May 9, 2002

NACOGDOCHES - The Stephen F. Austin men and women's track and field teams will be in Arlington, Texas, Friday through Sunday, at the Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The meet will get started Friday at 11 a.m., with the decathlon. The heptathlon is scheduled to get underway at 11:30 a.m. Saturday's events are slated to get underway at 9:30 a.m., with the conclusion of the decathlon and the heptathlon. Sunday's field events get started at 11 a.m., with the men's pole vault. The track events are scheduled for a 4:05 p.m. start with the women's 4X100-meter relay.

SFA enters the meet with several of the league's top performers. On the men's side, senior Adam Keul is tops in the conference and second in the country with his mark of 18-2.50 in the pole vault, classmate JW Potter is the leagues top 800m runner (1:49.55), sophomore Nathan Flores leads the Southland Conference in the 3,000 steeplechase (9:06.56), the 5,000m (14:33.39) and the 10,000m (29:27.29). On the women's side, senior Misty Ballard-Swan is the league's top pole vaulter (13-1.50) and classmate Destine Rawls is the league's top discus thrower with her mark of 156-11.00. Rawls is also second in the shot put with her mark of 50-1.75.

SFA has had a successful 2002 outdoor season setting seven school records. Potter set a new 800m record with a time of 1:49.55, while Flores set SFA records in the 3,000m steeplechase (9:06.56), 5,000m (14:33.39) and the 10,000m (29:27.29). On the women's side, Rawls set a new shot put record (50-1.75), freshman Shametra Boykins set a new triple jump record (40-6.75) and the 4X100m relay team of seniors Tan Morris, Sonya McMillan, junior Jessica Claiborne and freshman Anne Henderson set a new record with their time of 45.93 seconds.

"Our goal for both teams heading into the championships is to win it all," said SFA head coach Phil Olson. "We've had some strong performances and both teams are coming off one of our strongest outings of the season. We've had some athletes put up good marks this year and we're excited to see what they will do at the SLC Championships."

The NCAA Outdoor Championships will be Wednesday May 29 through Sunday June 2 in Baton Rouge, La.

-SFA-