Pole Vaulters Sweep SLC Weekly Awards
5/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
FRISCO, Texas -- Stephen F. Austin pole vaulters Demi Payne and Daven Murphree have each been named Southland Conference Field Athletes of the Week as announced by league officials on Monday afternoon. Payne earns the award for the second straight week and sixth time overall in 2015 while it is the first weekly honor of Murphree's young career.
Payne won her 10th individual pole vault title of 2015 on Saturday afternoon at the Longhorn Invitational. She cleared a top height of 14-9.5 (4.51m) to take first place out of the jam-packed 28-woman field. Payne won in convincing fashion, beating the second closest competitor by six inches. The 14-9.5 bar is tied for the 11th-best mark all-time in collegiate outdoor history.
A junior from New Braunfels, Texas, Payne has won four times during the 2015 outdoor season and has been the top collegiate finisher in five straight meets heading into this weekend's SLC Outdoor Championships.
Murphree also cleared a big bar at the Longhorn Invitational last weekend, flying over 17-0 (5.18m) to land a fifth place finish out of 29 men. A Second Team All-Southland Conference selection during the 2015 indoor season, he currently owns the fourth-best outdoor vault in the conference this year.
Murphree is a sophomore from Winnsboro, Texas.
Both Payne and Murphree will seek an individual title to help their teams go for the indoor/outdoor sweep at the upcoming SLC meet. The meet will be held this Friday through Sunday on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond. Payne will compete at 4:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon with Murphree set to be in action on Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m.
SFA's SLC Athlete of the Week Awards in 2015
January 14 -- Cass Brown-Stewart
January 21 -- Cass Brown-Stewart
January 21 -- Demi Payne
January 28 -- Colton Ross
January 28 -- Demi Payne
February 9 -- DeJernel Jordan
February 9 -- Demi Payne
April 8 -- Demi Payne
April 29 -- Demi Payne
May 4 -- Demi Payne
May 4 -- Daven Murphree
-SFA-
