BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Viking Men returned to the Crossplex for the second time in a week for the Samford Open in what served as the last regular season meet for the Vikings.  The unscored meet featured teams across all Divisions from JUCO to D1.  The men came away with a number of school records and a host of other personal and seasonal bests. "This was the meet I was hoping to have", remarked Coach Syverson. "This was an important meet going into the SAA Indoor Championship season and gives us a little more confidence about what is possible in two weeks."
The meet also served as the season opener for a number of the distance athletes.
 
The Distance group was highlighted by SO Andy Forsyth leading a 2-4-8 finish for the Vikings in a new indoor school record time of 1:55.65.  JR Teammate Caleb Prichett took 4^th overall in a new lifetime PR of 1:56.81 and SR Ethan Smith placed 8^th with a time of 1:57.96.  In the Men's Mile, SO T. Harris placed 5^th overall with a new lifetime PR of 4:19.50.
SR Troy Blackwood led the charge in the 3000m, opening his season just missing his lifetime PR by .3 seconds taking 3^rd overall with an 8:47.98.  JR Teammate Brooks Johnson place 7^th overall in that race.
 
The Jumps were showcased by FR Andrew Popp who cleared a lifetime PR of 4.56m, placing 4^th overall.  His new mark is a freshman school record and increases his lead in the SAA in the event.  He is now ranked #4 in the South Region and is the top freshman in the Region and ranked #62 in the Nation for D3.
 
SR Dawson Livingston led the Throwers, winning the Weight Throw title with a seasonal PR of 16.98m.  The throw is just off his school record mark from last year and is the furthest throw in the SAA so far. JR Teammate Bryson Hill had another PR weekend with a toss of 13.76m good for 6^th place overall.  FR Cody Dawson threw a PR of his own with a 12.77m throw just outside the top 8, in 9^th place.  Hill would go on to throw a PR in the Shot Put also, placing 5^th in 13.34m just ahead of Livingston who placed 6^th.
 
The last event of the meet provided the big highlight for the Sprints group as the 4x400m relay team of Braylon Kirkpatrick, Tommy Boudreaux, Corbin Dutcher, and Berkey Powell would place 5^th overall with a new indoor school record of 3:24.49, besting the previous record by over 3 seconds. All four men also had lifetime indoor PRs in their respective 200m and 400m individual sprints.
The Vikings return to action in less than two weeks at the SAA Indoor Championships, hosted by Centre College on February 27-28^th.