Track & Field: Meyers Sets SBC Championship Record to lead Louisiana at SBC Outdoor
Smith leads in heptathlon; Foster, Appiah among qualifiers for Ragin’ Cajuns
Matt Sullivan | Associate Director of Athletics Communications
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MOBILE, Ala. – Claire Meyers led a 1-2 finish in the women’s javelin, setting a Sun Belt Conference Championship record in the process, while Juliette Smith claimed the first-day lead in the women’s heptathlon to lead the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Track and Field team after the first day of the SBC Outdoor Championships on Thursday at Jaguar Track.
Brooklynne Wilson produced the second-best mark in school history in the women’s hammer throw as Louisiana scored 25 points through four events to rank third overall in the women’s field.
Action continues on Friday beginning with the completion of the heptathlon at 9 a.m., with field events beginning at 12: 30 p.m. followed by running events at 5. Live results will be available at RaginCajuns.com. Day two of the SBC’s ESPN� coverage beginning at 5 p.m. with Drew Fellios (pxp) and former Olympian Damu Cherry-Mitchell (color) providing the commentary.
Meyers led a trio of Ragin’ Cajuns in the scoring column in the women’s javelin after posting a winning throw of 168 feet and breaking the meet record of 166-4 set by Louisiana Tech’s Olivia McCoy in 1998. Maria Bienvenu finished second overall in her first SBC Outdoor meet after posting a throw of 160-11 with freshman Blair Lafleur finishing eighth overall with a personal-best mark of 125-2.
Smith earned first-place honors in three of four events in the heptathlon to claim the first-day lead with 3,348 points. The senior opened the day for Louisiana with a first-place time of 14.19 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles before finishing fifth overall in the high jump at 5-3. Smith capped off the first day claiming both the shot put (43-0 ½) and 200-meter dash (24.59) to stake a 149-point lead over South Alabama’s Hanna-Mai Vaikla.
Freshman Ivana Cecchetti opened the first-day of the heptathlon for the Ragin’ Cajuns in 10th place with 2,538 points. Wilson scored the first points for Louisiana in the three-day meet placing seventh overall in the women’s hammer throw and posting the second-best mark (173-2) in school history.
The Ragin’ Cajuns also scored points in the women’s pole vault with Reagann Leleux (6th) and freshman Jordan Brown (8th) each clearing 12-2 ¾. Kaiden Burgess finished 10th overall in the men’s javelin (177-0) for Louisiana with Damian O’Boyle (32:27.21) and Samuel Avants (33:43.38) finishing 12th and 16th in the men’s 10,000 meters.
Brock Appiah clocked the second-fastest time overall in the men’s 200-meters (21.20) to qualify for the finals for Louisiana with Kiana Foster posting the second-best time (23.78) in the women’s 200-meters.
Nathan Fergusson qualified for the finals in the men’s 400-meter hurdles after winning his heat and posting the second-fastest time (52.32) in the event with freshman Haley Salsbury earning a spot in the finals of the women’s 1,500-meters after clocking a personal-best time (4:43.57).
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