Tower Lighting to Salute Sun Belt Outdoor Track Championship Teams
Members of A-State's conference outdoor track championship teams savor their achievements following Saturday's meet. The clock tower of the Dean B. Ellis Library will be lighted scarlet Sunday evening, May 14, in their honor.
— Courtesy A-State Sports Information
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – A dominant showing on Saturday by the Arkansas State track and field teams resulted in two more trophies added to the collection, as the Red Wolves swept the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium.
A-State’s women captured their fourth consecutive outdoor title and league-most ninth Sun Belt outdoor championship while the men claimed their third championship in four seasons, and sixth overall, en route to their first triple crown in school history. The Red Wolves have now won a combined 26 conference titles under the guidance of Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Dr. Jim Patchell.
Pauline Meyer totaled 30 points on the weekend, completing her triple-gold effort on Saturday with a win in the 5000 meters to earn the meet’s High-Point Scorer award. Meyer went out with a bang in her final race of the championships, running a meet and facility-record 16:16.24. Freshman Rahel Broemmel finished second behind Meyer in the event with a time of 16:21.41, while Jaybe Shufelberger (4th, 16:43.82) and Sarah Trammel (7th, 17:01.66) also scored.
Meyer’s big day began in the 1500-meter final, as she and Broemmel took gold and silver, finishing in 4:26.67 and 4:28.63, respectively. Kayla Wade added four points in the event, placing fifth with a time of 4:33.99.
In the men’s 5000 meters, Jacob Pyeatt took silver with a time of 14:18.36. Dawson Mayberry finished strong in the bell lap to place fourth (14:34.40), while Cash Kunkel scored a point with an eighth-place time of 14:51.51.
Rookies Myles Thomas and Danarrion Ard stole the show on the straightaway, going 1-2 in the men’s 100 meters. Thomas ran a blistering 10.16, with Ard close behind in 10.26 – both personal bests and ranking fourth and sixth in school history, respectively.
Jonae Cook took silver in the women’s 200 meters, running a career-best 23.29, while earning bronze in the 100 meters with a career-best time of 11.40.
Jonesboro native Will Glass captured the 110-meter hurdles title with a time of 13.82, while Tyra Nabors placed sixth in the 100-meter hurdles (13.73).
A-State boasted the top two finishers in the men’s 800 meters, with Lasse Funck narrowly besting teammate Hannes Fahl at the tape with a time of 1:50.00 and Fahl finishing in 1:50.43. In the women’s 800 meters, Cheyenne Melvin earned bronze, crossing the finish in 2:08.00.
Fahl claimed gold in the men’s 1500 meters prior to his 800-meter race, winning in 3:58.66 ahead of bronze medalist Grayson Young’s 3:59.60. Rylan Brown (4:00.89) and Cash Kunkel (4:01.44) placed seventh and eighth to aid in the scoring column.
Jacob Tracy capped an impressive meet in the discus throw, tossing a career-best 55.79m (183-0) to earn silver and move up to sixth all-time in program history. Evangelynn Harris hurled a season-best 50.06m (164-3) to place sixth in the women’s event, ahead of seventh-place Selase Sampram’s throw of 48.88m (160-4).
Camryn Newton-Smith concluded her spectacular weekend in the women’s high jump, earning bronze with a clearance of 1.73m (5-8). Colby Eddowes, who also capped off a record-setting week, cleared a personal-best 2.05m (6-8.75) to place fifth in the men’s high jump.
The A-State women added five points in the discus throw, as Evangelynn Harris hurled a season-best 50.06m (164-3) to place sixth while Selase Sampram finished seventh with a throw of 48.88m (160-4).
Jermie Walker placed sixth in the men’s 200 meters with a time of 21.31, while also finishing eighth in the 400 meters (49.09).
Next Up
The NCAA West Preliminary Round is set for May 24-27 in Sacramento, Calif. The top 48 declared student-athletes in each individual event and top 24 declared relay squads will advance to the West Prelims.
