Asheville Turns in Successful Performances as Hosts of Bulldog Invite

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville Track and Field team hosted the Bulldog Invite this Friday and Saturday (April 10–11), showcasing its talent as it begins to tune up for the Big South Outdoor Championships next month. The Bulldogs shone across all disciplines, bringing home four victories, 23 personal bests, 20 season bests, and making six record book adjustments.

VICTORIES AT HOME

Bennett Moreno controlled the men's 1,500m, besting the competition to win in a personal best time of 3:57.27.

Jonas Roach had a dominant showing in the men's 3,000m steeplechase, stretching out the field to take the victory in 9:39.22.

Madison Hannah led Asheville on the infield, taking first place in the women's discus throw with a mark of 42.44m. Hannah also recorded a personal best in the hammer throw with 43.90m (fourth place), moving onto the program's all-time list at No. 5. She also recorded a fifth place finish in the shot put at 11.58m.

Nkosi Jeju jumped to victory in the men's long jump with a mark of 7.32m, a season best and new 2026 DI No. 65 mark. Jeju also placed second in the men's 100m with a personal best of 10.50.

SPRINTS SPOTLIGHT

Demorris Jordan turned in a strong weekend on home turf, placing second in the men's 200m with a personal best of 21.27 and third in the 100m with 10.51. Jordan now sits No. 3 all-time in both events in program history.

Also highlighting the men's sprint group was Ty'vell Foskey, who secured personal bests in both the 200m (21.66, seventh) and 100m (10.64, eighth). Foskey moves to No. 4 in the record books.

Jeremiah Louis posted a personal best of 49.08 to finish sixth in the men's 400m.

On the women's side, Kamryn Peeples ran a personal best of 12.27 to place seventh in the 100m, moving to No. 4 all-time. Kieayla Williams added a personal best of 24.83 to place eighth in the 200m, also ranking No. 4 in program history. Peeples doubled back with another personal best of 25.52 (13th).

Francesca Cergol recorded a season best of 57.38 in the women's 400m.

Both Bulldogs in the 400m hurdles posted personal bests, with Janie Coble placing fourth (1:11.50) and Noah Henthorn finishing seventh (59.04).

FIELD SPOTLIGHT

Morgan Brown placed second in the women's long jump with a season-best mark of 5.10m and added a fifth-place finish in the triple jump (10.75m).

Will Wilkerson led Asheville in the men's discus with a third-place throw of 43.29m.

Jaelyn Arnold recorded a personal best of 46.27m in the women's hammer throw to place second, moving up to No. 3 in program history.

Arnold also placed second in the shot put (13.07m), while Greg Schell matched the finish on the men's side with a throw of 14.54m.

Blake Hawks added a personal best of 6.60m to place sixth in the men's long jump.

DISTANCE SPOTLIGHT

Quinn Jacquez ran a personal best of 14:56.02 to place second in the men's 5,000m, while Lily Kelpin recorded a personal best of 18:50.94 (11th) in the women's race.

Jaheem O'Hara secured a runner-up finish in the men's 800m (1:54.69). In the final heat, Asher Roach posted a personal best of 1:58.64 to finish 14th.

On the women's side, Payton Murphy ran a seven-second personal best of 2:15.84 to place third, followed by Ella Warren, who clocked a personal best of 2:18.34 to finish sixth.

Murphy and Warren also led Asheville in the women's 1,500m, recording personal bests of 4:47.06 and 4:52.75 to place second and third, respectively.

On the men's side, Asher Roach (4:04.47) and Hank Neal (4:06.54) both recorded personal bests to finish 11th and 13th.

Marika Dickel placed second in the women's 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 11:32.56 in her debut, moving to No. 4 all-time.

RELAY HIGHLIGHTS

Both 4x100m relay squads turned in strong performances. The men's team of Demorris Jordan, Ty'Vell Foskey, Gabriel Buie, and Nkosi Jeju placed second with a time of 41.06, while the women's team of Kieayla Williams, Francesca Cergol, Alexis Vaughan, and Kamryn Peeples also finished second in 47.18.

The men's 4x400m relay team of Nkosi Jeju, Braelin June, Jeremiah Louis, and Ty'Vell Foskey placed second with a time of 3:14.72.

The Bulldogs will return to the track on April 24–25 as they conclude their outdoor regular season at the Catamount Classic on the campus of Western Carolina University.

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University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics