Milligan’s indoor track and field teams finished first overall at the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Championships in Winston-Salem, NC, Feb. 19-20, marking the fifth straight title for the men and the second title in three years for the women’s team.
The women’s team scored 175 points, securing the Buffaloes’ fourth indoor title on the women’s side. Ellen-Mary Kearney became the AAC champion and set meet records in the 1000m, 3000m and the mile.
“Ellen Mary was incredible to watch,” freshman Aleah Soderman said. “She has a great pace and is able to keep it the entire race, which is crazy.”
Milligan’s distance medley relay, starring Kearney, McKenzie Fitzgerald, Soderman, and Ana Canibano, set another meet record, finishing first in a time of 12:04.60. Fitzgerald also won the 800m, with Kaylee Coll finishing second in this event. Morgan Wilson, Sophia Jeffers, McKenna Spaulding and Hope Krell took the conference title in the women’s 4×800 relay.
Other top three results on the women’s side include Soderman’s third place in the 60m hurdles and Mary Custodio’s second place in the pole vault competition. Karly Wilhjelm came in third in the 3000m race, Coll took third in the mile, and the women’s 4x400m Relay included Custodio, Wilson, Jade Mansogo and Soderman, came in third as well.
Kearney was named the Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, while Coll took home Women’s Newcomer of the Year honors.
The Milligan men concluded with 178.5 points. Luis Peralta won the men’s 800m race in a new meet record time, in front of his teammates Marti Molins Rallo and Carter Windham. In the 600m race, Peralta set a facility, meet, and collegiate JDL record, winning the event in a time of 1:17.52, which leads the NAIA this year. Bryson Lewis, Brayden Simpson, Windham and Aaron Gottlied won the AAC title in the distance medley relay and Jacob Miller won the pole vault event with a height of 4.00 m.
Other top three results on the men’s side include Kenny Carlton coming second in the 60m hurdles, Gottlied finishing as the conference runner-up in the 3000m, and Trevor Sinard getting third in the shot put competition. In the men’s mile Molins Rallo and Gottlied finished second and third. The men’s 4x800m relay, including Jaiden Carmichael, Evan Holbrook, Eli Cox and Granville Sexton, came in second.
Peralta was named the Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.
“My favorite part was probably watching all of my teammates show how hard they have worked for this season,” Soderman said. “Even in the ups and downs, the weird weather, and [carbon] monoxide we were still able to show up.”
Milligan’s staff was selected as the AAC Staff of the Year. The indoor season will conclude with the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Gainesville, Fla., on March 5-7.
Photo: Track athletes after the AAC Championship
