May 18, 2016

Six Eagles named All-Southeast Region selections

NEW ORLEANS—Six Carson-Newman track and field athletes were named to the All-Southeast Region team across a span of eight events the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced Wednesday afternoon.

NEW ORLEANS—Six Carson-Newman track and field athletes were named to the All-Southeast Region team across a span of eight events the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced Wednesday afternoon.

Kevin Snead (Richmond, Va.), Tanner Stepp (Jefferson City, Tenn.) and Marshall Shank (Granite Quarry, N.C.) represent the men from the Eagles' roster while Tori Gaul (Salisbury, N.C.), Samantha Gudger (Bristol, Tenn.) and Tiana Mills (Chattanooga, Tenn.) accounted for the women.

"To have people ranked in the region, especially region champions like Kevin, Tori and Marshall being second, that says a lot about what we are trying to accomplish here," coach David Needs said following the release. "We want people who are not just placing but are going out and winning region championships. To have people like Tiana and Kevin in multiple events and Tanner to do this in all four seasons he has been here so far is really good.

"This will be Samantha's fourth selection as well in the high jump. We have some people who are coming in here and getting the job done. Marshall in the pole vault is another example of someone who just comes in here and competes. I wish we had a few more but that's something we can work on for next year. Most of the people who earned all-region this season are going on to compete in the outdoor championships which is great."

Snead is coming off the most successful outdoor season a Carson-Newman sprinter has ever had in the longevity of the program. Currently ranked first in Division II following his school record time of 10.21 seconds in the men's 100 meter dash at the North Carolina Aggie Last Chance Meet last weekend on May 15, the junior has beaten a number of Division I runners and Olympic hopefuls throughout the season.

The sprinter was also named all-region for the 200 meter dash where his best time on the season came in another school record-breaking performance at the Jesse Owens Track & Field Classic on April 22 following a 20.75 second time. Snead currently ranks sixth in the event for Division II.

The Richmond, Va. native was the region champion in both events and also earned all-region honors following his All-American 2016 indoor campaign.

The latest all-region selection for Stepp is the fourth of his career as the jumper has been appointed to the postseason honor at the conclusion of each season the sophomore has competed in thus far into his career.

The three-time All-American's high point thus far into the 2016 also came in last weekend's North Carolina Aggie Last Chance Meet where the sophomore extended his own outdoor school record in the event to 2.13 meters in the men's high jump. Stepp currently sits fourth in the Division II polls for the event.

Earning her third-career selection to the All-Southeast Region team is C-N's pole vaulter Gaul. The field athlete holds both of Carson-Newman's pole vaulting records for the indoor and outdoor sectors and set her season high back on April 1 at the High Point Vertklasse Meeting after completing the trial with a 3.81 meter mark. The South Atlantic Conference and Southeast Region champion in the event is currently ranked 20^th in Division II.

Carson-Newman's other multi-event selection was Mils in both the women's long and triple jumps. Mills saved her best performance of the season thus far in both events for the Aggie Last Chance Meet where the junior extended her program record in the event to 12.13 meters on her final jump in the triple. Mills also reset her personal-best in the long jump on the season during the meet, leaping 5.59 meters.

Mills currently sits at No. 20 in Division II for the triple jump after placing one-tenth better than Brittani Reagan and Ine Mylie who finished the season with a tie for 21^st overall at 12.12 meters in the triple jump.

The latest accolade for Mills marks the fourth time in her career the junior has been an all-region selection.

All four of the above aforementioned will continue their impressive seasons next week at the 2016 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Bratenton, Fla.

The Eagles' other two representatives on the All-Southeast region team were sophomore Gudger in the women's high jump and freshman Shank in the men's pole vault.

Like Stepp, the accolade comes in as many seasons the sophomore Gudger has competed in during her collegiate career. The fourth All-Southeast region selection for the Bristol, Tenn. native follows a season-high leap of 1.60 meters in the event.

Shank's best showing on the year came back on March 24 at the 2016 Adidas Winthrop University Invitational where the true freshman shattered a Carson-Newman program record after recording a 4.75 meter mark in the men's pole vault.

The field athlete was a South Atlantic Conference champion in the event and was second-overall in the Southeast region come season's end.

Stay tuned into cneagles.com for updates leading up to the 2016 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships as well as all offseason coverage for Carson-Newman track and field.

Name	Event
Kevin Snead	100 Meter Dash
Kevin Snead	200 Meter Dash
Tiana Mills	Long Jump
Tiana Mills	Triple Jump
Tanner Stepp	High Jump
Marshall Shank	Pole Vault
Tori Gaul	Pole Vault
Samantha Gudger	High Jump