NACOGDOCHES, Texas- The Stephen F. Austin track and field team traveled to three different track meets this past weekend. SFA traveled to Houston, Texas for the Howie Ryan Invitational, Fayetteville, Arkansas for the Tyson Invitational, and Boston, Massachusetts for the David Hemery Valentine invitational.
Tyson Invitational:
“Our group competed at a high level at Tyson. Our throwers had another steady and consistent weekend including Manny Ekuma throwing a lifetime best in the shot put, Head Coach Robert Hansen, “He is steadily climbing the ladder each week and has superstar potential in his future.” Emmanuel Ekuma finished 17th in the men’s shot put with his distance of 16.17m.
Wyatt Hoover (4:09.92) and Devon Judelson (4:14.75) both ran lifetime bests in the men’s mile. Max Murphy also ran a lifetime best in the men’s 3000m. “Max Murphy is a guy who has come so far, he missed the better part of a full year with a foot injury, and he battled his way back to running 8:22.05 which is a lifetime best.”
David Hemery Invitational:
The Lumberjack squad that traveled to Boston was able to take down two school records. Nathan Kapel continued his dominant first season as a collegiate runner. He broke his own school record in the men’s mile with a time of 4:03.03.
Gideon Mengich made his collegiate debut for SFA in the men’s 3000m in a loaded field. He was able to finish with a time of 8:08.71 which was also a new school record for the 300m.
Howie Ryan Invitational:
Hunter Murphy represented the men in Houston with a seventh-place finish in the high jump. He finished with a height of 2.03m.
The women’s squad was highlighted by Kira Van Den Ham’s first-place finish in the pole vault. She finished with a new personal best height of 3.85m. Rachel Taylor and Trude Lamb also finished with lifetime bests for the women. Taylor finished fifth in the 800m with a time of 2:15 and Lamb finished fourth in the mile with a 5:08.85.
Up Next for the ‘Jacks:
This three-meet weekend wraps up the regular indoor season for the Lumberjacks. SFA will travel to Englewood, Colorado to take part in the WAC Indoor Championships. The championships will begin February 20th and will be a two-day meet.
By: Jace Green, Assistant for Strategic Communications