LION TRACK CLAIMS BEST EVER FINISH AT SLC MEET
HUNSTVILLE, Texas - The Southeastern Louisiana University men\'s track and field team totaled five individual titles, ten all-conference honorees and 129 team points, but it wasn\'t enough to hold off a late-charging Texas-San Antonio squad that used a sweep of the top three spots in the 100 m and 200 m dash to total 138.5 team points to edge the Lions for first place at the 2008 Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships by 8.5 points. At the end of the three-day competition, the Lions turned in a second-place finish, their best performance at the conference meet since joining the SLC prior to the 1998 season.
Once again, the Lion distance running duo of sophomore Kalphys Kemboi and freshman Henry Rop came up big. Kemboi claimed All-SLC honors with a third place time of 14:33.54 in the 5,000 m run with Rop following in fourth at 14:36.86. This coming one day after the Kemboi finished first and Rop finished second in the 3000 m steeplechase and two days after Rop won the 10,000 m run crown with Kemboi taking second.
After claiming top honors in the shot put on Saturday, senior thrower Teremine White capped his Southland Conference career with a championship performance in the discus with a throw of 177 ft. 8 in. (54.15 m) on Sunday.
The Lions\' got a lot of help from their triple jumpers on Sunday as freshman Michael Rheams returned to competition despite a nagging ankle injury to take home the SLC title with a leap of 51 ft. 7 in. (15.72 m). Rheams was joined by junior Corey Billizone (fifth place), sophomore Kernell Jupiter (eighth place) and senior Avery Sorapuru (ninth place) in scoring points for the Lions in the triple jump.
Rounding out the Lions All-SLC list were senior jumper Babatunde Babalola with a third place finish in the high jump and sophomore Cory Roberts who took third in the decathlon.
The Lions entered the final day of competition holding onto first place, but Texas-San Antonio passed the Lions for the top spot by sweeping both short sprint events.
On the women\'s side, the Lady Lions posted their own set of highlights. Despite finishing eighth with 43.5 team points, the Lady Lions finished ahead of in-state rivals McNeese State, Northwestern State and Nicholls State. On Saturday, senior thrower Colleena Collins took home the women\'s hammer throw crown and sophomore thrower Yvette Schubert claimed the top spot in the javelin to give the Lady Lions multiple SLC champions for the first time since joining the Southland.
Meanwhile, senior jumper Leonie Ezegbunum closed out her Southland Conference career earning All-SLC honors in the triple jump with a leap of 39 ft. 4 in. (11.99 m).
Once again, the Lion distance running duo of sophomore Kalphys Kemboi and freshman Henry Rop came up big. Kemboi claimed All-SLC honors with a third place time of 14:33.54 in the 5,000 m run with Rop following in fourth at 14:36.86. This coming one day after the Kemboi finished first and Rop finished second in the 3000 m steeplechase and two days after Rop won the 10,000 m run crown with Kemboi taking second.
After claiming top honors in the shot put on Saturday, senior thrower Teremine White capped his Southland Conference career with a championship performance in the discus with a throw of 177 ft. 8 in. (54.15 m) on Sunday.
The Lions\' got a lot of help from their triple jumpers on Sunday as freshman Michael Rheams returned to competition despite a nagging ankle injury to take home the SLC title with a leap of 51 ft. 7 in. (15.72 m). Rheams was joined by junior Corey Billizone (fifth place), sophomore Kernell Jupiter (eighth place) and senior Avery Sorapuru (ninth place) in scoring points for the Lions in the triple jump.
Rounding out the Lions All-SLC list were senior jumper Babatunde Babalola with a third place finish in the high jump and sophomore Cory Roberts who took third in the decathlon.
The Lions entered the final day of competition holding onto first place, but Texas-San Antonio passed the Lions for the top spot by sweeping both short sprint events.
On the women\'s side, the Lady Lions posted their own set of highlights. Despite finishing eighth with 43.5 team points, the Lady Lions finished ahead of in-state rivals McNeese State, Northwestern State and Nicholls State. On Saturday, senior thrower Colleena Collins took home the women\'s hammer throw crown and sophomore thrower Yvette Schubert claimed the top spot in the javelin to give the Lady Lions multiple SLC champions for the first time since joining the Southland.
Meanwhile, senior jumper Leonie Ezegbunum closed out her Southland Conference career earning All-SLC honors in the triple jump with a leap of 39 ft. 4 in. (11.99 m).