The VMI women’s track and field team finished in seventh place overall at the 2023 SoCon Indoor Championships at VMI’s Corps Physical Training Facility Feb. 26, 2023.—Photo courtesy VMI Keydets.
The VMI women’s track and field team completed the 2023 SoCon Indoor Championships with excellence at VMI’s Corps Physical Training Facility Feb. 26, 2023. Eleyah Armstrong ’25 led the team with first place in the 60-meter dash and long jump.
Armstrong won her second event of the meet by coming in first in the 60-meter dash with a school record time of 7.56 seconds, beating the 7.58-second time of Kerisha Goode ’18 in the 2018 indoor season.
The VMI women finished in seventh place overall with 38.33 points. Samford University won the team title with 183 points, and Wofford College came in second with 120 points. East Tennessee State University, with 84 points, and Furman University, with 82 points, rounded out the top four team marks.
Taylor Hill ’26 tied for second in the pole vault event with a height of 3.55 meters. In the 400-meter dash finals, Heaven Hall ’26 placed seventh overall with 58.41 seconds. Jenna Kirkland ’24 came in seventh overall in the weight throw with a personal record distance of 13.68 meters. Gretal Shank ’25 competed in the 800-meter final and arrived in seventh overall in 2:18.45.
“We are a young team, but that did not stop Eleyah Armstrong ’25 from leading the way with a new school record in the 60-meter and a win. Taylor Hill ’26 tied for a third-place finish along with a PR from Jenna Kirkland ’24 in the 20 pound weight throw, scoring in seventh.
“Our women’s team did not make the top five, but we showed we have heart and still have more to give for our outdoor season. We now start preparing for outdoor season with a week of training and team building in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational.”
1. Samford – 183.33 points
2. Wofford – 120
3. ETSU – 84
T4. Furman – 82
T4. Western Carolina – 82
6. The Citadel – 49.33
7. VMI – 38.33
8. Chattanooga – 20
9. UNCG – 3
Women’s Most Outstanding Athlete
Netanya Linares, Wofford
Women’s Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)
Erin Long, Samford
Women: Weight throw Hannah Daffin, Samford (18.37 meters); mile Genevieve Schwarz, ETSU (4:46.22); 60-meter hurdles Kerrington Johnson, Wofford (8.53); 60-meter dash Eleyah Armstrong, VMI (7.56); 400-meter dash Jasmine Jefferson, Wofford (56.16); 800-meter run Megan Marvin, Furman (2:06.25); triple jump Tya Blake, ETSU (11.68 meters); 200-meter dash Madeline McNinch, Wofford (24.70); pole vault Brittany Bishop, Samford (3.70 meters); 5,000-meter run Abigail Robertson, Furman (16:23.42); 4×400-meter relay Taja Booker, Mekyll Robinson, Mikayla Turner, Nytrinitey Jenkins, Western Carolina (3:50.26).
*meet record
Women’s Weight Throw
Toria Roundtree, Western Carolina
Ellie Sawicki, Wofford
Claire Harrison, Samford
Women’s Mile
Kaylie Armitage, Furman
Camryn Wennersten, Furman
Maddie Wheatcroft, Chattanooga
Women’s 60-Meter Hurdles
Meg Coleman, Samford
Shaneil Lysight, Western Carolina
Rashni Walker, Samford
Women’s 60-Meter Dash
Ella Tennant, Wofford
Heaven Hall, VMI
Women’s 400-Meter Dash
Grace Lueders, Samford
Heaven Hall, VMI
Shaneil Lysight, Western Carolina
Women’s 800-Meter Run
Reagan O’Quinn, UNCG
Clair Garrett, Furman
Delaney Mulick, Chattanooga
Women’s Triple Jump
Jasmine Greene, Western Carolina
Anaya Young, ETSU
Women’s 200-Meter Dash
Se’More Green, VMI
Ella Tennant, Wofford
Jasmine Greene, Western Carolina
Women’s Pole Vault
Taylor Hill, VMI
Lindsey Havens, Samford
Hannah Pettyjohn, Samford
Women’s 5,000-Meter Run
Jenna Mulhern, Furman
Carly Wilkes, Furman
Gabbie Hoots, Samford
60m dash – finals
Eleyah Armstrong – 1st – 7.56 – school record
Pole Vault
Taylor Hill – T2nd – 3.55m
400-Meter Dash – Finals
Heaven Hall – 7th – 58.41
Weight Throw
Jenna Kirkland – 7th – 13.68m – PR
800-Meter Run – Finals
Gretal Shank – 7th – 2:18.45
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at vmikeydets.com.
