SFA Heads to Hammond for SLC Championships
5/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Meet Schedule | Championship Central | Live Results
HAMMOND, La. -- Less than three months removed from a men's and women's SLC indoor sweep, the Stephen F. Austin track and field teams will go for two more team titles at the 2015 Southland Conference Outdoor Championships, held at the Southeastern Track and Field Complex in Hammond, Louisiana Friday through Sunday.
The last time both a men's and women's program swept the indoor and outdoor league titles during the same year was 2013 when SFA accomplished the feat in convincing fashion. Just two years later, the `Jacks are in a prime position to do it again on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana this weekend.
"Winning an outdoor team championship would be the perfect way to go out for all of the seniors," said two-time conference high jump champ Melai Carter. "I'm really proud of all of my teammates for the hard work they've put in this year. Everyone has put in wonderful effort to get this team into a position to win another championship this weekend."
"Winning another championship would be an amazing experience, especially as a senior," said two-time SLC champion Cody Rhodes. "Coming into this outdoor meet our team might not be the favorite to win as we were during indoor, but the whole team is looking forward to stepping up and seeing what we can do as underdogs. It's going to be a great week."
The Lumberjacks enter this weekend's meet with several events ranking in the top five of the SLC. The men's 4x400 meter relay, which is comprised of My'Lik Kerley, Joshua Taylor, Johnathan Joe, Tedrick Hawkins and Shawn Goff, has posted the fastest time in the league this season. The relay ran the mile in 3:08.51 at the Texas Relays on March 25.
The long distance events are also a strength for the men, as newcomer Charles Mathenge owns the best 10,000-meter time and the second-best 5,000-meter time in the conference this season to lead the way. Colby Mehmen enters right behind Mathenge in the 10k and Anthony Gallardo ranks fourth in the 5k.
Rhodes enters as one of the favorites in the decathlon after collecting 6,948 points at the Texas Relays in late March -- the best total in the SLC in 2015. Rhodes was the runner-up finisher in the indoor heptathlon in February. Teammate Hunter Key should also be in the hunt for a podium spot this weekend, coming in as the third ranked decathlete in the league.
Other Lumberjacks entering the meet ranked in the top five of the conference include Kerley (400m), Jeffrey Weisheit (1,500m), Taylor (400mH), Cody Brown (3,000m steeplechase), Daven Murphree (pole vault), Lucas Akins (discus) and Hunter Hopkins (javelin).
Numerous Ladyjacks will also be considered favorites this weekend in Hammond as 17 events rank among the top five in the SLC, with four top marks. The meet record will be in serious jeopardy with Demi Payne in the women's pole vault field. The collegiate record holder broke the indoor SLC Championships record on her first jump in February.
Senior Melai Carter also has her sights set on another SLC individual title after winning the high jump crown during the indoor season. Her jump of 5-8.75 (1.75m) at the SFA Skechers Carl Kight Invitational on April 2 is still the top mark in the conference this season.
The women should be able to rake in some points in the middle distances on up to the meet's longest races. Senior DeJernel Jordan comes in with the best 800-meter time, most recently running a personal best time of 2:09.71 at Rice two weeks ago.
School record holder Rana Ryan owns the third-fastest time in the 1,500-meter run, cruising her way to a 4:30.03 clip at the Mt. SAC Relays in California this season.
Courtney High and Samantha Ottman each sit in the top five at both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter distances this season. The sophomores have a firm grasp on the league's top two spots in the 10k entering Friday morning's race.
Other notable events to keep an eye on for the women will be the 400-meter hurdles and the 3,000-meter steeplechase as school record holders Stephanie White and Brittany Innis currently hold the second-best times in the SLC in their respective events. Chasity Clark (100m, 200m), Cierra Jefferson (400m), Katrina Fite (3,000m steeplechase), the women's 4x400m relay, Jessica Spelling (shot put) and Madeline Kaufmann (heptathlon) also rank in the top five this season among SLC competitors.
This weekend, the Lumerjacks are seeking their third outdoor team championship while the Ladyjacks look for team title number seven, including their sixth in the last seven years. The SFA women have won the most outdoor championships in SLC history.
The championship meet will begin Friday morning with the women's 10,000-meter run at 7:30 a.m., followed by the men's 10k run at 8:10 a.m. Men's combined events start at 9:30 a.m. Friday with women's combined events getting underway at 10:00 a.m. Field events also begin at 10:00 Friday and continue throughout the afternoon.
 
Men's and women's combined events will conclude Saturday with men's events starting at 9:00 a.m. and women's at 10:00 a.m. Preliminary running events start Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. and continue through 6:30 p.m., concluding with the men's and women's 3000-meter steeplechase finals. Field events begin at 3:00 p.m. Saturday.
 
Sunday's field events will get underway at 10:00 a.m. with running event finals beginning at noon. Team championship trophies and the meet's top male and female high-point scorer will be presented at approximately 4:00 p.m. Sunday at the conclusion of the men's 4x400-meter relay. All individual award presentations will take place immediately following the completion of each event.
 
Admission to the 2015 Southland Outdoor Track and Field Championships is $15 for all-session, three-day passes, while a youth, all-session pass is $10. An adult, single-day pass is $10 and a youth single-day pass is $5. Students at Southland institutions who present a valid student ID receive free, one-day admission.
For complete coverage of SFA's quest for team titles three and four of 2015, follow SFA track and field on Twitter (@SFA_TFXC).
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