Men's Track & Field | 2/20/2016 8:16:00 PM

Winston-Salem, N.C.----The Wingate University men's and women's indoor track and field teams concluded the 2015-16 regular season Saturday, participating in the UCS Invitational at the JDL Fast Track (complete results). Thirty-four Bulldog student-athletes (17 men, 17 women) competed Saturday.
 
The Wingate sports information department caught up with Wingate head men's and women's track and field coach Travis LeFlore, throws coach Whitney Smyre, distance coach Ashley Vaughn Glover and graduate assistant sprints coach Cole Henderson to get their thoughts about Saturday's event (interview transcript follows).
 
Wingate head men's and women's track and field coach Travis LeFlore:
 
"Saturday was another strong day for our squad. Freshman Isaiah Kyle (Morristown, Tenn.) earned the highlight of the day, clearing a new personal best of 2.11 meters to move up to ninth in the country and solidify his spot at the NCAA championships next month. Freshman Vanisha Wilshire (Louisburg, N.C.) had a strong finish to her indoor season in both the high jump and the triple jump. We'll be waiting this week to see if she'll make the meet with her current distance in the women's triple jump."

"I'm very proud of our team and how we competed this indoor season. Our freshmen showed they're going to be a force to be reckoned with in the outdoor season. Our returners performed at a high level. I'm so excited to get into outdoor season, when I know we will truly shine as a team."
 
Wingate throws coach Whitney Smyre:
 
"After posting six personal (throwing) records during our Ohio trip, freshman Nick Coker (Snellville, Ga.) finished seventh in the men's shot put. He was ranked 10th in the preliminaries. Sophomore JC Suddeth (Green Creek, N.C.) posted a 12.84 meter effort in the men's weight throw, a foot better than his previous personal-best throw. Junior Jalen Marlowe (Lowell, N.C.) finished sixth in the men's weight throw. On the women's side, junior Zuri Thomas (Aberdeen, N.C.) set a personal record with her first throw in the finals of the women's weight throw event. With a throw of 14.33 meters, Zuri finished seventh in the event."
 
Wingate distance coach Ashley Vaughn Glover:
 
"The women's mile competitors ran well Saturday. Junior Alyssa Johnson (San Jose, Calif.) and sophomore Valerie Griesche (Ingolstadt, Germany) both ran an indoor PR in the mile. Alyssa improved to third on Wingate's all-time list, while knocking (current) assistant coach Jena Peacock Haney fourth all-time. Valerie made her first appearance in the WU mile all-time top five list."
 
Wingate graduate assistant sprints coach Cole Henderson:
 
"The student-athletes really capped off the end of the regular indoor season at the UCS Invitational. Freshman Ruvarshe Mzinde (Mutare, Zimbabwe) ran a season best of 26.75 in the 200 meter dash, almost a school record when calculating the conversion (26.34). In other words, when outdoor (season) comes, she will be flying."
 
"On the men's side, junior Austin Greeson (Burlington, N.C.) and freshman Breon Jenkins (Winston-Salem, N.C.) achieved season bests on this track Saturday. Breon had an amazing start to run 7.12 in the 60 meter dash, which was almost a freshman record! Austin ended his season with a strong 800 meters performance of 2.01.70. This performance converts his time to 1:59.84. The last time Austin competed at JDL, he ran a 2:04.19. (Saturday's time) shows he really took advantage of his positivity and progression and left everything on the track."
 
"The 2015-16 cycle was a successful indoor season for the athletes who were healthy. This meet summed up the hard work and everything they have learned. Now we gear up for outdoor (season) with confidence. We are ready to run our hearts out."

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,100 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, master's degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 15 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past nine years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 82 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 82 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 91 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.
 
 
 
 
 


WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,100 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, master's degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 15 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past nine years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 82 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 82 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 91 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.