Columbia, S.C.----Wingate University sophomore Franziska Althaus shattered the school record in the 5000 meters on the second day of the Gamecock Opener Saturday at the Carolina Indoor Track & Field Complex (complete results). Althaus ran a 5000 time of 17:28.18 to break the previous school record by 21 seconds. She finished second overall.
 
THOUGHTS FROM ASSISTANT COACH POL DOMENECH:
 
"The team came back for day two of the USC Gamecock Opener with several solid performances. Franziska Althaus showed great fitness in her first track race with the Wingate uniform. She broke the school record in the 5000 meters and finished only one second away from the NCAA provisional mark. Tatjana Mense and Lauryn Tumey jumped into the top five on the Wingate all-time list in the 800 meters, both running 2:25."
 
"On the men's side, Elliot Richards capped off a solid week of intense training, running 15:19 in the 5000 meters to also crack the WU all-time top five. Darius Weathers opened up his second Bulldog season with a solid 14.40 meter triple jump, which is only 10 centimeters away from the NCAA provisional mark."

"These early-season performances make us excited about what is to come in the next few weeks. The focus for this first meet was just to put some marks on the board and see where the team was fitness wise. Our season is just getting started and the volume of training is still high. We are looking forward to see the progression of the team next week at Liberty University."

SATURDAY GAMECOCK OPENER NOTES

WU WOMEN
 
- Jena Peacock Haney held the previous 5000 meters record with her time of 17:49.33 in 2015
- Sophomore Tyauna Bailey ran a 26.80 in the women's 200 meter dash
- Althaus, Mense and Tumey helped Wingate advance to the NCAA Division II cross country national championship meet in November
 
WU MEN
 
- Weathers qualified for the both the indoor and outdoor national meet in the triple jump last year
- He earned All-American honors at the outdoor event
- Sophomores Andy Kopp (pole vault) and Tyler Riley (high jump) earned Gamecock Opener top-10 finishes
- Kopp posted a mark of 3.55 meters in the pole vault (ninth), while Riley recorded a 1.83 meter high jump (10th)

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
A comprehensive, independent and growing university, Wingate serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Founded in 1896, the University offers 37 undergraduate majors as well as graduate and professional programs. Wingate is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences. Wingate blends in-class exploration with out-of-class application to deliver an uncommon and life-changing educational experience.
 
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 13 years. Wingate is first in the 2000s among NCAA Division II and North Carolina's colleges and universities with 115 CoSIDA Academic All-America® selections. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 124 lifetime Academic All-America® honorees. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com. Current news and videos can be found at www.wingate.edu.