VMI men’s track and field earned fourth place overall in the 2023 Southern Conference Indoor Championships at VMI’s Corps Physical Training Facility March 5, 2023. The team had notable individual performances, including that of Keyandre Midgett ’24, who earned the Heath Whittle Award for Men’s Most Outstanding Athlete.—Photo courtesy VMI Keydets.
The VMI men’s track and field team continued to show excellence by completing the 2023 Southern Conference Indoor Championships in fourth place overall at VMI’s Corps Physical Training Facility March 5, 2023.
The VMI men placed fourth with 96.33 points. Samford University took the team title with 174.5 points, Western Carolina placed second with 122, and East Tennessee State University arrived in third with 102.5 points.
Keyandre Midgett ’24 was given the Heath Whittle Award as the Men’s Most Outstanding Athlete after winning the title in the triple jump in addition to his second-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles final. On Saturday, March 4, he finished second in the long jump as further evidence of his key performances to secure the honor. He earned a 15.24-meter triple jump to place first and came in second in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.18 seconds. The honor marks the second straight year VMI has won the award, as Jordin Poindexter ’22 earned the recognition a year ago.
Andrew Granger ’24 won the individual title in the weight throw by placing first with a personal record distance of 16.78 meters, while Herbert Brooks ’23 came in third with a personal-best mark of 16.68 meters.
Liam McBride ’24 placed third in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.20 seconds, just ahead of Xander Topos ’25, who came in eighth place with a time of 8.68 seconds.
Nick Brown ’25 earned a second-place time of 48.25 seconds in the 400-meter finals ahead of Topos’ sixth-place mark of 49.95 seconds. Richard Edwards ’25 also showed well in seventh place for the event with 50.01 seconds.
Trent Whittaker ’23 arrived in third place in the 800-meter finals with a time of 1:52.94 and earned All-SoCon honors for the event.
The VMI foursome of Topos, Edwards, Whittaker, and Brown came away with a second-place time of 3:18.04 in the 4×400 relay to secure All-Conference honors.
“Our Keydets had another day of personal bests. Keyandre Midgett broke the 50-foot barrier to win the triple jump and SoCon MVP award. Andrew Granger won with a PR in the 35 lb. weight throw, along with Herbert Brooks’ third-place mark and PR. We fell short of our goal of a top-three finish for our men, but we did give our best thanks to the Corps, our alumni, and fans. We now take some time to recharge for the outdoor season and prepare for our first outdoor meet with a solid week of training and team building in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to compete at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational.”
Heath Whittle Award (Men’s Most Outstanding Athlete)
Keyandre Midgett ’24, VMI
Men’s Pinnacle Award (Highest GPA on championship-winning team)
Jeb Jones, Samford
Men: Triple jump Keyandre Midgett, VMI (15.24 meters); heptathlon Ty Kimberlin, Samford (5,442 points*); mile Carson Williams, Furman (4:05.67); 60-meter hurdles Titus Moore, Samford (7.79*); 60-meter dash William Malcolm, Samford/Cagan Campbell, Samford (6.84); 400-meter dash Michael Harris, Western Carolina (47.87); 800-meter run Phelani Maduwa, ETSU (1:50.12) weight throw Andrew Granger, VMI (16.78 meters); 200-meter Cagan Campbell, Samford (21.58); high jump Tanner Henry, Wofford (2.05 meters); 5,000-meter run Dylan Schubert, Furman (13:54.58*); 4×400-meter relay Dohnavon Hunt, Teddy Ayden, David Miles, Michael Harris, Western Carolina (3:17.80).
* meet record
Men’s Triple Jump
Nathan Williams, Western Carolina
Tate Sistare, The Citadel
Men’s Heptathlon
Ethan Fulford, ETSU
Zion Bennett, Wofford
Men’s Mile
Nate Hillis, ETSU
Matthew Martin, Western Carolina
Ben Kenner, ETSU
Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles
Claude Campbell, Samford
Treven McGhee, ETSU
Zion Bennett, Wofford
Men’s 60-Meter Dash
Dohnavon Hunt, Western Carolina
Skyler Woodard, Western Carolina
D’Shawn Fletcher, ETSU
Men’s 400-Meter Dash
Noah Straley, Western Carolina
Robert Hilsman, Wofford
Thomas Stamper, Wofford
Men’s 800-Meter Run
Conner Overly, ETSU
Will Berger, Wofford
Men’s Weight Throw
Jacob Thomas, Western Carolina
Quin Goodson, Wofford
Chase Edwards, Wofford
Men’s 200-Meter Dash
Dohnavon Hunt, Western Carolina
Noah Straley, Western Carolina
Robert Hilsman, Wofford
Men’s High Jump
Jack Mulvey, The Citadel
Zion Bennett, Wofford
Men’s 5,000-Meter Run
Xian Campbell, ETSU
Andrew McGinnis, Samford
VMI Sunday Participants:
Triple Jump
Keyandre Midgett – 1st – 15.24m
Charles Male ’24 – 8th – 13.35m
60-Meter Hurdles Finals
Keyandre Midgett – 2nd – 8.18
Liam McBride – 3rd – 8.20
Xander Topos – 8th – 8.68
Weight Throw
Andrew Granger – 1st – 16.78m – PR
Herbert Brooks – 3rd – 16.68m – PR
400-Meter Finals
Nick Brown – 2nd – 48.25
Xander Topos – 6th – 49.95
Richard Edwards – 7th – 50.01
800-Meter Finals
Trent Whittaker – 3rd – 1:52.94
4×400 Relay
2nd – 3:18.04 (Topos, Edwards, Whittaker, Brown)
Editor’s note: This story first appeared at vmikeydets.com.
