CULLOWHEE, N.C. (May 11, 2026) - ETSU standout distance runner Deena Ludtke brought home bronze in the 3000m steeplechase with a personal best 10:25.33 at the 2026 SoCon Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Monday at the Catamount Athletic Complex in Cullowhee. Her time surpasses her own school record of 10:28.79 set at the Wake Forest Invitational on April 16.
Ludtke, who scored silver in the steeplechase last year, led a healthy contingent of Buccaneers who all brought home team points. Eliza Everett earned SoCon All-Freshman honors in the event with a personal best 11:12.97 to finish fifth. Camryn Johnson ran an 11:18.10 to come home sixth, and Kendall Johnson posted an 11:26.18 to finish eighth. The four Bucs compiled 14 of ETSU's 25.5 points on day one.
Other scoring efforts include an All-Freshman performance in the hammer throw from Maddie Winchester, scoring five points with a fourth-place toss of 46.75m. Tyla Nicholson scored three points by coming home sixth in the hammer with a 45.71m best mark. Sophie Beach scored two points with a personal best in the 10,000m run at 36:31.43 to finish seventh, and Phia Edwards notched 1.5 points in the pole vault with a 3.05m clearance.
In the preliminary races, Micailah Cook qualified comfortably for both the 200m and 400m sprint finals with respective times of 24.10 seconds and 54.42 seconds. Katelynn Lemke turned heads by posting the fastest time in the women's 400m hurdle prelims with a personal best 1:02.72, and Meg Lance advanced to Tuesday in the 800m run with a season best 2:13.19, the fourth best time in the heats.
Brianna Fulford is second in the heptathlon with four events completed. Fulford opened fourth in the 100m hurdles before literally jumping into second place with a 1.66m high jump, the second-best mark in the field. She held her place with a personal best 10.74m shot put throw and came home eighth in the 200m sprint with a time of 27.00 seconds. Fulford will compete in the heptathlon long jump, javelin, and 800m as she seeks a second medal in the event in as many years.
With six of 21 events completed, the Bucs' 25.5 points place them fourth. Samford has opened up a commanding lead on day one with 71.5 points, leading hosts Western Carolina's 49.5.
For more information on ETSU women's track and field, go to ETSUBucs.com.
