WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - On the final day of the Indoor AAC Championships, CIU men's and women's track and field teams delivered strong performances, earning multiple podium finishes as the women secured fourth place and the men claimed seventh. Most notably, Kloey Pickens was named the AAC women's field athlete of the year and the Rams left with 10 All-Conference awards winners.
Kloey Pickens accepts the award for Women's Field Athlete of the Year
In the 60m hurdles, Morgan Johnson was shy of a podium finish (9.41) but grabbed second place in the 60m (7.99). Johnson also finished third in the 200m, clocking in at 26.49.
The women's 4x800m relay team, consisting of Elizabeth Gustafson, Morgan Hartman, Jordan Wray, and Mercy Berkemeyer, came in fourth at 10:36.36 (NAIA #26). The 4x400m team (Johnson, Gustafson, Wray, and Berkemeyer) also finished fourth at 4:18.38 (NAIA #68). Berkemeyer also competed in the 600m, finishing in 1:49.03.
Pickens and Coral Curry grabbed their second podium finish of the meet, coming in second (12.13m) and third (11.54m), respectively, in the shot put. Acoya Hunt also competed with a distance of 10.18m. Caroline Rimmer placed second in the pole vault with a height of 2.70m.
Nicolás Ortiz receives his medal for 2nd place in pole vault
Nicolás Ortiz grabbed his first podium finish as Ram, placing second in the pole vault with a height of 3.90m. Donavan Latimer finished third in the long jump at 6.59m. Elijah Seawright (6.50m) and Qamari Govan (6.00m) competed as well.
The 4x800m relay team, consisting of Spencer Evans, Julian Carranza, Jacobo Garcia-Rivera, and Joey Canning, checked in at 8:46.68. Evans also competed in the 800m, finishing at 2:16.80, and Carranza checked in the 600m at 1:30.29.
Elijah Seawright leapt to a first-place finish in the long jump on day one of the meet
In the 200m, Chance Guthrie finished in 23.98, with Denim Jones finishing shortly after at 24.62. The 4x400m team, Guthrie, Evans, Carranza, and Latimer, finished fourth with a time of 3:35.92.
All-Conference Award Winners
Kloey Pickens- Women's Field Athlete of the Year | First Place Weight Throw | Second Place Shot Put
Coral Curry- Second Place Weight Throw | Third Place Shot Put
Morgan Johnson- Second Place 60m | Third Place 200m
Donavan Latimer- Third Place Long Jump
Elijah Seawright- First Place Triple Jump
Caroline Rimmer- Second Place Pole Vault
Nicolás Ortiz- Second Place Pole Vault
Up Next: Qualifiers will head to Gainesville, Fla., from February 27th - March 1st to compete in the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championship.
