Year of the 'Jacks - January
7/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
2014-15 proved to be arguably the most memorable year in the history of Stephen F. Austin Athletics. Nine regular season conference titles, three NCAA postseason appearances, seven Coach of the Year honors, seven All-Americans, 23 Southland Conference major award winners, a national runner-up showing and the program's first Division I national champion. Over the next few weeks, SFAJacks.com looks back at the highlights of SFA's historic 2014-15 season, a season which came to be known as the "Year of the `Jacks."
JANUARY
Records: Men's Basketball (8-0); Women's Basketball (6-2); Tennis (2-1)
Nights of #PurpleLights: 12
Jan. 5 - MBB - SFA Routs SLU 81-66 In Late-Night Affair

SFA picked up its 11th win in a row, taking down the Lions for head coach Brad Underwood’s 20th-straight SLC victory. Thomas Walkup and Jacob Parker each finished with double-doubles in the win.
Jan. 8 – WBB – Ladyjacks Catch Fire, Blow Out Sugar Bears
The SFA women’s basketball team shot a sizzling 83.3 percent (10-for-12) from three-point range in a 73-46 rout of Central Arkansas for the team’s first SLC road win of the season. Sophomore guard Brentney Branch exploded off the bench for a career-high 23 points, hitting all five of her shots from deep to lead the Ladyjacks.
Jan. 17 – T&F – Payne Sets Collegiate Indoor Pole Vault Record
In just her second meet of the 2015 indoor season, Demi Payne broke the collegiate indoor pole vault record for the first time at the Texas A&M Track Invitational. She recorded a top jump of 15-2.25 (4.63m) to take the record from Arkansas’ Sandi Morris. 
Jan. 17 - MBB – Walkup’s Career High Fuels SFA Past ACU, 82-64

Thomas Walkup poured in a career-best 30 points on 14-for-17 shooting, keying SFA to an 18-point victory over Abilene Christian. The win was the 13th in a row for the Jacks’, and gave SFA a 4-0 mark to start conference play. Senior Jacob Parker joined the 1,000-point club in the game.
Jan. 19 - MBB – Walkup Named SLC Player of the Week

The first Jack to win the conference’s weekly award in 2015, Thomas Walkup was named SLC Player of the Week after terrific performances against Abilene Christian and Central Arkansas. The junior averaged 25 points, six assists and 4.5 rebounds in the two games helping SFA remain perfect in SLC play.
Jan. 20 – BOWL – SFA Named Member of Inaugural Southland Bowling League
Stephen F. Austin was one of eight schools named as inaugural members of the Southland Bowling League. The Ladyjacks, joined by four other nationally-ranked bowling programs, instantly made the league one of the best in NCAA bowling.
Jan. 22 – WBB – SFA Knocks Off Lamar to Move Into First
The Ladyjacks jumped out to a quick 21-point lead in the first half and held off a late push by Lamar to win 59-55 on the road and leapfrog into first place. Porsha Roberts and Taylor Ross combined for 24 of SFA’s 36 first half points and the Ladyjacks never looked back en route to their fifth straight victory.
Jan. 24 – T&F – Payne Soars Past Own Collegiate Record
One week after claiming the best women’s indoor pole vault mark in collegiate history, Demi Payne broke her own record not once, but twice, on January 24 at the University of New Mexico Lobo Collegiate Open in Albuquerque. The SFA senior surpassed 15-3 (4.65m) on her first attempt and then tackled 15-7 (4.75m) on her first run to break her old national standard of 15-2.25 (4.63m). The 15-7 jump gave Payne the No. 3 mark on the all-time U.S. women’s indoor performers list.
Jan. 24 – MBB – Lumberjacks Roar Past Bearkats in Huntsville
SFA raced out to an early 12-1 run, holding rival Sam Houston State without a field goal for the first 10 minutes of the game, racing past its in-state rival 79-68 in Huntsville. Four Lumberjacks scored in double figures, led by Thomas Walkup’s 17 points with Ty Charles adding 16 in the victory as SFA moved into sole possession of first place in the SLC standings.
Jan. 24 – WTEN – SFA Opens Season with Convincing Win Over Mustangs

Opening its competition season against Midwestern State, SFA earned sweeps from each of the top five singles positions. Malena Gordo picked up a win from the top slot, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Jan. 27 – T&F – Payne Named National Athlete of the Week for Third Time in Two Weeks
After breaking the indoor collegiate pole vault record three times in the span of eight days, Demi Payne was honored with several honors and awards. In consecutive weeks, the senior was named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week while also being tabbed the National Athlete of the Week by the USATF on Jan. 22. 
Jan. 30 – FB – Johnson Receives NFL Combine Invite
After his record-breaking 2014 season, senior running back Gus Johnson received an invitation to participate in the 2015 NFL Combine in Indianapolis. A four-time All-American as a senior, Johnson was one of just two Southland Conference players invited to the event for the top collegiate prospects.
Jan. 31 – MBB – Underwood Nets 50th Career Win, SFA Beats TAMUCC 61-51

Head coach Brad Underwood tied for the fifth-fastest head coach to reach 50 career wins at the Division I level as SFA downed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 61-51. He joined “Buck” Freeman (St. John’s, 1930) and Brad Stevens (Butler, 2009) by winning 50 of his first 56 games as a Division I head coach.
Jan. 31 – WBB – Ladyjacks Smother Islanders at Home, 64-55
SFA forced a season-high 27 turnovers and got double digit scoring efforts from Taylor Ross, Porsha Roberts and Tierany Henderson to come away with a 64-55 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on January 31. The win marked the ninth straight for the Ladyjacks at home and 15th straight over the Islanders dating back to 2004-05.
Jan. 31 – T&F – Mathenge Breaks 3,000m School Record in Seattle
In a loaded field of some of the best distance runners in the country, Charles Mathenge cruised to a school record in the 3,000-meter run in Seattle at the UW Invitational. He posted a time of 8:15.82 to break the previous indoor school record of 8:24.79 set in 2012. The Ol Kalou, Kenya native placed 15th overall and was the ninth best collegiate runner in the event.
"Year of the `Jacks" By The Numbers
Regular Season Conference Titles: 9
Total Number of Conference Titles: 10
NCAA Postseason Appearances: 4
All-Americans: 7
National/USA Champions: 2
SLC Major Award Winners: 23
SLC Players of the Year: 6
SLC/National Coaches of the Year: 7
First team All-SLC selections: 43
Total All-SLC selections: 105
Capital One Academic All-District selections: 11
Capital One Academic All-Americans: 2
SLC Student-Athletes of the Year: 3
SLC All-Academic Team selections: 24
"Year of the `Jacks" Release Schedule
August/September: Friday, June 19
October: Friday, June 26
November: Friday, July 3
December: Friday, July 10
January: Friday, July 17
February: Friday, July 24
March: Friday, July 31
April: Friday, August 7
May/June: Friday, August 14
-SFA-
