ROCK HILL, SC—Appalachian State claimed both the men's and women's team titles in the 2010 Carolina's Cup track and field meet held Friday evening at the Irwin Belk Track at Winthrop University, but the highlight of the night for Winthrop was the record-setting performance of the women's 4x400 meter relay team which smashed its own school and Belk Track mark .
The Mountaineer men totaled 234 points while the women finished with 246 points as ASU easily outdistanced second place Winthrop in the four-team event. Winthrop totaled 137.5 points on the men's side and 158 on the women's side. Davidson's men finished third with 104 points while Gardner-Webb took fourth with 79.5 points. In the women's competition, Gardner-Webb came in third with 91 points followed by Davidson with 48.
The women's 4x400 meter relay team set a new school and Belk Track mark with a time of 3 minutes, 45.16 seconds. The previous Belk Track record of 3:47.75 was set by Charleston Southern in 2008. That time was also the best this season by a Big South Conference school. The four members of the relay team are Monique James, Amami Antia-0bong, Latasha Watson and Sasha Robinson. Winthrop ran away in the event as it defeated second place Appalachian State by more than 23 seconds.
Another track record was set by Winthrop junior distance runner Adam Freudenthal in the 3,000 meter run as he was clocked in a time of 8:32.80 which broke the old record of 9:03.70 set by Trevor Beesley in 2007.
Winthrop seniors Rebecca Holmes and Ashley Howard also had big nights. Holmes shattered her own school record in the 100 meter hurdles with a clocking of 13.87 seconds which is also the best time of the season in the conference. She had a double victory by winning the 100 meter dash in a time of 12.10 seconds. Howard, who set a Big South Conference and track record two weeks ago in the discus, won the discus event with a throw of 46.25 meters. She also finished second in both the shot put and hammer throw. Senior distance runner Carey Phillips captured the women's 3,000 meter run in her final home appearance with a time of 10:16.10. The Lady Eagles also took first and second place in the 400 meter dash as Monique James finished first in 57.78 seconds and Latasha Watson came in second at 58.28.
Other top performances by the men's team came from the 4x400 meter relay team of Theo Facinoli, Charles Sulick, Adam Leroux and Drew Franklin who took first place with a time of 3:20.73. Junior Jared Baird won the javelin competition with a throw of 62.09 meters. Freshman Frederick Williams took first place in the triple jump with a leap of 12.51 meters while junior Keary Simms won the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 14.41 seconds. Dexter Young was victorious in the high jump as he overcame a height of 2.05 meters. Sophomore AJ Fitzsimmons ran away with the 3000 meters in a time of 9:42.80.
