SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana men's track and field team will defend its Southland Conference outdoor championship Friday-Sunday in Arlington, Texas, a year after claiming the first SLC title in program history. The Lions enter the 2010 meet ranked No. 35 nationally by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Senior Adonson Shallow is expected to have a huge weekend, as he holds the conference's best regular season mark in three events: discus, hammer throw and shot put. His top discus effort of the year to date was 196 feet, 1 inch (59.77 meters), at Southeastern's most recent meet, the Northwestern State Invitational on May 1. That same day, Shallow unleashed his best hammer throw performance, good for 222 feet, 1 inch (67.7 meters). His top distance in shot put came on March 27 at the LSU Tiger Relays, a throw of 59 feet, 1.5 inches (18.02 meters). Shallow also qualified to participate in the conference javelin competition.
Shallow's discus, hammer throw and shot put marks are school records. Plus, he is ranked fifth in the country in discus, and 10th nationally in hammer throw.
The Southland Conference's 100 meter dash will be star-studded, with four of the nation's top 15 sprinters in the field. Southeastern junior Shannon Grover has the 12th best time in the nation, good for third best in the conference. He broke a 31-year old school record by covering the distance in 10.24 at the Northwestern State Invitational. Grover also comes in as the favorite to win the 200 meter dash, having run the SLC's top-ranked time (20.79) on April 17 at LSU Alumni Gold.
Senior Adlus Wiltz is the Southland's number one 400 meter hurdler this season, putting up a time of 51.54 at the South Alabama Invitational on April 10. Last season at the conference championships, Wiltz set a Southeastern record (50.98) and finished second.
The Lady Lions will be fighting for a conference crown of their own, led by sophomore Lacey Sanchez, senior Yvette Schubert and junior Judith Schultheis. All three are ranked second among Southland student-athletes in their respective events.
Sanchez owns the Southeastern record in pole vault, thanks to a clearance of 12 feet, 11.75 inches (3.96 meters) at LSU Alumni Gold. One of her biggest challengers will be teammate Brittany Pfantz. The freshman ranks fourth in the conference following her effort of 12 feet, 1.5 inches (3.7 meters), which came at Louisiana-Lafayette's Cole-Lancon Twilight Invitational on April 29.
Schubert is hoping to win her second conference championship in javelin, having last captured the title in 2008. Her throw of 145 feet, 1 inch (44.23 meters), topped the field and put her in the NCAA Mideast Regionals, where she finished 12th. This season, her best toss was measured at 147 feet, 11 inches (45.1 meters), at the Texas Relays on April 3.
Schultheis put together the league's second best 400 meter hurdles race at LSU Alumni Gold, completing the lap in 1:01.64. She also ranked fifth in the 100 meter hurdles, thanks to a time of 13.98 at the South Alabama Invitational.
“Our men's and women's teams have both shown up on championship weekend historically,” head coach Sean Brady said. “This is the time our student-athletes are rewarded for their hard work. We have very high expectations – and hope to see personal bests in almost every event.”
Competition begins at 10 am Friday from Maverick Stadium on the UT Arlington campus. Live scoring will be available. Plus, regular updates will be provided on the Southeastern Athletics Twitter feed.
