Multi winner Fakler leads Nuggets to 3rd straight GCAC team title

Gold Nuggets score 202 points, win GCAC championship in women’s outdoor
 track and  field for third consecutive year and fourth time in five years

2015 GCAC PHOTO GALLERY

NEW ORLEANS -- Catherine Fakler won four individual events and anchored a winning relay team Saturday, leading Xavier University of Louisiana to its third consecutive women's team title in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium.

Fakler, a senior with a cumulative 4.0 grade-point average, won the 3,000-meter steeplechase (12 minutes, 45.41 seconds), 800 (2:29.43), 1,500 (5:10.86) and 5,000 (22:26.21). Fakler erased a 75-meter deficit during the final segment to give the Gold Nuggets a nearly 3-second victory in the 3,200 relay (10:38.28).

Fakler won the 1,500 for the fourth consecutive year and the 5,000 and steeplechase for the third straight year.

The Gold Nuggets scored 202 points, 44 more than runner-up Edward Waters. Dillard was third with 138 points, and SUNO was fourth with 65.

In the men's division, Edward Waters scored 156 points to win for the third time in four years. Dillard (121 points), SUNO (103) and Xavier (83) finished 2-3-5. The XU men's point total was more than double the average Gold Rush score at the previous four GCAC meets.

"This was my last conference meet, so I wanted to do well. I wanted to win every race," Fakler said. "I thought we had a chance to win the relay with about 300 meters to go. The (Edward Waters) runner ahead of me was really slowing down. My teammates were screaming for me to catch her, so there was no option but to try to win it."

In the 5,000, Fakler lapped all eight of her opponents, including three teammates. She won by nearly two minutes.

Also winning a fourth consecutive title was XU senior Devinn Rolland in the women's long jump (18 feet, 1 inch). Rolland missed on opportunities to win fourth consecutive titles in the 100 and 200. She placed fourth in the 100, third in the 200 and helped the 400 relay team finish second.

Also winning for Xavier's women were Terri Cunningham in the 400 hurdles (school-record 1:05.72) and high jump (4-11), Tylor Row in the 100 hurdles (school-record 15.26) and Drew Chatters in the javelin (meet-record 116-5). Hannah Finnegan, Reeka Belton and Zahri Jackson teamed with Fakler on the champion 3,200 relay.

Row and Chatters are freshmen.

Xavier's Alex Xavier won the men's 110 hurdles (15.05), and Christopher August won the 5,000 (17:09.13). August's victory denied teammate Kwame Jackson a fourth consecutive conference title in that event. Jackson finished second in 18:22.48.

Ten Gold Nuggets scored in two or more individual events, and nine scored 10 or more points.

"We knew it would be difficult to repeat as women's champion," XU coach Joseph Moses said. "But we had a lot of help in a lot of areas. Our ladies stepped up and did a great job."

The women's title was the 22nd in Moses' 10 seasons at Xavier. Moses' teams have won four championships in women's outdoor track and nine apiece in women's and men's cross country.

Next for the Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush will be the Southern Miss Invitational April 24-25 at Hattiesburg, Miss.

Results:  Men    Women 

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/