Friday, February 13
Houston, TX
Stephen F. Austin
at
Howie Ryan Invitational
Photo by: Sarah Williams
Return Trips to Fayetteville, Houston on Tap for SFA Track & Field
2/12/2026 12:43:00 PM | Track & Field
Jacks prep with final tune-up before SLC Indoor Championships
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Final tune-ups are in order for Stephen F. Austin track & field this weekend as the Jacks split up for return trips to Fayetteville and Houston. SFA's top distance runners will take on the Tyson Invitational hosted by the University of Arkansas (Feb. 13 & 14), while the remainder of the squad heads back to Houston for the Howie Ryan Invitational (Feb. 13).
LIVE COVERAGE
Howie Ryan Invitational
Watch: YouTube
Live Results: flashresultstexas.com
Tyson Invitational
Watch: SEC Network+
Live Results: flashresults.com
THIS WEEKEND
* In Fayetteville, the Jacks return for a second competition from inside Randal Tyson Track Center. Among the 49 other teams in action, five of the South Central Region's top ten men's teams (No. 2 Arkansas, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 LSU, No. 6 SFA, No. 7 TCU) and five of the SCR's top ten women's teams (No. 1 Arkansas, No. 3 Texas, No. 5 LSU, No. 6 TCU, No. 9 Tarleton State) will be present.
* Riley Elliott earned a placement in the 1-mile championship at the Tyson Invitational. The gun fires at 3 p.m. on February 14 with Elliott competing against athletes from Oklahoma State (5), Tennessee (2), Iowa State (1), CSU Pueblo and Great Britian.
* Valentine Jemutai and Mercy Kipchumba will run in both the 1-mile and 3000m events.
* Robert Fulle will take on the men's 800m and the 1-mile run, while Pablo Lesarri joins him in the 1-mile and will also compete in the 3000m.
* Multiple SFA athletes are set to compete in nearly every event in Houston highlighted by five sprinters in the women's 60m prelims and 200m, while the Jacks place three pole vaulters in both the men's and women's competitions.
TFRI: Track & Field Rating Index (As of February 10)
The most recent updates to the USTFCCCA's Regional Track & Field Rating Index have the SFA men up one spot to sixth in the South Central Region (SCR) and first among all non-high major teams, while the SFA women rank third in the SLC and are inside the region's top 20 at 19th. The SFA men lead the SLC TFRI by nearly 110.00 total points.
TOP 20 NATIONALLY
A hot start on the indoor distance circuit, specifically in the 5000m, for both the SFA men and women has each program inside the top 20 nationally in the USTFCCCA Event Squad rankings for a second-straight week. The SFA women are currently 19th (17th last week) in the country, with an event average time of 16:45.83. Five SFA women are regionally ranked inside the run's top 16 with Valentine Jemutai leading with currently the sixth-fastest time this indoor season. The SFA men are slotted 20th and average 14:12.52 per result. Six Lumberjack men rank inside the top 20 in the SCR in the 5000m event with Paul Kiprotich pacing the group with the region's fourth-fastest time.
NOTES & NUMBERS
* Five SFA women are ranked inside the top 15 of the South Central Region across a pair of events.
* Most recently, Basia Mitchell posted a top 15 event result with the SCR's 12th highest pentathlon score this indoor campaign at 3,711.
* Jemutai and Mitchell pace the Southland in the 5000m and pentathlon, respectively, while two dozen more efforts are inside the league's top 10.
* Evaline Chepkoech's program record mile time of 4:46.66 is currently the 17th fastest in the region.
* Seven other Jacks hold top 30 SCR results/marks/times entering the weekend.
* Nathan Kapel (3000m), Paul Kiprotich (5000m), Keyshawn Garcia (800m), Bryson Williams (TJ) and Kason Reed (WT) all lead the Southland in their respective events
* Williams' TJ mark is the highest rated result (3rd) for the SFA men within the SCR.
* Samuel Pavan's heptathlon total of 5,270 is currently the second highest in the SLC and 10th in the SCR.
