Feb. 21, 2008

The Stephen F. Austin men's and women's track and field team will be in Houston, Texas Friday to compete in the Southland Conference Indoor Championships. The two-day meet will take place at the Bill Yeoman Fieldhouse on the University of Houston Campus. The meet is slated to begin at 8:30 with the opening events of the heptathlon and pentathlon. The field events will begin at 3 p.m. with the women's weight throw and the men's pole vault. The track events get started an hour later with the preliminaries of the men's and women's mile.

SFA enters the meet with tons of talent on both the men's and women's side. The Lumberjacks boast athletes among the top five in several different events including the 60 meters, 400 meters, 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters, 60-meter hurdles, the 4x400-meter relay, distance medley relay, high jump, pole vault, long jump, weight throw and heptathlon.

The 'Jacks could record some big points in the 60-meter hurdles, high jump and heptathlon. SFA has recorded two of the top three times in the 60 hurdles, while senior Justin Reyes is tied for the best mark in the high jump. Three Lumberjacks place in the top four of the league's heptathlon standings heading into the event, led by Aaron Harlan who recorded an NCAA provisional mark earlier this season.

The Ladyjacks have also recorded some very strong marks heading into the championship meet placing athletes in the top five in the 400 meters, 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters, 60-meter hurdles, 4x400-meter relay, high jump, pole vault, shot put, weight throw and pentathlon.

Similar to the men's squad, the SFA women are expected to score big points in certain events. The Ladyjacks enter the weekend with the top overall mark in the pole vault, weight throw and pentathlon. Sophomore Frednisha Marshall has set the school and conference record in the weight throw twice this season, and has earned league athlete of the week honors on three separate occasions. Along with the weight throw, Marshall is also a contender in the shot put. Marshall enters the weekend with the conference's second-best throw, just ahead of teammate Kaitlyn Andrews who is third overall.

Senior Ashley Monteau will have the opportunity to add to her already impressive trophy case as a Ladyjack. She enters the meet second in the league in the 5,000 meters. The Ladyjacks have a shot at going 1-2 in the women's pole vault. Senior Kristina Windham is currently tops in the event, while junior Kelsea David is tied for second. The pentathlon should also be another big-point event for the Ladyjacks. SFA has three athletes among the fields top six, led by sophomore Tabitha Riley. Riley enters the meet with the league's top score.

SFA already has had two athletes who have recorded NCAA provisional marks during the 2008 indoor season (Marshall - weight throw and Harlan - heptathlon). The NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships will be March 14-15 in Fayetteville, Ark.

-SFA-