Throwers Have Big Weekend in Baton Rouge
1/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Jan. 28, 2002
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Stephen F. Austin track and field coach Phil Olson said Monday that he was pleased with the overall performance of the SFA track and field teams this past weekend at the LSU Purple Tiger Invitational in Baton Rouge. For the second straight outing a new school record was set and overall times and marks were better against tougher competition.
Destine Rawls shattered the SFA record for the women's shot put with a throw of 50'5", which earned her a third place finish at the event. Ashley Blake-Gordon was right on her heels with a throw of 48'8" to finish in fourth place. Rawls set the previous record the week before at the University of Houston Invitational in Houston. Rawls' effort places her fifteenth in the nation in the indoor season and is a provisional qualifying mark. Blake-Gordon missed a provisional qualifier by only five centimeters.
Misty Ballard Swan, a senior from Carlsbad, New Mexico, finished second in the women's pole vault with a vault of 12'5". The SFA and Southland Conference record holder won the event in Houston last week. She enters the 2002 indoor season as the SLC favorite in the event.
J.W. Potter, a senior from Big Sandy, turned in a time of 1:54.28 in the men's 800-meter run for a third place finish. The time is the third fastest in the SLC this season. Andre Ford, a freshman from DeKalb, Texas, also turned in a fifth place finish in the men's triple jump with a mark of 48'4".
Two other Ladyjack track and field athletes also turned in good times at the event. Jocelyn Stevens, a freshman from Schertz, ran the 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.90 seconds and Teresa Murray, a freshman from Abilene, cleared 5'5" in the women's high jump.
"I was pleased with the continued improvement in the team. I thought we looked much sharper at this meet as compared to the one last week in Houston. Our times were a little better this week against much tougher competition and I thought up and down the team, we competed better," said Olson.
The SFA track teams return to Houston this coming Saturday for the Houston All-Comers Meet at the University of Houston Indoor track facility.
