MIRAMAR, Fla. (5/11/13) – The Arkansas State University track and field teams were both successful this Saturday (May 11) in maintaining their respective current holds on the top placing at the 2013 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which are taking place at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Fla.

Arkansas State still leads the women's field although the Red Wolves' lead is now down to 4.5 points as defending champion North Texas has surged all way into second place with 57.5 points after recording just four in Friday's (May 10) first-day of competition.  Western Kentucky and South Alabama both slid down one place into third and fourth with 47 and 45 points, respectively. 

On the men's side, Arkansas State produced 33 points in second-day action and has a current five-points advantage over second-place Middle Tennessee, which has 40 points.  North Texas tallied 26 second-day points to climb into third place with 31 points and South Alabama is at fourth with a 26-points total.  Defending 2012 outdoor champion Western Kentucky, which was tied with A-State following Friday's (May 10) first-day action, sits in fifth place as does ULM with both teams compiling 22 points apiece.

"The men's team had a good second day and we're still about where we need to be, but we still need a strong day tomorrow,” said ASU head coach Jim Patchell.  “For the women, we had a couple of missteps but made up some points in other areas.  We are a little bit behind where we need to be after day two.  We're going to have to perform well tomorrow."

The Red Wolves started the day out by claiming three of the first four spots in the decathlon for 23 combined points as senior Ethan Turpen's 7,222 points topped all competitors.  Turpen, who became a 2013 first-team All-SBC honoree as a result of his performance, won the decathlon's 110-meter hurdles with a 14.65 time and placed second in the pole vault by clearing a heighth of 15-03.07/14.65m.  Junior Will Oliver garnered runner-up honors with 6,939 points and junior Thomas Ligon accumulated a fourth-most 6,829 points.  Oliver finished second in the 110-meter hurdles at 14.86 and clocked a 4:41.23 time in the 1,500-meter run to place third.  Ligon paced all in the discus with a first-place 152-02.76/46.40m throw and ended up second in the javelin throw after posting a 176-04.14/53.75m distance.

The Red Wolves also scored in the shot put as senior Corwin Pace and junior Chris Nicasio netted nine points between them as a result of placing fourth and fifth, respectively.  Pace turned in a 52-09.07/16.08m performance to claim fourth place and Nicasio's throw covered 52-04.73/15.97m for fifth.

Heading into day three, the A-State women's team was paced by junior Sharika Nelvis' first-place leap of 20-11.96 (6.40m) in the long jump.  As a result, Nelvis scored 10 points for ASU with her conference-leading long jump performance and earned all-league first-team plaudits as a result.  In the prelims, Nelvis also was the top qualifier in three running events – the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and 100-meter hurdles.    

Arkansas State picked up seven points the women's heptathlon as sophomore Savannah Hutchinson finished fourth place with 4,794 points and freshman Macey Rodely's 4,411 points proved deserving of seventh place.  Hutchinson turned in a 19-00.73/5.81m long jump effort for first among the heptathletes and ran a 2:27.04 time in the 800-meter run to place third.  Rodely's best event in day two was in the javelin as she had a throw which went a distance of 115-10.93/35.33m.  Tilda Helgesson was A-State's top finisher in the 3,000-meter steeplechase as the sophomore produced an 11:20.03 time for sixth place and three points.  

The third and final day of the 2013 SBC Championships is this Sunday (May 12) as the men's hammer throw at 9 a.m. (CT) starts the field events.  The running events are scheduled to get underway at 4 p.m. (CT) with the women's 4x100-meter relay.  The conference meet's final event is the men's 4x400-meter relay, which is slated for a 7 p.m. (CT) start time.

Arkansas State has qualified four women's athletes for Sunday's running events to go with three remaining field events.  The Red Wolves are also in a good position on the men's side heading into the final day as seven individuals will be competing in the running events.  The final three field events are scheduled to be held as well. 

