TAMUC’s Smith, NSU’s Butler named Athletes of the Year as Southland Outdoor Track & Field awards and all-conference teams announced

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FRISCO, Texas – Northwestern State’s Sanaria Butler and A&M-Commerce’s J.T. Smith are the 2023 Southland Conference Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Year, the league announced Monday. Alongside the superlative awards, the outdoor all-conference rosters were also announced.

Southland Conference Indoor Track & Field superlative awards are nominated and voted upon by the league’s head coaches. Voting for oneself or one’s own athletes is not permitted. All-conference distinction is given to the first-, second- and third-place finishers in each championship event final.

Men’s Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Running Events Performer – J.T. Smith, A&M-Commerce
Smith was electric in the sprints, winning the 100 meter dash (9.92w), 200 meter dash (20.32), and anchoring the gold medal 4×100 meter relay (39.38). He earned three gold medals at the meet and scored 20.5 points.

Men’s Outstanding Field Events Performer – Isaiah Hudgens, UIW
Hudgens was the winner of the decathlon with 7,519 points with the top mark in the field in eight of the 10 events. He also placed fourth in the pole vault and sixth in the 110 meter hurdles.

Men’s Freshman of the Year – Cameron Chin, Lamar
Chin was the runner-up in the 400 meter dash at 46.70 seconds, anchored the fifth place 4×100 meter relay team, and was the second leg on the fourth place 4×400 meter relay.

Men’s Newcomer of the Year – Jayden Sloan, New Orleans
Sloan was the champion in the 400 meter hurdles at 51.19 seconds and helped the Privateers score points in both relays.

Leon Johnson Award (Men’s Coach of the Year) – Dr. Derek Riedel, UIW
Riedel repeated as the winner of the Leon Johnson Award as Men’s Coach of the Year, leading the Cardinals to the team championship with 142 points on the way to the Southland Triple Crown (cross country, indoor, outdoor championships).

Women’s Athlete of the Year – Sanaria Butler, Northwestern State
Butler scored 30.5 points for the Lady Demons as runner-up in the 200 meter dash (23.66), triple jump (12.82 meters, 42’ ¾”), and 400 meter dash (53.01), as well as part of the champion 4×400 meter relay (3:35.77) and placing fifth in the long jump (6.22 meters, 20’ 5”)

Outstanding Field Events Performer – Parl Eelma, Lamar
Eelma was the champion of the heptathlon with 5,584 points with the event’s top mark in four of the seven disciplines. She also placed third in the long jump at 6.27 meters (20’ 7”).

Women’s Outstanding Running Events Performer – Jessica Rabius, HCU
Rabius was the conference champion in the 1,500 meter run (4:34.95) and 5,000 meter run (17:35.27) and helped the Huskies score in the 4×400 meter relay.

Women’s Freshman of the Year – Vanessa Balde, Northwestern State
Balde was the champion in the 100 meter hurdles at 13.46 seconds, placed fourth in the 200 meter dash (23.73), and was the third leg on both champion 4×100 relay and 4×400 relay teams.

Women’s Newcomer of the Year – Rebecca DeKay, New Orleans
DeKay was the champion in the 10,000 meter run at 37:31.24 and the runner-up in the 5,000 meter run at 17:38.15, scoring 18 points for the Privateers.

Women’s Coach of the Year – Trey Clark, Lamar
Clark won coach of the year honors after pushing the Cardinals to their first Southland Outdoor championship with 155 points.

