Junior Lukas Mees competes in the steeplechase. Mees was the only Eagle to win an event at the Catamount Classic last weekend. His 9:36.24 time set a new meet record in the event. | Courtesy of Emory Athletics
This past weekend, the Emory men and women’s track and field teams both placed fifth at the Catamount Classic in Cullowhee, N.C.
The Emory women scored 41 points while the men earned 43.5 points.
The host school, Western Carolina University (N.C.), won the meet, the men with 263.50 points and the women with 326 points.
“Western Carolina was by far the best school there,” Head Coach John Curtin said. “They’re a very good Division I school and had the home advantage. All the schools that beat us were Division I, except for one Division II program.”
Emory only sent a small group of athletes to compete in Cullowhee, according to Curtin. Even with the smaller squad, the Eagles still managed to record season-best times in nine different events.
“It’s a fine line between getting people the competition they need and over taxing them with competition and travel,” Curtin said. “But, the nine records we got were very good to see.”
On the women’s side, freshman Erica Goldman placed fifth in the 400 meter dash, with her time of 57.82 seconds. Goldman not only recorded a career-best time in the event, but also the 21st-best time by an NCAA Division III athlete this season.
“Erica [Goldman] did amazing and it was exciting to watch her,” sophomore Kellie Harunk said. “We had an great meet as a team overall which was good timing, as it’s one of our last meets before championships.”
In the 1,500 meter run, senior Hannah Smith placed fourth with a 4:45.21 time, followed by freshman Gabrielle Stravach in fifth place with a time of 4:48.84.
“Erica [Goldman] put in a tremendous effort and Hannah [Smith’s] run was a great surprise,” Curtin said. “Those were very cool performances to see.”
Freshman Erica Goldman runs next to her opponent. Goldman recorded a career-best time of 57.82 seconds in the 400-meter dash this past weekend. | Courtesy of Emory Athletics
Goldman, along with Harunk, freshmen Caitlin Cheeseboro and Julia Leventhal, placed fifth in the 4×100 meter relay. The relay team earned a season-best time of 50.16 seconds.
“We were mainly working on the handoffs in the relay, so we weren’t focusing on the time,” Harunk said. “We weren’t expecting to get the season-best time so it was really exciting to know we could.”
Freshman Kora Dreffs’ ninth-place shot put toss of 11.35 meters also earned a season-best mark.
In the 5,000 meter run, sophomore Sophie Cemaj (18:43.37), sophomore Mia Eisenhandler (18:44.57) and senior Marissa Gogniat (18:45.66) placed fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.
Senior Hannah Parra placed eighth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:06.46.
The 4×400 meter relay team of sophomores Liz Magno and Alexa Young, junior Julie Williamson and Goldman placed fifth with a 4:01.20 time.
Williamson also placed fourth in the 800 meter run with her 2:14.53 time.
Senior Katie Wilson placed sixth in the high jump with her 1.57 meter jump, while freshman Dara Liss paced seventh in the pole vault, clearing 3.15 meters.
Curtin added that at some venues, like at Emory’s, field events and races are held in different locations and he is unable to watch everyone. He enjoyed traveling to Western Carolina because all the events were in the same location, allowing him to see all his athletes compete.
On the men’s side, junior Lukas Mees won the 3,000 meter steeplechase with his 9:36.24 time, which set a new meet record.
Freshman Daniel Pietsch placed 13th in the 200 meter dash with a career-best time of 22.11 seconds. He also competed in the 400 meter dash, finishing eighth with his time of 49.04 seconds.
Senior Kevin Delaney ran a career-best time of 1:56.31 in the 800 meter run, finishing fifth.
Freshman Phillip Greenfield placed sixth in the 100 meter dash with his 11.03-second time.
Senior Scott Greathouse placed third in the high jump, clearing the bar at 1.94 meters. Junior Spencer Koh also competed in the high jump, clearing at 4.40 meters, and tied for sixth place.
“It was great to see Spencer [Koh] jump as well as he did,” Curtin added. “He did really great.”
Junior Max Hoberman placed seventh in the long jump with 6.42 meters.
Senior James Bassen placed sixth in the discus throw with a distance of 42.76 meters. He also placed third in the javelin throw with 54.50 meters.
In the 1,500 meter run, sophomore Michael McBane placed sixth with his 4:07.11 time.
Curtin added that by the time the long-distance runners were able to compete, the nice weather had heated up, giving the athletes a harder time.
This weekend, the Eagles are scheduled to split the team between two meets before the Eagles host the University Athletic Association (UAA) championships the next weekend. Part of the team will travel to Sewanee, Tenn. for the Mountain Laurel Invitational on Friday, while other athletes will travel to the Georgia Tech Invitational across town in Atlanta on both Friday and Saturday.
According to Curtin, athletes who just need a refresher meet before UAAs will travel to Sewanee, while those that need to squeeze in one more meet to hopefully get qualifying times will go to Georgia Tech.
Managing Editor | Elana Cates is a College senior from San Diego, California, majoring in English and History. She joined the Wheel's Editorial Board her sophomore year as sports editor. In addition to the Wheel, Elana is also a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and a vice president of the Student Alumni Board.
