HAMMOND – The quest for national championships continues for nine individuals and one relay team from the Southeastern Louisiana track and field program this week. The NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round runs from Thursday-Saturday at Irwin Belk Track in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Senior Adonson Shallow enters the meet in contention for the three individual titles. He is the top ranked discus thrower in the region, having unleashed a toss of 196 feet, 1 inch (59.77 meters), at the Northwestern State Invitational. In hammer throw, Shallow is ranked seventh in the east, thanks to a mark of 220 feet, 1 inch (67.7 meters), at that same meet in Natchitoches. In shot put, he is the region's 11th best.
The hammer throw will feature a second Lion, as senior Faisal Muhammad earned a spot with a throw of 195 feet, 8 inches (59.63 meters), at the LSU Relays.
Junior Shannon Grover qualified for two events, including the 100 meter dash, in which he is seeded ninth in the east. He broke a 31-year old school record with a race of 10.24 seconds at the NSU Invitational. He'll also run in the 200 meter dash, where he is also the all-time best performer in school history, having covered the distance in 20.79 at Louisiana Tech's Jim Mize Invitational.
Additionally, Grover is part of the Southeastern 4x100 meter relay team. Freshman Malcolm Carter, senior Rocky Caruth and junior Jerel Butler round out the squad that put up its best time at the Southland Conference Championships, completing the event in 40.36 seconds.
Other members of the men's contingent include senior Cory Roberts, who will run in the 110 meter hurdles. His best race of 14.29 seconds came at the LSU Relays. The 400 meter hurdles features senior Adlus Wiltz, following a season-best performance of 51.52 seconds during the Southland meet. Junior Michael Rheams is set to participate in the triple jump after leaping 50 feet, 8.66 inches (15.46 meters), at the league championship.
Three Lady Lions are making the trek to Greensboro, including a pair of javelin throwers, one making her final regional appearance, the other her first. Senior Yvette Schubert leads the way with a toss of 147 feet, 11 inches (45.1 meters), at the Texas Relays. Freshman Chelsey Steele improved throughout the season, with her best mark coming at the conference meet, launching the spear 146 feet, 9 inches (44.74 meters).
After breaking her own school record en route to a Southland title, Lacey Sanchez hopes to keep adding to her stellar sophomore season at regionals. Her latest pole vault clearance was 13 feet, 1.5 inches (4 meters).
The top 48 student-athletes from the eastern region will compete in each event, while their counterparts from the western region battle in Austin, Texas. The 12 best performers in each region will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships from June 9-12 at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
“The regional competition won't scare our athletes, because they've seen a lot of these people throughout the year,” head coach Sean Brady said. “We certainly have some people in position to move through to nationals. It's expected for Shallow, but if we have two or three more advance, it wouldn't surprise me.”
Live results will be available on the official website of Southeastern Athletics, lionsports.net.
