Championship Central
Day Three Meet Results
 
DENTON – Eight Conference USA champions were crowned on day three of the 2023 C-USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Competition of the four-day meet, hosted by North Texas at the University of North Texas Track and Field Stadium will resume Saturday at 10 a.m. CT. 
 
Rice’s Sam Welsh took home the men’s discus title as he smashed a 26-year-old meet record (John Davis, Houston, 1997) with a throw of 59.56m(195-05). He becomes the first Owl to take first place in the event. Kevin Grubbs of North Texas placed second with a mark of 58.06m(190-06), while Welsh’s teammate Sam Woodley took bronze with a 57.82m (189-08) mark. 
 
Charlotte’s Sarah Pullium became the 49ers’ first discus champion with her toss of 52.16m (171-01). Rice’s Julie Perez took silver after recording a throw of 50.57m (165-11), and FIU’s Fabrienne Foster placed third at 49.91m (163-09). 
 
In the men’s long jump, 2023 C-USA Indoor champion Christiaan Le Roux of UTSA took home gold again this season with a leap of 7.63m (25-00.50) on his third attempt. Teammate Dylan James posted 7.49m (24-07.00) on his final attempt to earn silver, while FIU’s Queshun Watson-Riggins finished third at 7.42m (24-04.25). 
 
For the women’s long jump, Oreoluwa Adamson of UTSA claimed gold with a leap of 6.22m (20-05.00). It is her second gold of the season as she won the event at the indoor championship. Teammate Ingeborg Gruenwald placed second with a mark of 6.09m (19-11.75) on her second attempt. Middle Tennessee’s Lynnika Vance earned bronze on her final attempt at 6.04m (19-09.75). 
 
Rice’s Alexander Slinkman set a conference record with a clearance of 5.43m for the gold medal. Slinkman also won and broke the indoor meet record at the 2023 C-USA Indoor Championship. North Texas’ Brock Hottel took silver as the senior cleared 5.05m (16-06.75). Decathlon runner up, Grant Levesque earned bronze with his 4.90m (16-00.75) mark. 
 
UTEP’s Jakub Belik took the men’s high jump title with a personal-best clearance of 2.16m (7-01). Junior Ese Amata of Rice placed second with a clearance of 2.13m (6-11.75), while Charlotte’s Jordan Jean-Pierre won bronze with a 2.04m (6-08.25) mark. 
 
Charlotte went 1-2 in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase as junior Karoline Daland repeated as the gold medalist, crossing the finish line in 10:34.47. Teammate Lauren Johnston took silver finishing in 10:43.16, and Middle Tennessee’s Lesego Mpshe claimed third with a time of 10:47.09. 
 
In the men’s race, UTEP’s Victor Kibiego took first, becoming the first Miner since 2015 to win gold in the event. He was followed by Charlotte’s Gunner Hogston who crossed the finish line in 8:57.49. Rounding out the podium finishers was Charlotte’s Hunter White who finished in 8:59.61.
 
Prelims action took place for the running events on Saturday afternoon, the finals will start tomorrow at 3 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the running events for free on CUSA.TV.
 
After three days of competition, Rice leads the men’s standings with 92.5 points, Charlotte is in second with 72 points and UTSA is in third with 48.5 points. On the women’s side, Rice is on top with 55 points, Charlotte holds second with 50 points and UTSA follows with 36. 
 
The championship concludes Sunday with the remainder of the field events and running finals. The women’s shot put and pole vault, and the men’s triple jump and javelin starts at 10 a.m. The men’s 4x400 relay wraps up the meet at 6 p.m. An awards ceremony will follow the conclusion of the meet.