CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Mar. 19, 2026) - The ETSU men's and women's track & field teams will open their 2026 outdoor season at the Charlotte 49er Classic in Charlotte, North Carolina, set to take place Thursday through Saturday. The multis begin on Thursday afternoon, while the bulk of the field begins competition Friday at 11 a.m.
EVENT: Charlotte 49er Classic
VENUE: Irwin Belk Track & Field Center (Charlotte, NC)
DATE: March 19-21, 2026
LIVE RESULTS: FlashResults.com
On the track, Ben Smith is entered into the 100m, 200m, and 400m sprints to start his junior year, while Josh Hunt, Conner Overly, and Garrett Hawkins will be busy in the distance events. Gavin Deery will compete in the decathlon at the 49er Classic for the second straight year.
In the field events, Charleston Southern transfer Kasey Brown and sophomore Grant Winegar will lead a young group, with Brown entering the shot put and hammer throw and Winegar in the discus and javelin. Davenport University transfer Robby Slaughter tops the Bucs' vaulters pre-event and looks to surpass his 2025 best of 4.51m.
The women's team will be led by SoCon indoor gold medalists Micaliah Cook in the 100m and 200m sprints and Tyla Nicholson in the discus and hammer throw. Cook is the reigning SoCon outdoor champion in the 200m and 400m sprints. Brianna Fulford will enter the heptathlon.
For more information on ETSU track & field, go to ETSUBucs.com.