Olson, Payne Earn Prestigious SLC Honors
2/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
SLC Release
FRISCO, Texas - Stephen F. Austin track and field standout Demi Payne has been named the 2015 Southland Conference Outstanding Field Performer while head coach Phil Olson earns Coach of the Year honors for both the men and women, the league office announced on Wednesday afternoon in conjunction with the Indoor All-Conference teams.
With two more coach of the year accolades, Olson has now been selected as the league's top coach 19 times between the indoor and outdoor seasons during his 16-year SFA career. He was last recognized as the top coach at the conclusion of the 2013 indoor season - for both the men and the women.
Olson led the Lumberjacks and Ladyjacks to two team titles at the SLC Indoor Championships last week to conclude the indoor conference season. His teams combined to win nine events overall to hoist the championship trophies for the first time since 2013.
In her first Southland Conference Championships, Payne broke a meet record in the pole vault to win the event with a jump of 14-0.50 (4.28m). With her 14-plus foot vault, Payne also became the Ladyjacks' first pole vault champion since 2008 when Kelsea David outlasted the field.
Payne's latest SLC achievement comes on the heels of a huge senior season. She broke the NCAA record three times to start the year and currently owns five of the top six jumps in women's NCAA history. She will look to improve on her top mark of 15-7 (4.75m) when she competes against the nation's best at the U.S. Indoor Championships in Boston this Sunday.
Along with the individual award winners, the Southland also announced the 2015 Indoor Track and Field All-Conference Teams on Wednesday afternoon. The three teams were comprised of the first, second and third place finishers in the SLC Championships held in Birmingham, Alabama on Feb. 16-17.
SLC individual event champions and first team performers include: Payne (pole vault), Brarysheyia Simpson (60m), Chasity Clark (200m), Melai Carter (high jump), Shambrail Woods (pentathlon), Cass Brown-Stewart (400m), Charles Mathenge (5,000m), Cameron Meyer (pole vault), and the men's 4x400 meter relay consisting of Brown-Stewart, Johnathan Joe, Joshua Taylor and My'Lik Kerley.
Runner-up finishers and second team all-conference selections include: Kerry Gleason (60m hurdles), Daven Murphree (pole vault), Cody Rhodes (heptathlon), Trey Darty (long jump), the women's 4x400 team (Keshia Tryon, Cierra Jefferson, Jessica Hatchett and DeJernel Jordan) and the women's distance medley relay (Taylor Anderson, Valerie Osmar, Katrina Fite and Rana Ryan).
Rounding out the all-conference teams are the third place finishers in their respective events. Third teamers include: Trevon Caudle (60m), Aliyah Davis (200m), Simpson (400m), Ryan (women's mile) and Madeline Kaufmann (pentathlon).
For a complete list of the all-conference teams and individual honors, click here.
-SFA-