* In total, 21 marks/times/totals hold a top 35 standing in the SCR.
JUMP MAN, JUMP MAN, JUMP MAN… AGAIN
A week after being named the Southland Conference's Men's Field Athlete of the Week (Feb. 3) after an impressive effort in winning the triple jump event (15.86m) at the Robert Platt Invitational hosted by Houston, Bryson Williams claimed the honor for a second-consecutive week as he landed 16.04m (52-7.5) to finish second at the Charlie Thomas Invitational in College Station. That mark improved his previous second all-time mark of 15.86m, and it currently stands as the 15th longest mark in the event this season and leads all non-high major jumpers.
THE NEW STANDARD
Four SFA indoor records have fallen this season. Half of the new results were produced last weekend in College Station and came from a pair of first-year Jacks. Keyshawn Garcia flew to a new program standard in the men's 800m (1:49.16), while Evaline Chepkoech ran the fastest female mile in program history (4:46.66). Cross country standouts Valentine Jemutai and Nathan Kapel have placed their names atop two indoor distance events. Jemutai became the program's fastest ever in the women's 5000m (16:24.90) in Boston and Kapel posted the quickest men's 3000m (8:08.15) in SFA's first trip to Fayetteville this winter.
RECORD BOOK REWRITING
Charlie Thomas Invitational / February 6-7
Evaline Chepkoech - 1 mile - fastest all-time (4:46.66)
Miranda Duran - 1 mile - 9th fastest all-time (4:59.97)
Basia Mitchell – Pentathlon – 8th highest score all-time (3,711)
Basia Mitchell – 60mH – 10th fastest all-time (8.69)
Keyshawn Garcia – 800m – fastest all-time (1:49.16)
Pablo Lesarri – 800m – 9th fastest all-time (1:52.69)
Samuel Pavan - Heptathlon - 4th highest score all-time (5,270)
James Williams – Shot Put – 8th longest all-time (16.99m)
Robert Platt Invitational / January 30-31
Bryson Williams - TJ - 2nd longest all-time (15.86m) - won event
John Thomas Terrier Classic / January 30-31
Lauren Creaby - 800m - 5th fastest all-time (2:11.61)
Valentine Jemutai - 5000m - fastest all-time (16:24.90)
Mercy Kipchumba - 5000m - 2nd fastest all-time (16:31.34)
Trude Lamb - 5000m - 6th fastest all-time (16:53.44)
Sharon Boyani Omwoyo - 5000m - 9th fastest all-time (17:13.62)
Riley Elliott - 1 Mile - 3rd fastest all-time (4:05.72)
Pablo Lesarri - 1 Mile - 5th fastest all-time (4:07.93)
Paul Kiprotich - 5000m - 2nd fastest all-time (13:52.85)
Ryan Binskin - 5000m - 4th fastest all-time (14:13.58)
Riley Elliott - 5000m - 6th fastest all-time (14:19.61)
Devon Judelson - 5000m - 9th fastest all-time (14:24.06)
Arkansas Invitational | January 16
Nathan Kapel – 3000m – fastest all-time (8:08.15)
Paul Kiprotich – 3000m – 2nd fastest all-time (8:08.18)
Lauren Creaby – 600m – 2nd fastest all-time (1:34.64)
Valentine Jemutai – 3000m – 3rd fastest all-time (9:40.63)
Mercy Kipchumba – 3000m – 4th fastest all-time (9:42.18)
Perry Watkins – 60m – 4th fastest all-time (6.80)
Robert Fuelle – 1 Mile – 5th fastest all-time (4:09.04)
Basia Mitchell – LJ – 6th longest all-time (19' 2 ½")
Devon Judelson – 3000m – 6th fastest all-time (8:10.51)
Riley Elliott – 3000m – 8th fastest all-time (8:17.41)
Ryan Binskin – 3000m – 9th fastest all-time (8:20.08)
SFA T&F ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
February 10
MT: Keyshawn Garcia
MF: James Williams
WT: Evaline Chepkoech
WF: Basia Mitchell
February 3
MT: Paul Kiprotich
MF: Bryson Williams
WT: Valentine Jemutai
WF: Aubrey Griffin
UP NEXT
This weekend's action serves as the final indoor tune-up before the Southland Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in Birmingham on February 25 and 26.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information including meet results, athlete performances and additional news surrounding SFA track & field, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
LIVE COVERAGE
Howie Ryan Invitational
Watch: YouTube
Live Results: flashresultstexas.com
Tyson Invitational
Watch: SEC Network+
Live Results: flashresults.com
THIS WEEKEND
* In Fayetteville, the Jacks return for a second competition from inside Randal Tyson Track Center. Among the 49 other teams in action, five of the South Central Region's top ten men's teams (No. 2 Arkansas, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 LSU, No. 6 SFA, No. 7 TCU) and five of the SCR's top ten women's teams (No. 1 Arkansas, No. 3 Texas, No. 5 LSU, No. 6 TCU, No. 9 Tarleton State) will be present.
