MONROE, La. (5/10/24) – Four Arkansas State track and field athletes stood atop the podium on Friday, capping a strong second day of competition at the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships.

A-State is second in the team standings after two days, with the women just 3.5 points behind leader Louisiana. The men’s squad boasts 45 points behind South Alabama’s 90, but with plenty of points left to be had in Saturday’s action.

Colby Eddowes was the first event winner of the day for the Scarlet and Black, totaling 7,443 points to break his own championship record set a season ago.

Willem Coertzen then took gold in the men’s shot put, throwing his winning – and career-best – mark of 18.53m (60-9.25) on his sixth and final attempt. Menachem Chen (16.34m/53-7.5) and Chris Boyd (15.54m/51-0) placed 10^th, and 13^th, respectively.

Elizabeth Martin and Cadence Lapp took gold and silver in the women’s steeplechase, finishing in a season-best 10:36.83 and collegiate-best 11:02.06, while Mary Beth Bailey placed sixth in a career-best 11:26.32 to help A-State’s women’s team total 21 points in the event. Lizzee Winkler also competed, placing 13^th with a time of 12:14.47.

Cash Kunkel capped the day in the men’s steeplechase, taking gold with a time of 8:53.39, nearly breaking the meet record in the event. Andrew Mason placed 15^th, crossing the finish in 10:24.09.

Izzy Daines climbed from eighth after the first four events of the heptathlon on Thursday to finish strong and take bronze, scoring 5,070 points after recording season bests in both the long jump and javelin portions.

Selase Sampram placed fourth in the women’s shot put, uncorking a throw of 15.91m (52-2.5), while Nyaluet Diew added a point with an eighth-place mark of 14.92m (48-11.5), which moved her up to ninth in program history.

The 10,000 meters opened the morning session, with Olivia Walter (37:20.80) and Jaybe Shufelberger (37:43.34) placing sixth and seventh for the Red Wolves. Freshman Delaney Mulick finished just outside the top 10, placing 11^th with a time of 38:45.36.

In the men’s 10K, Nati Enright placed fifth with a time of 31:13.46 and Dawson Mayberry was seventh, crossing the line in 31:26.44. Matthew Dunsworth (32:48.51) and Coleman Wilson (32:56.79) also ran, placing 13^th and 14^th.

Trace South and John Carswell combined for five points in the men’s pole vault, placing fifth and eighth. South vaulted a season-best 5.02m (16-5.5) while Carswell cleared 4.87m (15-11.75).

Madison Holloway recorded a strong series in the women’s long jump en route to placing seventh with a collegiate-best leap of 5.81m (19-0.75). Alexis Taylor was 19^th with a jump of 5.41m (17-9).

Josh Jones advanced to Saturday’s finals in both the 110-meter and 400-meter hurdles, qualifying on time with marks of 14.11 (personal best) and 53.16 in the respective events. Tyra Nabors qualified for the final in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, matching her season best with a time of 13.82.

Rahel Broemmel and Cheyenne Melvin earned spots in the women’s 800-meter final, as Broemmel finished second in her heat but ran the second-fastest qualifying mark of 2:10.49. Melvin advanced by winning the opening section with a time of 2:10.96. Emma Guadagnoli finished 27^th in the prelims, crossing in 2:28.22.

In the men’s 800-meter prelims, Hannes Fahl qualified automatically by winning his heat in 1:52.58.

Spencer Taylor ran a collegiate-best 47.86 in the men’s 400-meter prelims, but placed 10^th to finish just shy of the top eight to qualify for the final. Jeremiah Green matched his career best with a time of 49.62 and placed 24^th, with Mehki Hoo finished 25^th with a time of 49.64.

Reneisha Andrews moved up to eighth in the women’s 100 meters, clocking a time of 11.79 to place 13^th in the qualifying round. Je’Breiya Chapman also ran a personal-best 12.38 to place 32^nd, while AJ Allen followed in 34^th with a season-best 12.52.

Matthew Williams (6.97m/22-10.5) and Amarrion Reese (6.83m/22-5) placed 13^th and 19^th, respectively in the men’s long jump.

Hanyla Milligan placed 33^rd in the women’s 200 meters prelims with a wind-aided mark of 25.94.

The championships conclude Saturday, beginning with field events at noon and the first track event – the 4×100-meter relay – slated for a 4 p.m. start on ESPN Plus.

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