May 17, 2003

SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin men's and women's track and field teams opened the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships Saturday in strong fashion, winning an individual title and earning two All-SLC honors.

Sophomore Ana Rodriguez earned 10 points for the Ladyjacks as she crossed the finish line first with a time of 39:26.49 in the 10,000-meter run. Classmate Hollie Counts finished 11th in the race with a time of 43:34.78.

On the men's side, freshman Julian Acuna earned All-Southland Conference honors by finishing second in the 10,000 meters with a time of 31:29.34. Junior Nathan Flores, the defending 10,000-meter champion, finished fourth overall with a time 31:59.75. Freshman Marc Farris finished the race ninth with his time of 33:16.55.

The SFA decathletes and heptathletes got underway Saturday at the championships as well. Junior Justin Connell had a strong first day of competition in the decathlon. Connell won the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.88. He also finished second in the long jump with his mark of 22-9.75. Connell was bested in the long jump by teammate Bo Simpson who recorded a mark of 23-2.75.

Senior Tracy Schupp led the way for the Ladyjacks in the first day of the heptathlon winning the 200-meter dash crossing the finish line with a time of 24.81. She also finished second in the 100-meter hurdles (14.53) and the shot put (37-4.50).

SFA will continue action at the SLC Outdoor Championships Sunday with the final day of the decathlon and the heptathlon. The field events are slated to get underway with the men's long jump at 9:30 a.m. The track events are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., with the women's 1,500-meter run.

-SFA-