SFA Men, Women Leading Field in Birmingham after Day One

Wednesday, February 25

Birmingham, AL

Stephen F. Austin

Southland Conference Indoor Championships

Photo by: Elisabeth Thornquist

SFA Men, Women Leading Field in Birmingham after Day One

2/25/2026 8:34:00 PM | Track & Field

Day One Results

Three individual champions, 14 Thursday qualifiers for the Jacks on Wednesday

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Wednesday ledger at the Southland Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships is officially closed with Stephen F. Austin leading their respective fields entering Championship Thursday.

The SFA men totaled 64 points on Wednesday, highlighted by a Brayden Hill first-place finish in the pole vault, and are 24.5 points up on second-place Incarnate Word, while the SFA women produced 62 points, behind individual champion efforts from Basia Mitchell in the Pentathlon and Valentine Jemutai in the 5000m, to build a 28-point lead over second-place East Texas A&M.

INDIVIDUAL TITLES
Basia Mitchell | Pentathlon | 3764 PTS
--- Won 60mH and Long Jump, finished second in Shot Put
Brayden Hill | Pole Vault | 5.05m (16-6.75)
Valentine Jemutai | 5000m | 16:30.88

THURSDAY QUALIFIERS
SFA Women
Basia Mitchell | 60mH | 7^th (8.73)
Kennedy Swann | 60m | 6^th (7.52)
Evaline Chepkoech | 1 Mile | 2^nd (4:51.20)
Mercy Kipchumba | 1 Mile | 7^th (4:54.51)
Valentine Jemutai | 1 Mile | 8^th (4:57.03)
Miranda Duran | 1 Mile | 10^th (4:59.51)
Evaline Chepkoech | 800m | 3^rd (2:12.43)

SFA Men
Nathan Kapel | 1 Mile | 1^st (4:11.62)
Riley Elliott | 1 Mile | 2^nd (4:16.62)
Pablo Lesarri | 1 Mile | 5^th (4:11.68)
Robert Fuelle | 1 Mile | 6^th (4:16.86)
Keyshawn Garcia | 800m | 3^rd (1:53.33)
Bennett Meyer-Wills | 800m | 5^th (1:52.48)
Riley Elliott | 800m | 8^th | (1:52.22)

SFA capped day one with third-place finishes in both 4000m distance medley relays. The SFA women, Evaline Chepkoech, Jovonah Rhodes, Lauren Creaby and Miranda Duran, posted a top 70 D1 time at 11:47.64. The SFA men, Pablo Lesarri, Johnny Banks III, Keyshawn Garcia and Nathan Kapel, finished in 9:58.02 to land inside the DI top 65.

Jemutai won the women's 5000m (16:30.88) to lead an impressive showing in the event for the SFA women. Mercy Kipchumba placed fourth (16:42.75), Trude Lamb (16:54.61) finished sixth and Sharon Boyani Omwoyo ended in seventh (17:02.16) as the Jacks stacked up 20 points in the run.

It was a similar effort for the SFA men in the 5000m run as Paul Kiprotich (14:18.11) and Ryan Binskin (14:21.60) took the second and third place spots on the podium, while Devon Judelson (14:25.80) placed sixth to give the Jacks 17 points.

Mitchell won the Pentathlon with 3764 points highlighted by wins in the 60mH (8.60m), which started the day, and the long jump (5.73m, 18-9.75), while finishing second in the shot put (12.07m). Alana Rouquette earned 3464 points to place seventh in the event, and earn two key points for the Jacks, with third-place finishes in the high jump (1.58m) and 800m (2:24.49).

Mitchell added four more points for the Lumberjack women on Wednesday earning four points with a fifth-place finish in the long jump (5.69m, 18-8.0).

Reis Johnson hit the podium and earned the SFA women six points with a third-place finish in the pole vault (3.74m, 12-3.25). Aubrey Griffin tied for fourth in the event (3.64m, 11-11.25) to grab 4.5 points and Annalee Gardner finished tied for sixth (3.54m (11-7.25) to add 2.5 more points to the Jacks' 13-point effort in the event.

In the women's weight throw, SFA earned seven points as Amirah Wooden (16.48m, 54-1.0) and Alondra Loya (16.20m, 53-1.75) placed fifth and sixth, respectively.

Hill stood atop the podium after the men's pole vault as he completed 5.05m (16-6.75) for ten points.

The Jacks produced 16 points in the men's weight throw after Kason Reed (18.55m, 60-10.50) won the silver medal, while James Williams (18.01m, 59-1.25) and Victor Ramos (17.64m, 57-10.5) finished fourth and sixth, respectively.

Bryson Williams claimed eight points after he finished second in the long jump (7.51m, 24-7.75) which lands as a top 65 mark in Division I this season. In the high jump, Hunter Murphy placed third (2.08m, 6-9.75) and Rance Berney (2.00m, 6-6.75) finished eighth as the Jacks totaled seven points in the event.

Samuel Pavan is in second place through day one of the Heptathlon, 94 points back of event leader Gabriel Grebet of Incarnate Word. Pavan registered podium finishes in all four of Wednesday's events finishing second in the 60m, shot put and high jump and recording a third-place result in the long jump. Semion Brodski is in sixth place with 2765 points with his day one effort highlighted by winning the shot put. Ayden Colbert is ninth, moving up one spot following a fourth-place result in the high jump.

LIVE COVERAGE
Watch (Day 2): ESPN+
Live Results: live.xpresstiming.com

UP NEXT
The Jacks battle for league titles on Thursday as the men's and women's champions will be crowned.

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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