Posted by Gene Renfro - Mon, Apr 21, 2008 - [ Men's Outdoor Track & Field ] - Viewed 212 times

BANNER ELK, N.C. - With 15 All-Appalachian Athletic Conference performances, two school records and one national qualifying mark, the Union College men's track team recorded a second-place finish in the conference standings over the weekend.

Andre Thornton (Loganville, Ga.) broke the school record en route to an AAC Championship and NAIA National Championship qualifying mark in the 400 meters. Thornton ran the lap in 48.13 seconds. He added a third-place 200 meter run. He had a time of 21.90 seconds.

Brandon Kibert (Tazewell, Tenn.) ran to an AAC title and school record with a 33 minute and 32.00 second run in the 10,000 meters. He also raced the 5,000 meters and posted a third-place and All-AAC finish. His time was 16:38.71.

Erick Coleman (Chicago, Ill.) won the triple jump with a 40 feet and 4 inch leap. He also finished second in the long jump. His best leap covered 21 feet.

Johnnie Nabors (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and Marekus Smith (Lithonia, Ga.) was third and fifth, respectively in the 100-meter dash. Nabors ran the straightaway in 10.83 seconds while smith was right behind him in 11.21 seconds. The duo also finished fourth and fifth in the 200 meters. Nabors crossed the finish line at the 22.20 second mark, .49 seconds in front of Smith.

Smith earned All-AAC honors with a 36 feet and 8.25 inch triple jump, he finished second. His 141 feet and 9 inch javelin throw was another All-AAC performance. He added a pair of fourth-place finishes in the high and long jumps. His long jump covered 20 feet and 11.25 inches while he cleared the high-jump bar at 5 feet and 2 inches.

Brennan O'Quinn (Meadowview, Va.) hurdled to a pair of All-AAC spots, in the 110 and 400 hurdles. He finished third in both events. His 110 hurdle time was 19.39 seconds while the 400 was 1:01.40.

Scotty Barnes (Ewing, Va.) and finished second in the 110 hurdles to earn All-AAC honors. Barnes finished at the 18.88 mark. In the pole vault, he cleared 8 feet for All-AAC honors. He also posted a 5 feet and 4 inch jump in the high jump for a third-place finish. In the discus throw, his best effort went 103 feet and 5 inches. He also was in the javelin throw and it went 104 feet and 8 inches. In the shot put, his best throw covered 35 feet and 10 inches.

Jared Ford (Frankfort, Ky.) used a 38 feet and 11.5 inch throw in the shot put for a second-place finish and All-AAC honors. He also threw the discus 89 feet.

The 4x100 relay team was second in the conference race with a time of 42.52. The team was comprised of Smith, Thornton, Barnes and Nabors.

Daniel Kual (Stone Mountain, Ga.) had a fifth-place finish in the 1,500 meters. He needed 4:18.77 for the event. O'Quinn also ran the 1,500 meters in 4:40.60. In the 5,000, Kual finished seventh at the 18:10.43 mark.

Cody Miller (Middlesboro, Ky.) threw the javelin 105 feet and 4 inches. James Milis (Manchester, Ky.) recorded a 38 feet and 1.5 inch throw in the shot put with a 100 feet and 5 inch toss of the discus. His shot put effort was just short of All-AAC honors.

The Bulldogs collected 102 points for a second-place finish. King (Tenn.) College was the champions with 150 points. Bryan (Tenn.) College, Milligan (Tenn.) College and Montreat (N.C.) College was third to fifth.

The AAC Championship was a part of the Tri-Conference Championship at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C. The South Atlantic Conference and Conference Carolinas, both NCAA Division II conferences, were a part of the meet.