harris - socon 2026
Randall K. Wolf

Men's Track and Field

Men’s Track and Field takes sixth at SoCon Outdoor Championships

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Behind Cameron Thomas' individual pole vault title Monday and freshman Deonte Harris' second-place finish in the triple jump Tuesday, the VMI men's track and field team came in sixth place overall to complete the 2026 Southern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina
 
Complete Results
 
Samford won its seventh straight team title with 238.5 points while host Western Carolina came in second with 180.5. Furman came in third with 109 points while The Citadel (87.5) and Wofford (64) finished just ahead of VMI's 50.5 points. The Keydets defeated ETSU (47) and UNCG (36) in team point totals.
 
Harris placed second in the triple jump with a distance of 14.37 meters to earn All-Conference honors for the event.
 
Excellent Finishes
*Senior Isaiah Blount came in fourth in the discus with a PR distance of 46.58 meters. Tazewell Rae (6th) and Elisha Williams (13th) also competed in the event
*Rye Jackson placed fourth in the 400m finals with a new PR time of 48.29 seconds
*In the high jump, freshmen Vahin Middough (4th, 1.95m) and Halim Hardnett (6th, 1.95m) showed well for the Keydets
*Harris also competed in the 110m hurdles finals and finished sixth overall in 15.09 seconds
*Rae and Williams competed in the shot put. Rae came in sixth with a distance of 15.55 meters while Williams placed ninth at 14.67 meters
*In the 1500m run, freshman Cameron Lambert came in 10th for VMI with a new PR time of 3:58.53
 
VMI Director of Track and Field Zack Scott
"Our men competed with a lot of heart and momentum throughout the championship meet. The day started strong with Isaiah Blount and Tazewell Rae both hitting personal bests in the discus, which really set the tone for the group. As the day continued, athletes like Vahin Middough and Halim Hardnett in the high jump and Rye Jackson in the 400m kept that energy moving forward with strong performances. Tazewell came back and added another personal best in the shot put, which was a great way to finish the championship. I'm proud of the fight, growth, and competitiveness this team showed from start to finish."
 
Team Scores
1. Samford - 238.5 (7th straight title)
2. Western Carolina - 180.5
3. Furman - 109
4. The Citadel - 87.5
5. Wofford - 64
6. VMI - 50.5
7. ETSU - 47
8. UNCG - 36
 
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Isaiah Blount

Isaiah Blount

Multi
Senior
Cameron Thomas

Cameron Thomas

Pole Vault
Sophomore
Elisha Williams

Elisha Williams

Throws
Sophomore
Rye Jackson

Rye Jackson

Distance
Freshman
Tazewell Rae

Tazewell Rae

Throws
Freshman
Deonte Harris

Deonte Harris

Jumps/Sprints
Freshman
Cameron Lambert

Cameron Lambert

Distance
Freshman
Vahin Middough

Vahin Middough

Jumps
Freshman
Halim Hardnett

Halim Hardnett

Jumps
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Isaiah Blount

Isaiah Blount

Senior
Multi
Cameron Thomas

Cameron Thomas

Sophomore
Pole Vault
Elisha Williams

Elisha Williams

Sophomore
Throws
Rye Jackson

Rye Jackson

Freshman
Distance
Tazewell Rae

Tazewell Rae

Freshman
Throws
Deonte Harris

Deonte Harris

Freshman
Jumps/Sprints
Cameron Lambert

Cameron Lambert

Freshman
Distance
Vahin Middough

Vahin Middough

Freshman
Jumps
Halim Hardnett

Halim Hardnett

Freshman
Jumps