The South Atlantic Conference and AstroTurf Present Senior Spotlights Featuring Wingate Lacrosse, Softball and Track & Field

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – In light of the recent events of the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled the remainder of the 2020 South Atlantic Conference spring sports seasons, the SAC along with its corporate partner AstroTurf will be presenting the SAC AstroTurf Senior Spotlights. These highlights will showcase the spring sports teams at each of our 12 institutions and will give fans a brief overview of the team's shortened season, while highlighting the 2020 senior student-athletes on each team.

We continue our AstroTurf Senior Spotlights with the Wingate University Bulldogs and the men's and women's lacrosse, softball and men's and women's track and field teams.

MEN'S LACROSSE

The Bulldogs men's lacrosse team finished up the 2020 season with a record of 4-2 overall, going 1-0 in SAC play. They were ranked nationally in two polls; earning a No. 12 ranking in the USLAX Magazine/Nike Poll and a No. 15 ranking in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Coaches' Poll.

Leading the way for the Bulldogs were seven seniors: Joe Cooper, Joe Ferentinos, Daniel Godwin, Even Langley, David Parker, Dominic Piazza, and Gary Pierpont.

Cooper was one of the offensive leaders for the Bulldogs, scoring 10 goals for 10 points this season. He also scooped up five ground balls and caused two turnovers.

Ferentinos closed out the season with a pair of goals and an assist for three points with two ground balls. 

Godwin recorded eight points on five goals and three assists this season, while picking up four ground balls. 

Langley, one of the leaders on the defensive side of the field, had six ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Parker appeared in three games in 2020 grabbing two ground balls.

Piazza appeared in two games, scoring a goal and scooping up two ground balls.

Pierpont played in three games and picked up one ground ball.

2020 Bulldog Men's Lacrosse Seniors

WOMEN'S LACROSSE
The Wingate women's lacrosse team went 3-5 overall and 1-0 in SAC play in 2020, including wins against North Greenville, Lincoln Memorial and Lewis. The Bulldogs closed out the season with a two-game winning streak. 

Leading the charge for the Bulldogs were five seniors: Taylor Barker, Peyton McCracken, Casey Roux, Sierra Street, and Kendall Wells.

Barker led the Bulldog defense as she started in all eight games. She picked up eight ground balls, had two draw controls and caused five turnovers.

McCracken played in seven games in 2020, scooping up a ground ball and causing a turnover.

Roux earned 14 points on 11 goals and three assists in eight games. She also had eight ground balls, 18 draw controls, and one caused turnover.

Street was another defensive force for the Bulldogs. She scooped up 11 ground balls, won two draw controls and had a team-high eight caused turnovers.

Wells was nearly unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball scoring a team-high 28 goals and seven assists for 35 points. She became the All-Time Wingate and SAC leader in goals scored with 180 goals and she is the Wingate All-Time leader in career points and is fourth in the SAC with 217.

2020 Bulldog Women's Lacrosse Seniors

SOFTBALL
The Bulldog softball team finished the 2020 season with an overall record of 13-9, going 2-0 in SAC play. The Bulldogs put together a six-game winning streak from Feb. 15 to Feb. 22 and then had a four-game stretch from March 1 to March 4 that included a sweep of Catawba. 

The softball team was led by seven seniors: Symphony Arguendas, Jordan Floyd, Jordan McDuffie, Aubrey Reep, Emma Swenson, Jessica Voncannon, and Rebekah Woods.

Arguendas appeared in six games, batting .167 with a run scored and two RBIs.

Floyd started all 22 games for the Bulldogs. She batted .357 with seven doubles, two home runs, 17 RBIs and 13 runs scored.

McDuffie finished second on the team in batting with a .444 batting average. She had a double and drove in four runs, while also scoring a pair of runs.

Reep, the 2019 SAC Softball Player of the Year, got the job done at the plate and in the circle posting a .408 batting average with six doubles, three home runs, 21 RBIs and 11 runs scored. As a pitcher, she went 7-3 with a 1.75 ERA and five complete games. She allowed just 17 runs in 68 innings with 101 strikeouts and held opponents to a .198 batting average. She was named SAC AstroTurf Pitcher of the Week on March 17.

Swenson started all 22 games for the Bulldogs, batting .348 with six doubles, two triples, nine RBIs and 20 runs scored. She was also three-for-three on stolen base attempts.

VonCannon started 19 games in 2020 batting .308 with two doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs and 10 runs scored.

Woods played in 20 games for the Bulldogs finishing the year with .283 batting average with two doubles, six RBIs and 10 runs scored.

2020 Bulldog Softball Seniors

WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD
The Bulldog women's track and field team did not compete in an outdoor season, but had a great showing during the indoor season, placing fifth at the SAC Indoor Women's Track & Field Championship. 

The Bulldogs were led by a trio of senior student-athletes: Tiyera Joseph, Janella Shipotofsky and Vanisha Wilshire.

Joseph competed in two events during the indoor season, placing 17^th in the 400-meter run at the Camel City Invitational and taking home fifth place honors in the 400m at the SAC indoor Championship. She was also part of the Bulldog's 4x400 team that placed third at the SAC Indoor Championship.

Shipotofsky competed in two indoor events this season, placing 9^th in the 3000-meter run at the JDL DMR Invitational and placing 44^th in the 3000m at the Carolina Challenge.

Wilshire did not compete in the 2020 indoor season. She previously took home second place honors in the high jump at the 2019 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships with a leap of 1.74 meters.

2020 Bulldog Women's Track & Field Seniors

MEN'S TRACK & FIELD
The Bulldog men's track and field team had an excellent indoor season, capped off by a second place finish as a team at the 2020 SAC Indoor Men's Track & Field Championships.

Leading the way for the Bulldogs were eight senior student-athletes: Alex Akers, Jovante Dockery, Bill Edwards, Javon Graham, Julian Irigoyen, Micah Kipchumba, Thomas Nulty, and Elliot Zirwas.

Akers a distance runner, did not compete during the indoor season, but last ran in the 209 SAC Cross Country Championships where he placed 74^th overall.

Dockery did not compete during the indoor season. Last competing in the 2019 SAC Indoor Championships where he was part of the 4x400 and DMR.

Edwards is a thrower for the Bulldogs. He placed third in the weight throw with a distance of 15.79 meters at the 2020 SAC Indoor Championship and was 11^th in the shot put with a throw of 12.91 meters.

Graham was an NCAA Division II National qualifier in the 60-meter hurdles, posting a season best time of 7.84 seconds at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships. He also won the 60m hurdles at the 2020 SAC Indoor Championship with a time of 7.97 seconds. 

Irigoyen did not compete during the 2020 indoor season.

Kipchumba closed out his collegiate career at the 2020 SAC Indoor Championships where he placed fourth in the 5000-meter run and seventh in the 3000-meter run.

Nulty, a sprinter and jumper, took part in the 2020 SAC Indoor Championships where he placed fifth in the 60-meter hurdles, was part of the fourth place 4x400-meter team and finished 13^th in the long jump.

Zirwas went out on top as he won both the shot put (16.19 meters) and weight throw (17.35 meter) at the 2020 SAC Indoor Championships.

2020 Bulldog Men's Track & Field Seniors

AstroTurf is an official corporate partner of the South Atlantic Conference and title sponsor of the Conference's Player of the Week awards program.

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