Track and Field: Track Sweeps Sun Belt Indoor Field Athlete of the Week Honors

The Ragin’ Cajuns track and field program swept the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Field Athlete of the Week honors as Michael Vani (pole vault) and Jasmine Manuel (triple jump) collected accolades for their respective performances at the Arkansas State Invitational. 
The awards, announced by the league office on Wednesday, mark the first honors of the 2012 season for Louisiana.
 
Vani, a newcomer to the Ragin’ Cajuns program this season, finished as the top collegian in the men’s pole vault at the Arkansas State Invitational. Vani’s vault of 5.10m/16-8 ¾ launched him to the top of the Sun Belt Conference’s performance list. He’s one of only three SBC athletes to vault above 16 feet this season (UL’s Chris Roy and ASU’s Ethan Sandusky the others).
 
The University of South Florida transfer bested his previous indoor season personal best in the event of 16-2 ¾ set at last season’s Big East Championships. The vault was also his best as a collegian (indoor or outdoor) and was the highest by a Cajuns vaulter in the indoor season since Chris Roy recorded a height of 5.37m/17-7 ¼ in the 2010 SBC Championships.
 
Manuel turned in a school indoor record performance in the triple jump at the Arkansas State Invitational. Manuel placed first in the event with a leap of 12.78m/41-11 ¼ which bested the previous school record of 12.77m/41-10 ¾ set at last season’s Sun Belt Indoor Championships. It marked the third time in the past calendar year that she’s broken the Ragin’ Cajuns’ indoor triple jump record (first broke record at Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational on Feb. 11, 2011).
 
Both of Manuel’s triple jump distances this season have covered 41-plus feet (12.70m/41-8 at Middle Tennessee). Her mark at ASU is currently tops in the Sun Belt Conference this season.
 
Louisiana returns to action on Friday as the Cajuns make their second trip of the 2012 indoor season to Lake Charles for a meet on the McNeese State campus. The Cajuns, who opened the season at the McNeese Cowboy Indoor on Jan. 13, are scheduled to participate in the Jeff Davis Bank Invite at the McNeese State Indoor Recreation Complex.
 

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