SAC Indoor T&F results
SAC Indoor T&F team scores
 
Winston-Salem, N.C.----The Wingate University men's indoor track and field team won four events Sunday on the way to the South Atlantic Conference indoor championship title at the JDL Fast Track. Wingate student-athletes won the mile, the 3000 meters, the triple jump and the shot put on day two of the two-day event.
 
Senior Dennis Trukawka earned the Wealth Enhancement Group SAC Elite 23 Award, given to the top student-athlete at the championship meet. Newcomer Hamza Chahid was named the Freshman of the Year for men's track. Chahid won both the mile and the 3000 meters Sunday.
 
The Bulldogs filled three-of-three podium spots in the mile and the 3000 meters. Wingate finished the event with 178 points. Second-place Lenoir-Rhyne had 156 points. Carson-Newman was a distant third with 69 points. Twelve teams participated in this year's SAC indoor championship meet.
 
Mile and 3000 meters
 
Chahid started his day with a victory in the mile, thanks to his time of 4:10.59. He was joined on the podium by junior Jakob Rettschlag (4:11.14) and sophomore Leo Freeland (4:13.07), as they finished second and third, respectively. Junior Soheil Boufrizi was fifth, while his classmate Jan Bayona was sixth.
 
Chahid won the 3000 meters with his time of 8:13.46. Sophomore Lars Laros finished second (8:15.13), while graduate student Oliver Way was third (8:17.15). Sophomore Scott Nutter (fifth), senior Cas Kopmels (sixth) and graduate student Felix Nadeborn (seventh) also scored points in the 3000 meters.
 
Triple jump and shot put
 
Graduate student Darius 'Dash' Weathers won the triple jump with his SAC indoor meet-record mark of 14.95 meters. The previous record of 14.89 meters was held by Wingate's Nate Patterson from the 2018 SAC indoor championships.
 
Graduate student Tucker Mullis set a new JDL Fast Track facility record on his way to winning the shot put. Mullis took the gold with his 15.85 meter effort, shattering the previous facility standard of 15.00 meters. Graduate student Tom Kallinske finished second, also besting the facility record with his 15.49 meter performance. Freshman David Squires (sixth) also scored points in the shot put.
 
Additional Wingate notes
 
- Trukawka finished second in the heptathlon with a new WU record 4,706 points
- In the classroom, Trukawka holds a 4.00 GPA with his psychology major
- Sophomore Christian Sturrup finished third in the high jump (2.03 meters)
- Senior Elijah Compton finished fourth in the 60 meter hurdles (8.18)
- Senior Brent Surratt (1:56.92) led a 5-6-7-8 finish in the 800 meters for the Bulldogs

What They Are Saying
Wingate graduate student-athlete Tucker Mullis

"We had a great meet today! All of the throwers did a great job! Tom Kalliske was picked to place fifth and hit a great throw to jump up to second place, which really helped score some great points for the team. David Squires also finished sixth with a huge PR after being picked to finish 13th."
 
"I am super proud of all of the throwers with their performances and effort. I am beyond blessed to have finished my last indoor season on top of the podium. I am super thankful to Coach Billy (Edwards), who is always encouraging and has been a fantastic coach, as well as all of my teammates who always support me. I am looking forward to huge throws this outdoor season and once again being on top."

Wingate graduate student-athlete Darius 'Dash' Weathers
 
"I had a great time this weekend! The team really showed up and showed out and that's all coach really ever asks us to do. It's exciting seeing how our hard work is paying off, but this is just the beginning…we still have outdoors and we definitely have more in the tank. #OneDog!"

Wingate University
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 38 undergraduate majors as well as seven master's and four doctoral degrees. The University 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 is a leader in healthcare education, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 25 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 14 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.