Track and Field: SoCon Outdoor Championships

The VMI men’s and women’s track and field teams wrapped up competition at the 2026 Southern Conference Outdoor Championships in Cullowhee, North Carolina, with multiple All-Conference performances, individual event titles, and personal-best marks May 11–12, 2026. Cameron Thomas ’27 claimed the men’s pole vault title while Morgan Fraser ’27 captured the women’s high jump championship to lead the Keydets, who finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the team standings.

Men’s Team

Behind Thomas’ individual pole vault title and the second-place finish by Deonte Harris ’29 in the triple jump, the VMI men’s track and field team came in sixth place overall to complete the 2026 SoCon Championships.

Complete Results

Samford won its seventh straight team title with 238.5 points, while host Western Carolina came in second with 180.5. Furman came in third with 109 points, while The Citadel (87.5) and Wofford (64) finished just ahead of VMI’s 50.5 points. The Keydets defeated ETSU (47) and UNCG (36) in team point totals.

Harris placed second in the triple jump with a distance of 14.37 meters to earn All-Conference honors for the event.

Excellent Finishes

• Isaiah Blount ’26 came in fourth in the discus with a PR distance of 46.58 meters. Tazewell Rae ’28 (sixth) and Elisha Williams ’27 (13th) also competed in the event.
• Rye Jackson ’28 placed fourth in the 400-meter finals with a new PR time of 48.29 seconds.
• In the high jump, Vahin Middough ’29 (fourth, 1.95 meters) and Halim Hardnett ’29 (sixth, 1.95 meters) showed well for the Keydets.
• Harris also competed in the 110-meter hurdles finals and finished sixth overall in 15.09 seconds.
• Rae and Williams competed in the shot put. Rae came in sixth with a distance of 15.55 meters, while Williams placed ninth at 14.67 meters.
• In the 1,500-meter run, Cameron Lambert ’29 came in 10th for VMI with a new PR time of 3:58.53.

Zack Scott ’89, VMI Director of Track and Field

“Our men competed with a lot of heart and momentum throughout the championship meet. The day started strong with Isaiah Blount and Tazewell Rae both hitting personal bests in the discus, which really set the tone for the group. As the day continued, athletes like Vahin Middough and Halim Hardnett in the high jump and Rye Jackson in the 400-meter kept that energy moving forward with strong performances. Tazewell came back and added another personal best in the shot put, which was a great way to finish the championship. I’m proud of the fight, growth, and competitiveness this team showed from start to finish.”

Team Scores

1. Samford – 238.5 (7th straight title)
2. Western Carolina – 180.5
3. Furman – 109
4. The Citadel – 87.5
5. Wofford – 64
6. VMI – 50.5
7. ETSU – 47
8. UNCG – 36

Women’s Team

Behind an individual title from Fraser and two other All-Conference finishes by Naturale Faison ’28 and Reagan Gilman ’28, the VMI women’s track and field team earned a seventh-place finish at the 2026 SoCon Championships.

Complete Results

The VMI women’s track and field team earned a seventh-place finish at the 2026 SoCon Championships.—Photo courtesy VMI Athletics.

Host Western Carolina won the team title to break Samford’s 6-year reign as league champions, as the Catamounts totaled 182.5 points to edge Samford’s 175.5. Wofford came in third with 137 points, followed by Furman (110), ETSU (80.5), and Mercer (46) just ahead of VMI’s 37 points.

Fraser placed first in the high jump with a personal-best height of 1.68 meters (5’ 6”), which tied for the second-best height in program history. The first Keydet in program history to win the high jump, the Alexandria, Virginia native broke her former personal best of 5’ 5.5” from last season to tie with Trish Coughlin ’08 (2005) and Julia Logan ’18 (2017) who also hit that mark. Fraser’s individual title also earned her All-Conference honors for the event.

Faison came in second in the 100-meter finals with a time of 11.78 seconds to achieve All-SoCon accolades, while Gilman earned All-Conference in the 800-meter finals by placing third in 2:08.41, just one second behind her own school record time of 2:07.67 set 3 weeks ago at the UVA Challenge.

Excellent Finishes

• Ruth Dickersheid ’28 came in fifth in the shot put with a new personal-best distance of 41’ 11.50”, the sixth-best shot put distance in program history. Diamond Baker ’26 came in ninth place in the shot with a distance of 12.40 meters (40’ 8.25”), the seventh-best shot put in program history. Her distance became the seventh-best shot put in program history as both topped the mark by Maura Logan ’20 of 40’ 7” set in 2019.
• The 4×400 relay squad of Miracle Eric ’28, Heaven Hall ’26, Evelyn Anderson ’27, and Gilman came in fifth in 3:56.41.
• Faison also competed in the 200-meter finals with a sixth-place time of 24.56 seconds.
• Shea Hart ’26 finished eighth in the 400-meter hurdles finals in 1:06.09.
• Genevieve Cummings ’29 came in ninth in the high jump at 1.58 meters.
• Baker logged a 17th-place finish in the discus at 29.39 meters, a new season best.

Zack Scott ’89, VMI Director of Track and Field

“Day two was a tremendous finish for our women’s team and a great reflection of the work this group has put in all season. Morgan Fraser delivered a championship performance in the high jump with a personal best to earn the SoCon title, and that was a huge moment for our program. Ruthie Dickersheid also had an outstanding meet, coming back after her hammer throw breakthrough on day one to hit another personal best in the shot put. Reagan Gilman finishing third in the 800-meter was a huge lift for our team. Across the board, our women competed with confidence, toughness, and belief in each other, and I’m incredibly proud of the way they represented VMI throughout the championship.”

Team Scores

1. Western Carolina – 182.5 – broke Samford’s 6-year reign as champs
2. Samford – 175.5
3. Wofford – 137
4. Furman – 110
5. ETSU – 80.5
6. Mercer – 46
7. VMI – 37
8. Chattanooga – 24.5
9. The Citadel – 10
10. UNCG – 6

Editor’s Note: These articles were first published on vmikeydets.com.