Milligan College Buffaloes

Johnson City, Tenn. (March 26, 2009) --- Milligan's men's and women's track and field teams started their season on Thursday at the Milligan Relays which they hosted. The Buffs and Lady Buffs picked up five wins and two meet records.

Milligan College sophomore Chelsea Leavell (Springfield, Tenn.) opened her outdoor season with four top three finishes at the Milligan Relays. She started off the day with a victory in the women's shot put. Her throw of 12.51 meters was a personal best, school record, and Milligan Relays record. Leavell finished second in both the javelin throw and discus throw, and third in the hammer throw.

Also picking up wins for the Lady Buffs were senior Jacklyn Talbert (Mt. Carmel, Tenn.), who won the 800-meters in a meet record time of 2:18.53, and senior Nicole Moore (Boise, Id.), who won the women's 1500-meters with a time of 4:47.71. The relay team of Nicole Moore, Jacklyn Talbert, Shanna Raines (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Lyndsay Oltmann (Johnstown, Ohio) won the women's 4 x 400 meter relay. Sophomore Lili Zaldana (Bristol, Tenn.) finished second in both the 1500-meters and 3000-meters while sophomore Kayli Bates (Wise, Va.) finished second in the women's triple jump and third in the 100-meter hurdles.

Milligan's men were led by the winning 4 x 400-meter relay team of Dwayne Jordan (Kissimmee, Fla.), Aaron Wood (Aurora, Colo.), Brendan Hawkins (Limestone, Tenn.) and Mike Kaal (Gilbert, Ariz.). Senior Jamal Phelps finished second in the men's triple jump, while freshman Dwayne Jordan crossed the line in third in the men's 400-meters. Junior Aaron Wood picked up a new lifetime best good enough for fifth place in the men's 1500-meters; senior Wegene Degefa (Rochester, N.Y.) placed fifth in the men's 3000-meters and freshman Tanner Payne (Georgetown, Tenn.) finished fifth in the men's shot put.