LEXINGTON, Va. – The 2026 Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships concluded on Saturday at VMI's Corps Physical Training Facility, with Wofford College winning four individual championships. The Wofford women were third overall with 128.5 points, while the men were fifth with 57 points.
Southern Conference titles were won by
Sherika Christie (long jump, triple jump, and pentathlon) and
Taylor Jennings-Ward (400m).
Sherika Christie was named the Women's Most Outstanding Athlete for the third straight season after scoring 31 points across the championship. The junior won gold in the pentathlon, triple jump, and long jump, and added a point in the shot put.
The 128.5 points scored by the women were the second-most in school history. The men were fifth, and the 57 total points were the fourth-most in school history.
Seven school records were set during the championship. Terriers also earned a total of seven All-Freshman Team honors during the weekend.
"It was a hard fought meet," said head coach
Johnny Bomar. "Unfortunately we just fell a little short at the end of the day.
Sherika Christie had another great meet for us and deserved the Most Outstanding Athlete once again."
On Saturday in the field events, three Terriers placed in the women's high jump.
Ava Cooper was fifth with a personal best of 1.63 meters,
Olivia Bagg was tied for sixth at 1.58 meters, and
Ne'Rya Vassell had a personal best 1.58 meters to place eighth. In the men's triple jump,
Patrick Green II was second at 14.54 meters and
Preston Kut was seventh with a personal best of 13.07 meters.
Sherika Christie won her third event of the championship with a 12.30 meter mark in the women's triple jump.
Andrea Landrum was fourth at 11.80 meters and
Olivia Bagg was eighth at 10.91 meters.
In the track events for the Terriers on Saturday,
JaKayla Campbell was second in the women's 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.54, with
Olivia Bagg in fifth in a personal best time of 8.74 and
Ayla Pessoa-Rollins in eighth with a personal best of 9.03. In the men's 60 meters,
Nigel Ransby was third in 6.87 and
Shane Olander was eighth. For the women in the 60 meters, Taylor-Jennings Ward was second with a personal best of 7.63 and
Ella Tennant was fourth in 7.68. In the 400 meters,
Zion Bennett was second in a school-record time of 47.50.
Taylor Jennings-Ward won the women's 400 meters in a personal best time of 54.48, while
Monic Green was sixth in 56.70.
Liam Jones set a new school record in the 800 meters, placing fourth with a time of 1:52.33. For the women in the 800 meters,
Ava Dennis was seventh in 2:14.68 and Sarah Truner was eighth in 2:17.03, as both set personal bests. In the men's 200 meters,
Zion Bennett was third in 21.55 and
Zico Bennett was seventh in 22.01.
To end the day, the women's 4x400 team of
Monic Green,
Brooke Sayre,
JaKayla Campbell, and
Taylor Jennings-Ward was second with a new school record of 3:45.35, five seconds faster than the previous mark set in 2020 (3:50.62). The men's 4x400 relay team of
Zion Bennett,
Thomas Stamper,
Liam Jones, and
Zico Bennett was third in 3:19.97.
Samford won its 11th straight women's title and seventh straight men's title.
Men's results – Final
1. Samford - 228.5
2. Furman - 129
3. Western Carolina - 123.5
4. VMI - 71
5. Wofford - 57
6. The Citadel - 23
7. UNCG - 23
Women's results – Final
1. Samford - 151
2. Western Carolina - 133
3. Wofford - 128.5
4. Furman - 94
5. ETSU -60
6. VMI - 53.5
7. Chattanooga - 27
8. UNCG - 8
The Citadel – 8
Heath Whittle Award (Men's Most Outstanding Athlete)
Bradley Franklin, Samford
Women's Most Outstanding Athlete
Sherika Christie, Wofford
All-Freshman
Men's 3,000m
Ben Beucler
Women's Shot Put
Maggie Frana
Women's 60m Hurdles
Ayla Pessoa-Rollins
Women's 60m
Ayla Pessoa-Rollins
Women's 400m
Sofia LaCorte
Women's 800m
Ava Dennis
Sarah Turner
