MYRTLE BEACH (April 28) – Highlighted by an event win by senior Dorian Tolbert and a sweep in the hammer throw, the University of Mount Olive Men's Track & Field Team sits fourth in the team standings following the opening day of the Conference Carolinas Outdoor Championships on Friday.

The Trojans have totaled 30 points in the standings at the league championships with six events scored on Day 1. UMO scored in three events in the opening session, receiving most of its points in the hammer throw. North Greenville currently holds the top position with 44 points, while UNC Pembroke (39) and Belmont Abbey (35) round-out the top three overall.

In the hammer throw, Mount Olive featured four individuals among the top-eight scoring positions to capture 25 of a possible 39 points in the event. Tolbert claimed the league crown for the first time in his career following a personal-best toss of 54.24 meters to earn maximum points for UMO. Additionally, sophomore Alex Smith-Fort'e placed second overall with a distance of 53.04 meters, while teammate Israel Long rounded out the podium in third place with a personal record of 52.33 meters. Senior Joshua Faison also scored in the event and finished eighth with a distance of 44.83 meters.

Sophomore Jaleal Hamlett registered points toward the team standings in the long jump after placing sixth with a season-best mark of 6.70 meters on Friday.

Junior Nathanael Bierly also tallied points for the Trojans after earning seventh place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a personal-best time of 10 minutes, 5.47 seconds.

In the 200-meter preliminaries, senior Justen Burnette crossed the line with a blistering pace of 20.91 seconds to take first place and qualify for the finals. Junior Jontavus Walker also qualified for the finals in the event after setting a personal record of 21.78 seconds to place fifth in the prelims. The 200-meter finals are set for tomorrow, April 29, at 2:15 p.m.

Burnette placed second overall in the 100-meter preliminaries with a season-best time of 10.43 seconds to qualify for the finals. Additionally, junior QuVontre Harper will compete in the finals of the event after crossing the line in 10.84 seconds. The championship finals will take place tomorrow, April 29, at 1:25 p.m.

In the 400 meters, Walker delivered a personal best and the fastest time in the preliminaries with a mark of 48.71 seconds to earn a spot in the finals on Saturday. Sophomore Andrew Nixon also clinched a position in the finals after placing seventh overall in the prelims with a time of 50.35 seconds.

Senior Gavan Cuthbertson reached the finals of the 400-meter hurdles with a seventh-place finish in the preliminaries behind a season-best time of 57.92 seconds.

Sophomore Riley Willcox secured his spot in the 1,500-meter run with a mark of 4:09.39 and will compete in the finals on Saturday.

The Trojans return to action at the Conference Carolinas Championships tomorrow, Saturday, April 29, with events starting at 10 a.m.