* Riley Elliott earned a placement in the 1-mile championship at the Tyson Invitational. The gun fires at 3 p.m. on February 14 with Elliott competing against athletes from Oklahoma State (5), Tennessee (2), Iowa State (1), CSU Pueblo and Great Britian.
* Valentine Jemutai and Mercy Kipchumba will run in both the 1-mile and 3000m events.
* Robert Fulle will take on the men's 800m and the 1-mile run, while Pablo Lesarri joins him in the 1-mile and will also compete in the 3000m.
* Multiple SFA athletes are set to compete in nearly every event in Houston highlighted by five sprinters in the women's 60m prelims and 200m, while the Jacks place three pole vaulters in both the men's and women's competitions.
TFRI: Track & Field Rating Index (As of February 10)
The most recent updates to the USTFCCCA's Regional Track & Field Rating Index have the SFA men up one spot to sixth in the South Central Region (SCR) and first among all non-high major teams, while the SFA women rank third in the SLC and are inside the region's top 20 at 19th. The SFA men lead the SLC TFRI by nearly 110.00 total points.
TOP 20 NATIONALLY
A hot start on the indoor distance circuit, specifically in the 5000m, for both the SFA men and women has each program inside the top 20 nationally in the USTFCCCA Event Squad rankings for a second-straight week. The SFA women are currently 19th (17th last week) in the country, with an event average time of 16:45.83. Five SFA women are regionally ranked inside the run's top 16 with Valentine Jemutai leading with currently the sixth-fastest time this indoor season. The SFA men are slotted 20th and average 14:12.52 per result. Six Lumberjack men rank inside the top 20 in the SCR in the 5000m event with Paul Kiprotich pacing the group with the region's fourth-fastest time.
NOTES & NUMBERS
* Five SFA women are ranked inside the top 15 of the South Central Region across a pair of events.
* Most recently, Basia Mitchell posted a top 15 event result with the SCR's 12th highest pentathlon score this indoor campaign at 3,711.
* Jemutai and Mitchell pace the Southland in the 5000m and pentathlon, respectively, while two dozen more efforts are inside the league's top 10.
* Evaline Chepkoech's program record mile time of 4:46.66 is currently the 17th fastest in the region.
* Seven other Jacks hold top 30 SCR results/marks/times entering the weekend.
* Nathan Kapel (3000m), Paul Kiprotich (5000m), Keyshawn Garcia (800m), Bryson Williams (TJ) and Kason Reed (WT) all lead the Southland in their respective events
* Williams' TJ mark is the highest rated result (3rd) for the SFA men within the SCR.
* Samuel Pavan's heptathlon total of 5,270 is currently the second highest in the SLC and 10th in the SCR.
* In total, 21 marks/times/totals hold a top 35 standing in the SCR.
