May 21, 2021

Ten Eagles named USTFCCCA All-Region for outdoor track season

NEW ORLEANS, L.A. - Ten Carson-Newman outdoor track & field athletes were named to the USTFCCCA All-Region list on Friday, May, 7.

Devon Moore and Trayzel Jureidini-Wyche lead the way with selections in two events each, while Shane Connell, Courtavious Garrett, Isaiah Kyle, Sterling Melancon, Joseph Oreva and Josh Whitaker round out the selections for the men's side. On the women's side, Abby Owens and Nathalie Schumacher all earned All-Region laurels.

"I am extremely proud of our team this year," says Director of Cross Country and Track & Field David Needs. "The multiple All-Region honorees show the depth we had as a team this season. We had some guys like Abby, Josh and Sterling earning honors in their first outdoor season ever, while seniors Devon and Trayzel were able to earn honors in multiple events. After such a strange year, I am super proud of their hard work."

Devon Moore leads the way for the Eagles, earning honors in the 100 meter run and 200 meter run. Moore ended the regular season tied for the second-fastest time in the nation in the 100 meter run, setting a blistering mark of 10.30 seconds, tying his own school record and personal best in the event. Moore has competed in the 100 meter run 12 times in his career, winning the event six times and finishing no lower than third-place. Moore earned a third place finish in the event the last time he competed at the 2019 Outdoor National Championships.

Moore finished the season with the fourth fastest time in the nation in the 200 meter run, winning the South Atlantic Conference Championship in the event with a time of 20.78 seconds, his first-ever outdoor conference gold medal. The Baxley, Ga. native has competed in the event nine times in his career, finishing outside the top three once after placing seventh in the prelims at the 2019 Outdoor National Championships. Moore went on to finish third in the final.

This honor makes Moore a now ten-time All-Region member for his career between the indoor and outdoor seasons. Moore is also an eight-time All-American.

Trayzel Jureidini-Wyche earned All-Region honors in the discus and javelin. The senior was dominant in the discus this season, finishing no lower than fifth with two event wins, including taking home the SAC Championship with a school record toss of 51.14 meters. He would break the record again by almost two meters just two weeks later, earning an event win at the Montreat Final with a toss of 53.09 meters, just missing out on a qualifying spot in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.

Jureidini-Wyche also had a strong season in the javelin, winning the event at the Montreat Final with a toss of 48.73 meters and placing third in the event with a personal best throw of 51.69 meters. Jureidni-Wyche finished no lower than eighth this season in the event.

Sterling Melancon has been the definition of a diaper dandy in his first year in Mossy Creek. After just missing the cut in the 60 meter run during the indoor season, the Mt. Juliet, Tenn. native owns the eighth fastest time in the 100 meter run with a time of 10.36 seconds set at the Lee Last Chance Meet. The 2021 SAC Male Freshman of the Year has finished in the top-10 of 26 of his 27 races he has competed in between the indoor and outdoor season. Melancon has done all of this while still being under 18 years old, as his time in the 100 meter run ranks him ninth in the entire world for the event amongst athletes under 18.

Isaiah Kyle wrapped up his first outdoor season in almost two years with the seventh-best jump in the nation for the outdoor high jump, recording a clearance of 2.12 meters at the Montreat Final. Kyle has been the model of consistency this season for the Eagles, as the Morristown, Tenn. native has finished either first or second place in every event he has competed in this season. Kyle won the SAC Championship in the high jump this season with a clearance of 2.11 meters.

Courtavious Garrett finished just 0.02 meters from an NCAA Provisional Mark in the long jump in his first outdoor season. The freshman finished second at the SAC Outdoor Championships with a career best jump of 7.16 meters. He then shattered that mark at the Montreat Final with a jump of 7.24 meters to finish third at the meet. Garrett's lowest finish in the event during the outdoor season was fourth place at the Montreat Invitational in the rain.

After a record-breaking performance during the indoor season, Joseph Oreva battled through injury to earn all-region honors in the long jump. The freshman from Nigeria won the SAC Outdoor Championship with a meet record jump of 7.40 meters in Hickory, winning the title by 0.24 meters. Oreva finished with the 24th best jump in the nation in the long jump for Division II. Oreva was an All-American in the event during the indoor season, and was named USTFCCCA Region Male Athlete of the Year.

Josh Whitaker was the model of consistency in the pole vault for Carson-Newman, finishing inside the top-10 at every event he competed in, earning two wins. Whitaker took home the conference championship in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.50 meters. Whitaker's lowest finish was an eighth place mark at the Tennessee Challenge as the only member of a Division II team to compete at the event with a clearance of 4.43 meters. Whitaker earned All-Region during the indoor season as well in the event.

On the women's side, Abby Owens began the outdoor season with a bang, finishing either first or second in the pole vault in her first five meets of the outdoor season. Owens took home the SAC Championship in the event with a clearance of 3.37 meters. This is Owens' second All-Region honor of the year, earning All-Region in the indoor season for the pole vault as well.

Nathalie Schumacher held the top spot in the high jump for all of Division II at one point after earning a provisional mark of 1.70 meters at the Montreat Invitational. Schumacher won two event titles during the outdoor season and finished fourth at the SAC Outdoor Championships in the event. The Germany native was also All-Region during the indoor season.

Kyle, Melancon and Moore will all head to the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in Allendale, Mich. beginning on Thursday, May, 27. Live coverage can be found at ncaa.com.