Date Posted: 2/17/2007

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -- In 2006 the ETSU men were able to run away with the team title, but the journey to the top at the 2007 Atlantic Sun Indoor Track and Field Championships was much tougher for the Buccaneers, who ultimately retained the crown.

Gardner-Webb entered Day 2 with a loose hold on the team title and was able to hold onto it for the first half of the day until ETSU kicked it up a notch and pulled out a 13 point win with a team total of 127 points.

Things began to turn in the right direction for the eventual champs after Michael Wright pulled out a win in the pentathlon, setting a new league record with 4,578 points along the way.

ETSU broke several A-Sun records, including the wrecking ball of Jarrod Burton who shattered the weight throw record. Burton's mark of 57-10 1/4 (17.63m) in the event extended the conference record by 9-7 3/4 (2.94m) and assisted in the come-from-behind victory.

In all, 11 men's records were replaced at the conference meet.

Although they did not finish first, Gardner-Webb did not fall far from the top as the Runnin' Bulldogs finished the event in a second-place tie with Belmont after collecting 114 total team points.

The Bruins had a fine day on the track as they captured four individual titles and won both relay events.

Individually for Belmont, Channing Twyner won the 60-meter dash and swept the distance events, all in record-breaking times.

Hillary Cheruiyot won the mile run for Belmont and was named both the Most Outstanding Freshman Performer and co-Most Outstanding Track Performer of the meet for his efforts.

Other award winners include ETSU's Michael Wright (co-Most Outstanding Track Performer), Gardner-Webb's Jake Didion (Most Outstanding Field Performer) and ETSU coach Dave Walker (Coach of the Year).