Wingate Leads After Record-Breaking Day One at SAC Indoor Championships

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (theSAC.com) – Records fell and titles were contested as Day One of the 2026 SAC Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships roared to life. Wingate leads the charge on both sides, but Day Two promises more fireworks.

Women's Highlights
Wingate holds a slim 47-45 lead over Catawba after six scored events. Lincoln Memorial (31) and UVA Wise (28.5) round out the early leaders, with Anderson (28) and Carson-Newman (19) close behind.

• Wingate showed depth, scoring double digits in three events. The 5000m saw Bulldogs take four of the top seven spots, and Ally Holmberg paced the day with a pentathlon victory (3,724) and a long jump win.
• Catawba's Madison Clay topped the 5000m, while Hannah Caudill was third. The Indians also set a meet record with a 12:03.90 DMR victory and got eight points from Efemena Egberi's long jump runner-up leap of 5.72m.
• Lincoln Memorial owned the weight throw with three of the top seven finishers, led by Ashley Parris (16.78m). UVA Wise's runners-up effort in that event added 14 points.

Men's Highlights & Team Standings
Wingate dominated the men's standings after Day One, scoring 64 points to build a big early lead. Anderson (29), Newberry (19), Lenoir-Rhyne (16) and Mars Hill (15) fill out the top five.

• The Bulldogs swept the 5000m, with Lars Laros breaking the meet record in 13:57.00.
• Micah Walker's 18.53m weight throw helped Wingate pile up 15 points in that event.
• Anderson scored 14 points from a busy pole vault group (5-8) and posted a meet-record 10:11.83 DMR to lead that event.
• Newberry's Ryan Wright cleared 4.55m to win the pole vault, and Lenoir-Rhyne's Tobechukwu Nwokocha set a long jump meet record at 7.54m.

Women's Team Scores – Day One

1. Wingate – 47
2. Catawba – 45
3. Lincoln Memorial – 31
4. UVA Wise – 28.5
5. Anderson (S.C.) – 28
6. Carson-Newman – 19
7. Lenoir-Rhyne – 9.5
8. Mars Hill – 9
9. Tusculum – 8
10. Newberry – 5
11. Emory & Henry – 2
12. Coker – 1

Men's Team Scores – Day One

1. Wingate – 64
2. Anderson (S.C.) – 29
3. Newberry – 19
4. Lenoir-Rhyne – 16
5. Mars Hill – 15
6. Tusculum – 12
7. UVA Wise – 12
8. Catawba – 10
9. Emory & Henry – 9
10. Carson-Newman – 8
11. Lincoln Memorial – 1