JUMP MAN, JUMP MAN, JUMP MAN… AGAIN
A week after being named the Southland Conference's Men's Field Athlete of the Week (Feb. 3) after an impressive effort in winning the triple jump event (15.86m) at the Robert Platt Invitational hosted by Houston, Bryson Williams claimed the honor for a second-consecutive week as he landed 16.04m (52-7.5) to finish second at the Charlie Thomas Invitational in College Station. That mark improved his previous second all-time mark of 15.86m, and it currently stands as the 15th longest mark in the event this season and leads all non-high major jumpers.
THE NEW STANDARD
Four SFA indoor records have fallen this season. Half of the new results were produced last weekend in College Station and came from a pair of first-year Jacks. Keyshawn Garcia flew to a new program standard in the men's 800m (1:49.16), while Evaline Chepkoech ran the fastest female mile in program history (4:46.66). Cross country standouts Valentine Jemutai and Nathan Kapel have placed their names atop two indoor distance events. Jemutai became the program's fastest ever in the women's 5000m (16:24.90) in Boston and Kapel posted the quickest men's 3000m (8:08.15) in SFA's first trip to Fayetteville this winter.
RECORD BOOK REWRITING
Charlie Thomas Invitational / February 6-7
Evaline Chepkoech - 1 mile - fastest all-time (4:46.66)
Miranda Duran - 1 mile - 9th fastest all-time (4:59.97)
Basia Mitchell – Pentathlon – 8th highest score all-time (3,711)
Basia Mitchell – 60mH – 10th fastest all-time (8.69)
Keyshawn Garcia – 800m – fastest all-time (1:49.16)
Pablo Lesarri – 800m – 9th fastest all-time (1:52.69)
Samuel Pavan - Heptathlon - 4th highest score all-time (5,270)
James Williams – Shot Put – 8th longest all-time (16.99m)
Robert Platt Invitational / January 30-31
Bryson Williams - TJ - 2nd longest all-time (15.86m) - won event
John Thomas Terrier Classic / January 30-31
Lauren Creaby - 800m - 5th fastest all-time (2:11.61)
Valentine Jemutai - 5000m - fastest all-time (16:24.90)
Mercy Kipchumba - 5000m - 2nd fastest all-time (16:31.34)
Trude Lamb - 5000m - 6th fastest all-time (16:53.44)
Sharon Boyani Omwoyo - 5000m - 9th fastest all-time (17:13.62)
Riley Elliott - 1 Mile - 3rd fastest all-time (4:05.72)
Pablo Lesarri - 1 Mile - 5th fastest all-time (4:07.93)
Paul Kiprotich - 5000m - 2nd fastest all-time (13:52.85)
Ryan Binskin - 5000m - 4th fastest all-time (14:13.58)
Riley Elliott - 5000m - 6th fastest all-time (14:19.61)
Devon Judelson - 5000m - 9th fastest all-time (14:24.06)
Arkansas Invitational | January 16
Nathan Kapel – 3000m – fastest all-time (8:08.15)
Paul Kiprotich – 3000m – 2nd fastest all-time (8:08.18)
Lauren Creaby – 600m – 2nd fastest all-time (1:34.64)
Valentine Jemutai – 3000m – 3rd fastest all-time (9:40.63)
Mercy Kipchumba – 3000m – 4th fastest all-time (9:42.18)
Perry Watkins – 60m – 4th fastest all-time (6.80)
Robert Fuelle – 1 Mile – 5th fastest all-time (4:09.04)
Basia Mitchell – LJ – 6th longest all-time (19' 2 ½")
Devon Judelson – 3000m – 6th fastest all-time (8:10.51)
Riley Elliott – 3000m – 8th fastest all-time (8:17.41)
Ryan Binskin – 3000m – 9th fastest all-time (8:20.08)
SFA T&F ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
February 10
MT: Keyshawn Garcia
MF: James Williams
WT: Evaline Chepkoech
WF: Basia Mitchell
February 3
MT: Paul Kiprotich
MF: Bryson Williams
WT: Valentine Jemutai
WF: Aubrey Griffin
UP NEXT
This weekend's action serves as the final indoor tune-up before the Southland Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in Birmingham on February 25 and 26.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information including meet results, athlete performances and additional news surrounding SFA track & field, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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