University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Session Sets School Record in 200m Prelims to Lead Asheville on Day One of Big South Indoor Championship
03.01.2025 | Track and Field
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Shemarr Session grabbed his second school record of his freshman campaign, six Bulldogs qualified for the final round of their respective events and 17 personal bests were recorded for the UNC Asheville track and field team on day one of the Big South Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships.
The men finish day one in fifth with 13 points, and the women in seventh with seven points. High Point is currently at the top of both leaderboards with 70 points (men) and 83 points (women).
TOP FINISHES ON THE DAY
For his second school record of the season, Session ran the 200m prelims in 20.98 and finished first to qualify for the final round tomorrow afternoon. Jalen Anderson, who previously held the 200m record, also qualified for the final round of the 200m, as he finished the prelims in third at 21.50. Anderson's previous record of 21.20 won the event at the Big South Indoor Championships in 2024.
The Bulldogs secured five points in the men's Distance Medley Relay, placing fourth in a cumulative time of 10.26.11. Lance Surles, Christopher Owens, Logan Russo and Tadiyos Sloan-Westmoreland were toeing the line for Asheville.
Asheville earned seven points from the men's 5,000m final, with Adam Hessler leading Asheville with a fifth place finish at 14:52.04 and Paul Kirprotich followed in sixth with his time of 14:55.49.
In the women's pentathlon, Lee Kania earned a sixth-place finish with a score of 2,597 and contributed three points for the Bulldogs. Her highest finish was third in the shot put with a distance of 9.68m, and Kania set a new personal best of 2:40.01 in the 800m.
In the women's long jump final, Murielle Jeanite earned a seventh-place finish (+2pts), striking the sand at 5.44 meters. In the men's long jump final, Gabe Matthews jumped to eighth (+1 pt) with his mark of 6.58 meters.
The women's DMR, which consisted of Ella Warren, Francesca Cergol, Zoe Bos, and Sophie Lundin, finished in seventh place at 12:36.40.
Anderson's third-place finish (6.90) in the men's 60m prelim comfortably secured him a spot in Saturday's final. Joseph Oliver took the last qualifying spot by finishing eighth (48.66) in the men's 400m prelim.
Nikole Baikova and Alison Graf earned their spots in the women's 800m final tomorrow after placing fifth and eighth in the prelim. Baikova ran a personal best of 2:15.16, and in her first race of the season, Graf secured the finals spot with a time of 2:15.65. Next on the track was Jacoby Ennis, who clocked a personal best of 1:54.82 to lock eighth and his place in tomorrow's final.
Noah Henthorn stands in seventh after four events in the men's heptathlon. His highest finish was fourth in the shot put, where he threw a personal best distance of 11.98 meters.
FULL RESULTS FROM DAY ONE
TrackWomen's 400m prelim
Murielle Jeanite - 15th, 1:00.81, PR
Men's 400m prelim
Joseph Oliver - 8th, 48.66Q
Christopher Owens - 10th, 49.95, PR
Adam Graham - 14th, 51.75
Women's 60m prelim
Francesca Cergol - 12th, 7.94, PR
Men's 60m prelim
Jalen Anderson - 3rd, 6.90Q
Aaron Higgins - 13th, 7.11, PR
Gabriel Buie - 15th, 7.24
Nkosi Jeju - 16th, 7.39
Women's 800m prelim
Nikole Baikova - 5th, 2:15.16Q
Alison Graf - 8th, 2:15.65Q
Maddie Hamuka - 13th, 2:25.19, PR
Men's 800m prelim
Jacoby Ennis - 1:54.82Q, PR
Logan Russo - 12th, 1:55.1, PR
Andrew Okkon - 13th, 2:00.51, PR
Noah Jones - 14th, 2:00.62
Women's 200m prelim
Chaniya Owens - 19th, 26.07
Murielle Jeanite - 21st, 26.20 PR
Men's 200m prelim
Shemarr Session - 1st, 20.98Q
Jalen Anderson - 3rd, 21.50Q
Braelin June - 18th, 23.3
Gabriel Buie - 19th, 32.49
Women's 5,000m final
Ella Moore - 9th, 17:59.28, PR
Madeline Wittschen - 15th, 19:00.12
Addi Corl - 16th, 19:15.53
Men's 5,000m final
Adam Hessler - 5th, 14:52.04
Paul Kiprotich - 6th, 14:55.49
Jonas Roach - 9th, 15:18.90, PR
Quinn Jacquez - 10th, 15:26.00
Nate Sullivan - 11th, 15:27.19
Field
Women's long jump final
Murielle Jeanite - 7th, 5.44m
Chaniya Owens - 12th, 5.03m
Men's long jump final
Gabe Matthews - 8th, 6.58m
Nkosi Jeju - 10th, 6.51m
Aaron Higgins - 12th, 6.26m
Women's shot put final
Jaelyn Arnold - 11th, 11.36m
Neely Rogan - 13th, 11.07m, PR
Madison Hannah - 14th, 10.94m
Men's shot put final
Chad Lasher - 16th, 12.18m
Relays
Men's DMR
Lance Surles, Christopher Owens, Logan Russo, Tadiyos Sloan-Westmoreland - 4th, 10:26.11
Women's DMR
Ella Warren, Francesca Cergol, Zoe Bos, Sophie Lundin- 7th, 12:36.04
FINAL DAY
The Bulldogs will return for the final day of the Big South Indoor Championships tomorrow, March 1st. For complete results, click HERE. For a look at tomorrow's schedule, click HERE.
SOCIAL MEDIA
To stay updated with all things surrounding Asheville track & field, follow the team on 𝕩.
Players Mentioned
