BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns track and field team wrapped up competition on Tuesday at the 2014 Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships with the women finishing fourth overall and the men sixth in the two-day meet at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
Louisiana finished with 75 points in 17 events on the women's side that was paced by WKU (169), Texas State (121) and Arkansas State (78.5). On the men's side, the Cajuns finished with 46 points to finish behind UT Arlington (185), WKU (149), Texas State (79), South Alabama (76.66) and Arkansas State (74.33).
Ricky Theyard (triple jump), Tarvia Conway (triple jump) and Meredith Driskell (pole vault) each earned all-conference honors after finishing in the top three in their respective events.
Theyard earned a second-place finish in the triple jump after posting a mark of 49 feet, 2.25 inches. Conway placed third overall in the women's triple jump (41-0.25) while Driskell was third in the women's pole vault (11-11.25)
On the women's side, Emily Gale earned a fourth-place finish in the pole vault for the Cajuns (11-11.25), Jana Jones was fourth in the shot put (46-0.50) and Ta'Shania Bean was sixth in the triple jump (40-0.75). Alex Harrell (3,458 points) and Kaitlyn Moreau (3,337 points) finished fifth and eighth, respectively, in the pentathlon.
Danielle Castaldi earned a fourth-place finish in the women's 800-meter dash (2:13.30) with Morgan Breaux finishing fourth in the 60-meter dash (7.55) and eighth in the 200-meter dash (25.18). The women's 4x400-meter relay team finished fourth overall in 3:54.59.
On the men's side, the Cajuns' 4x400-meter relay team earned a fifth-place finish (3:20.72) while Matt Rice was fifth in the 800-meters (1:56.37) and Morgan Cormier eighth in the 60-meter hurdles (8.47). In the heptathlon, Harald Bust (5,088 points) placed fourth overall with Wes Gonzales (4,751) and Christian Umphries (3,944) 11th.
UTA, participating in its first-ever SBC championship, broke the SBC team scoring record that had stood since 1994. On the women's side, WKU's 169 points were the second-highest total in league history behind the Hilltoppers' 179.33 points scored in 2010.
2014 Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships
Feb. 24-25, 2014
Birmingham, Ala. – Birmingham CrossPlex
Women's Team Scores
1. Western Kentucky - 169
2. Texas State - 121
3. Arkansas State - 78.5
4. Louisiana - 75
5. Georgia State - 70
6. UT Arlington - 69.5
7. South Alabama - 52
8. UALR - 13
9. Troy - 8
10. ULM - 7
Men's Team Scores
1. UT Arlington - 185
2. Western Kentucky - 149
3. Texas State - 79
4. South Alabama - 76.66
5. Arkansas State - 74.33
6. Louisiana 46
7. ULM - 44
8. UALR - 8
