SFA Grabs Nine First Place Finishes at Carl Kight Invitational & Multi

Thursday, April 11

Nacogdoches, Texas

Stephen F. Austin

SFA Grabs Nine First Place Finishes at Carl Kight Invitational & Multi

4/14/2024 7:00:00 PM | Track & Field

By: Jace Green, Assistant for Strategic Communications

NACOGDOCHES, Texas- The Stephen F. Austin track and field team hosted their first meet this year.  Homer Bryce Stadium was the stage for the Carl Kight Invitational & Multi, over a three-day span.  SFA grabbed nine 1st place finishes.  The Lumberjacks honored this year's seniors with Saturday also featuring Senior Day.

Head Coach Robert Hansen was ecstatic to host this year's edition of the Carl Kight invitational & Multi.  "The Carl Kight meet is special to our program.  Competing at home means a lot to us and we certainly rose to the occasion," said Head Coach Hansen.

Stephen F. Austin's men posted five 1st place victories.  Jarvis Anderson led the way for the Lumberjacks, after placing first in the 400m hurdles (51.62) and triple jump (15.28m).  SFA's freshmen showed out, as Nathan Kapel and Gideon Mengich also notched first place victories.

Kapel ran a 3:52.72 to claim the top spot in the 1500m. Mengich sat atop the 5000m standings with a time of 3:52.72, knocking 30 seconds off of his lifetime best and running the second fastest time in school history.  Cole Szedga rounded out the 1st place finishes for the men.  He finished the javelin with a mark of 64.50m in the javelin.

Stephen F. Austin's women's team had four 1st place finishes.  Senior Rachel Taylor notched two first place finishes.  She claimed the number one overall spot in the 800m (2:10.74) and the 3000 steeplechase (10:58.00).  It was her fastest steeplechase in two years which she followed with a new PR in the 800m.

Maggie Marshall finished first overall in the 5000m with a time of 17:42.14.  With a mark of 3.90m, Kira Van Den Ham grabbed the top spot in the pole vault.

The Lumberjacks came to compete, as 75% of SFA's competing roster posted lifetime bests.  "The group was hungry, and they flat out got after it! Im proud of our whole team effort in everything we did this weekend," said Head Coach Robert Hansen.

On Saturday, Stephen F. Austin recognized their seniors and graduating class for this season.  Cameron Antoine, Michael Bayley, Teralyn Guardado, Annie King, Maggie Marshall, Samuel Martinez, Allyson McCutcheon, Maxwell Murphy, Sheldon Noble, Keaton Parker, Montana Piper, and Rachel Taylor were all recognized as 2024 track & field seniors.

Stephen F. Austin's track & field team will have two separate groups travel this upcoming week.  SFA will be taking part in the Michael Johnson Invitational, hosted by Baylor in Waco, Texas.  The Lumberjacks will also take part in the Mt. SAC Relays, in Torrance, Calif.  Both meets will last two days (April 19th-20^th).