronze (19.47m).
The pole vaulters also had a terrific day one.
Bailee Villavaso, who just recently set the program's new indoor record, posted a 3.80m vault to claim gold, while
Kylie Coleman took second with a height of 3.42m. On the men's team,
Nathan Uptagrafft took home gold after clearing 4.72m.
The Bears continued to place athletes on podiums as competition continued, and by the end, nine women and 21 men placed in the top-three of their respective discipline. Eleven men's events and six events had Bears in the top-three, including further golds from
Troynelle Miller (60m), Boudreaux (High Jump), Schneeberger (Shot Put),
Xavier Simpkins (60m Hurdles), and
Kobe Gill (60m). Like the men's weight throw, the men's 60m hurdles was dominated by Bears, with
Byron Holt claiming second and Boudreaux taking home third.
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