2013 Sun Belt Conference Championships Team Scores – Day 2

Women

1. Arkansas State – 62 pts.

2. North Texas – 57.5 pts.

3. Western Kentucky – 47 pts.

4. South Alabama – 45 pts.

5. Louisiana-Lafayette – 31 pts.

6. Middle Tennessee – 23 pts.

7. FIU – 15 pts.

8. Georgia State – 10 pts.

9. UALR – 9 pts.

10. Troy – 7 pts.

11. ULM – 5.5 pts.

12. Florida Atlantic – 0 pts.

Men

1. Arkansas State – 45 pts.

2. Middle Tennessee – 40 pts.

3. North Texas – 31 pts.

4. South Alabama – 26 pts.

5T. Western Kentucky – 22 pts.

5T. ULM – 22 pts.

7. Louisiana-Lafayette – 16 pts.

8. FIU – 12 pts.

9. UALR – 11 pts.

10. Troy – 9 pts.

 

2013 Sun Belt Conference Championships – Individual – Day 2

Women's Results

Heptathlon - Overall

4. Savannah Hutchinson – 4,794 points

7. Macey Rodely – 4,411 points

12. Jessica Maggio – 3,971 points 

Heptathlon – Long Jump

1. Savannah Hutchinson, 19-00.73 (5.81m)

8. Jessie Maggio, 16-05.64 (5.02m)

12. Macey Rodely, 15-01.50 (4.61m)

Heptathlon – 800-Meter Run

3. Savannah Hutchinson, 2:27.04

4. Macey Rodely, 2:28.35

9. Jessica Maggio, 2:35.12

Heptathlon – Javelin Throw

3. Macey Rodely, 115-10.93 (35.33m)

11. Savannah Hutchinson, 72-03.71 (22.04m)

12. Jessica Maggio, 70-01.34 (21.37m)

Long Jump

1. Sharika Nelvis, 20-11.96 (6.40m)

9. Savannah Hutchinson, 19-00.73 (5.81m)

11. Emenderlyn Iwuji, 18-09.59 (5.73m)

Shot Put

11. Kim Ludick-Raath, 40-10.93 (12.47m)

12. Julia Agawu, 40-05.04 (12.32m)

High Jump

12T. LaKeitha Minter, 5-01.81 (1.57m)

16. Savannah Hutchinson, 5-01.81 (1.57m)

17. Jessica Otto, 5-01.81 (1.57m)

3,000-Meter Steeplechase

6. Tilda Helgesson, 11:20.03

9. Chelsey Roberson, 11:24.23

Men's Results

Decathlon - Overall

1. Ethan Turpen – 7,222 points

2. Will Oliver – 6,939 points

4. Thomas Ligon – 6,829 points

Decathlon – 110-Meter Hurdles

1. Ethan Turpen, 14.65

2. Will Oliver, 14.86

8. Thomas Ligon, 16.03

Decathlon – Discus

1. Thomas Ligon, 152-02.76 (46.40m)

4. Ethan Turpen, 120-10.00 (36.83m)

8. Will Oliver, 98-00.37 (29.88)

Decathlon – Pole Vault

2. Ethan Turpen, 15-03.07 (4.65m)

5. Will Oliver, 13-11.32 (4.25m)

8. Thomas Ligon, 12-11.51 (3.95m)

Decathlon – Javelin Throw

2. Thomas Ligon, 176-04.14 (53.75m)

6. Will Oliver, 150-01.96 (45.77m)

7. Ethan Turpen, 148-08.64 (45.33m)

Decathlon – 1,500-Meter Run

3. Will Oliver, 4:41.23

6. Thomas Ligon, 4:53.95

7. Ethan Turpen, 4:58.49

Long Jump

11. Solomon Williams, 23-05.10 (7.14m)

18. Will Oliver, 21-05.09 (6.53m)

Shot Put

4. Corwin Pace, 52-09.07 (16.08m)

5. Chris Nicasio, 52-04.73 (15.97m)

8. Tyler Lingo, 51-11.62 (15.84m)

3,000-Meter Steeplechase

12. Jesse Duvall, 9:43.71