Track & Field: Rushford’s Crown Leads Louisiana At SBC Outdoor
Matt Sullivan, Associate Director of Athletics Communications
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JONESBORO, Ark. – Kimmie Rushford cleared 12 feet, 6 inches in the women’s pole vault to claim first-place honors and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns track and field team got off to a strong start on Friday as it concluded the first day of the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships at the Arkansas State Track and Field Complex.
Louisiana scored 20 points on the men’s side, highlighted by second-place performances from Sean Bouzigard and Richard Delphin, to finish one point behind first-day leader Coastal Carolina (21) with the Ragin’ Cajuns women’s team scoring 26.5 to finish behind first-day leader South Alabama.
Saturday’s action starts at 9 a.m., with the conclusion of the decathlon followed by the final day of the women’s heptathlon at 9:30 a.m. Field events will begin at 12:30 p.m., with prelims in running events set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
The 2019 Sun Belt Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be broadcast on ESPN�. All three days of the Championship will be shown live starting with the running events each day. Field events will be recapped during the live broadcast each evening.
Rushford earned Louisiana’s first women’s individual crown since 2016 after defeating South Alabama’s Caitlyn Dressler in a jumpoff and leading the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 1-3-4 finish in the event. Alexa Johnson finished third overall for Louisiana (12-6) with SBC indoor champion Reagann Leleux placing fourth overall at 12-0.
Louisiana added points on the women’s side as Claire Meyers became the first Ragin’ Cajun to earn all-conference honors in the women’s javelin since Mayme Cook in 2012. The junior placed third overall in the event with a throw of 150-4.
Juliette Smith capped off the first day of the women’s heptathlon in second-place with 3,149 points. The senior finished second overall in both the 100-meter hurdles (14.23) and shot put (40-10 ½) before finishing the day with a first-place performance in the 200-meters (25.33).
Bouzigard earned all-conference honors in the men’s javelin for the second consecutive year after finishing second overall with a throw of 198-11. He was one of two Louisiana athletes to finish in the top eight with Franz Beyer placing fifth at 168-2.
Delphin earned second-place honors for Louisiana in the men’s hammer throw after posting a mark of 183-11.
Chandler Mixon capped off the first day in the decathlon in fifth place for Louisiana while Hannes Burger (3:58.22) and Jonathan Kimutai (4:00.48) each qualified for Sunday’s final in the men’s 1,500 meters.
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2019 SUN BELT CONFERENCE OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
May 10-12, 2019
Jonesboro, Ark. (Arkansas State Track & Field Complex)
WOMEN’S SCORES
1. South Alabama 44; 2. Louisiana 26.5; 3. Arkansas State 18; 4. Appalachian State 17.5; 5. Texas State 16; 6. UT Arlington 13; 7. Troy 9; T8. Georgia Southern 5; T8. Georgia State 5; 10. Coastal Carolina 2.
MEN’S SCORES
1. Coastal Carolina 21; T2. Louisiana 20; T2. South Alabama 20; 4. ULM 16; 5. UT Arlington 15; 6. Texas State 11; 7. Appalachian State 9; 8. Arkansas State 5.
