STATESBORO, Ga.--- The Asbury men's and women's track & field teams began their 2025 outdoor seasons this weekend at the Georgia Southern Invite with both teams placing second in the team results. Six Asbury runners competed with qualifying times for the NCCAA National Outdoor Meet May 7-9.


Bailey Gassman and Wes Preston both ran to victory in the 5000 meter events with NCCAA qualifiers in 18:35.9 and 15:53.4, respectively. In their wake, Ava Miller and Jojo Ernst both scored and achieved new personal bests.

In the 400 meter event, Kallee Cooper and Manny Dut each scored while punching their ticket to the NCCAA post-season championship meet. Cooper sprinted her lap of the track in 1:02.2 while Dut recorded a time of 50.1 seconds.

Freshman Caleb Payne crushed his first 100 meter dash as an Eagle with a new school record of 11.2 seconds.

In the rarely run 4x200 meter relay, both the women's and men's quartets finished in new AU record times. Emma Groff, Brihanna Basil, Caroline Preston, and Maggie Higdon handled the baton for the ladies.  Raphael Esteban, Lance Hylton, Both Mony, and Cameron McElroy joined forces for the men.

After the first day of competition, the AU women placed third among the four teams that scored, trailing Georgia Southern and Savannah State while leading Webber International University.  

The Eagle men held down second place out of the six schools that have scored, well behind Savannah State but ahead of Brewton-Parker, Webber, Flagler, and Paine.


Freshman Caleb Cablish won the Javelin event with a school record and NCCAA Nationals qualifying distance of 46.66 meters.

Bailey got her second victory and NCCAA qualifier of the meet with a school record of 2:21.7 in the 800 meter run.

Mikayla Riccio qualified for NCCAA Nationals in the High Jump, leaping 1.52 meters.

The women's 4x400 meter relay set a new Eagle record of 4:22.8 squad consisted of Adyson Mattingly, Caroline Preston, Brooke O'Carroll, and Bailey Gassmann.

Both the men's and women's teams finished second in the meet, with Georgia Southern winning the women's competition and Savannah State claiming first in the men's division.  A total of six schools participated.


TEAM RESULTS:
Men - 2nd Place
Women - 2nd Place

FULL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
Click here for results


"We had a great week of training, service, worship, fellowship, and competing.  We had some great performances and established some baselines for everyone to shoot for as the season continues."
Randy Crist | Asbury Head Track and Field Coach


The Asbury track and field team will now prepare for the Landon Bond Classic hosted by Berea College in Berea, Ky., on Saturday March 29th.
 

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