2023 Southland Conference Men’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Conference Teams

Event First Second Third
100 meter dash JT Smith, TAMUC Ibrahim Fuseini, TAMUC Elliott Cumming, UNO
200 meter dash JT Smith, TAMUC Delan Edwin, TAMUC Simon Wulff, NSU
400 meter dash Eugene Omalla, SLU Cameron Chin, LU Destine-Unique Scott, NSU
800 meter run Javon-Taye Williams, SLU Alex Piquart, HCU Omer El-Fadl, McN
1,500 meter run Omer El-Fadl, McN Christopher Daniels, UIW Kelvin Chiku, UNO
5,000 meter run Dennis Kipngeno, AMCC Kolyn Saltzman, UNO Enock Kimutai, AMCC
10,000 meter run Dennis Kipngeno, AMCC Enock Kimutai, AMCC Kelvin Kimaiyo, AMCC
110 meter hurdles Garrett Gibson, HCU Olufalabo Ogunyemi, SLU Matheo Bernat, UIW
400 meter hurdles Jayden Sloan, UNO Agerian Jackson, SLU Daniel Armstrong, AMCC
3,000 meter steeplechase Kolyn Saltzman, UNO Christopher Daniels, UNO Alexandre Fetizon, UIW
4×100 meter relay Ronald Owens, JT Smith, Ibrahim Fuseini, Delan Edwin – TAMUC Zachaeus Beard, Simon Wulff, Cyrus Jacobs, Canman Swain – NSU Thomas Gignoux, Corin Burns, Cameron Crowe, Tevijon Williams – UIW
4×400 meter relay Eugene Omalla, Jaimie Omalla, Omri Shiff, Agerian Jackson – SLU Desmond Duncan, Cyrus Jacobs, Galen Loyd, Destine-Unique Scott – NSU Jaden Powell, Samuel Gray, Jalon White, Ondray Miles – McN
High Jump Slavko Stevic, SLU Randy Kelly, NSU Elijah Jackson, LU
Pole Vault Nikita Strogalev, TAMUC Kyle Sieracki, UIW Austin Davisson, UIW
Long Jump Sean Majors, AMCC Andrew Gilreath, NSU Adam Lindo, NSU
Triple Jump Trayveon Franklin, TAMUC Jacarius Demmerritte, LU Yassin Salem, HCU
Shot Put Djimon Gumbs, NSU Marcus Francis, McN Garrett Stokes, UIW
Discus Throw Diamante Gumbs, NSU Djimon Gumbs, NSU Tarajh Hudson, NSU
Hammer Throw Terrell Webb, SLU Garrett Stokes, UIW Tyler Challis, McN
Javelin Throw Hunter Longino, McN Darren Taylor, McN Djimon Gumbs, NSU
Decathlon Isaiah Hudgens, UIW Kyle Sieracki, UIW Jeremiah Gilliam, UIW

2023 Southland Conference Women’s Indoor Track & Field All-Conference Teams

Event First Second Third
100 meter dash Lynelle Washington, NSU Leah Pettis, TAMUC Capri Wilson, AMCC
200 meter dash Sydne Porter, LU Sanaria Butler, NSU Maygan Shaw, NSU
400 meter dash Maygan Shaw, NSU Sanaria Butler, NSU Faith Outing, LU
800 meter run Yasmin Austridge, LU Faith Bett, AMCC Alexandra Weir, UNO
1,500 meter run Jessica Rabius, HCU Alexandra Weir, UNO Tshwanelo Maruping, UNO
5,000 meter run Jessica Rabius, HCU Rebecca DeKay, UNO Ariana Jimenez, UNO
10,000 meter run Rebecca DeKay, UNO Elsa Eijpstra, Nicholls Nia Clatworthy, LU
100 meter hurdles Vanessa Balde, NSU Kayli Johnson, LU Sarinity Bracey, UNO
400 meter hurdles Chloe Rodriguez, LU Naomi Ndukwe, TAMUC Sian Weller, NSU
3,000 meter steeplechase Yasmin Austridge, LU Ariana Jimenez, UNO Oxano Bonjorn-Giros, UNO
4×100 meter relay Aarika Lister, Maygan Shaw, Vanessa Balde, Lynelle Washington – NSU Brianna Howard, Kayla Smith, Kayli Johnson, Sydne Porter – LU Aisha Johnson, Vivette Green, Helen Baumgarten, Alimot Alowonle – UNO
4×400 meter relay Sian Weller, Maygan Shaw, Vanesse Balde, Sanaria Butler – NSU Naomi Ndukwe, Francesca Aquillino, Mariana Shostak, Sofia Khenfar – TAMUC Faith Outing, Kayla Smith, Adebola Odunlami, Chloe Rodriguez – LU
High Jump Veronika Kramarenko, TAMUC Katrine Olsen, SLU Maia Maury, TAMUC
Pole Vault Madison Brown, NSU Matilde Poli, UIW Lara Zupanc, SLU
Long Jump Rebecca Pecora, HCU Kayli Johnson, LU Parl Eelma, LU
Triple Jump Crisstin Riley, LU Sanaria Butler, NSU Reem Tammam, HCU
Shot Put Klaire Bentley, UIW Kristian Jackson, SLU Ashari Jones, McN
Discus Throw Kristian Jackson, SLU Liza Lap, HCU Reese Grossie, McN
Hammer Throw Mariah Lee, McN Glennis Woolridge, LU Katrine Olsen, SLU
Javelin Throw Blanche Beard, McN Tamara Susa, TAMUC Ashley Duffus, NSU
Heptathlon Parl Eelma, LU Rebecca Pecora, HCU Mariam Buenanueva Saleme, LU

 

 

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