Feb 26th, 2007 05:34AM
by:

By CODY USHER
UCA ASSISTANT SID

SEWANEE, Tenn. — The University of Central Arkansas men's track team won the Sewanee Indoor Invitational, while the women placed second on Friday.

The Bears won eight events, and scored 140 points, beating out Emory (50.66) and Centre (49.33) for top honors. The Sugar Bears won two events and scored 74 points, finishing behind Bevill State (102) and beating out Emory (50.50).

Freshman Thad Gordon won both the 200 meter dash (22.83 seconds) and the 400 meter dash (52.37). The Lufkin, Texas, native also finished third in the triple jump with a leap of 14.17 meters. Freshman Raven Fuller won the mile run with a time of 4:33.30.

Sophomore Danny McBride (2:00.71) edged out sophomore Drew Conner (2:00.88) to win the 800 meter run. Sophomore Eric Ware set two school records. He won the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 7.62 seconds in the finals. Ware posted the fasted time in the 55 meter dash in the prelims, but placed third with his fastest time of day (6.51 seconds).

UCA won the distance medley relay with a time of 11:14.61. Freshman Simeon Ogboaloh won the high jump with a leap of 1.88 meters. Freshman Donovan Loring took top honors in the long jump (6.88 meters) and placed second in the triple jump (14.92 meters).

Junior Whitney Welch won the 3,000 meter run for the Sugar Bears with a time of 11:37.83. Sophomore Lori Garside won the triple jump finals with a school record jump of 9.72 meters. Garside also placed second in the high jump (1.61 meters).

Other top finishers for UCA included: junior Shamille Taylor in the 55 meter dash (7.37, 4th), sophomore Mallory Tate in the 400 meters (1:02.20, 3rd), junior Lauren Merritt in the mile run (5:44.19, 3rd) and sophomore Michelle Pitoniak in the 800 meters (2:35.36, 3rd).

The Sewanee Invitational wraps up the indoor season for UCA track. Both teams will begin the outdoor campaign at the Rhodes Open on March 17.