Stabler, Payne Named Southland Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Year

Stabler, Payne Named Southland Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Year

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Southland Conference

FRISCO, Texas – Lamar senior distance runner Sam Stabler has been named Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Male Athlete of the Year, while Stephen F. Austin junior pole vaulter Demi Payne was chosen as female athlete of the year, the league office announced Thursday.
 
Stabler was also named male outstanding runner as Payne was additionally tabbed outstanding female field performer and female newcomer of the year.
 
Northwestern State redshirt-junior jumper Emmanuel Williams claimed male outstanding field performer honors while Southeastern Louisiana junior thrower Alex Young was named male newcomer of the year and Central Arkansas pole vaulter Daniel Spickes garnered freshman of the year honors.
 
Stephen F. Austin head coach Phil Olson was tabbed both Leon Johnson Men’s Coach of the Year and Southland Women’s Coach of the Year.
 
Stabler, a native of Queniborough, England (Ratcliffe College), earned his third Southland athlete of the year award this school year after claiming two individual title at the conference outdoor championship. The senior took home first place in both the 1500-meters and the 5000-meters, while placing third in the 10000-meter run and earning male co-high point scorer honors with a 26 total points recorded. Stabler was also named athlete of the year and high point scorer at the indoor championships back in February. This past November, he won the Southland Cross Country Championship and was named men’s cross country athlete of the year. This is the fourth overall athlete of the year honor for Stabler as he won indoor athlete of the year in 2014 after setting the Southland indoor championship record in the mile run with a time of 4:03.14. Stabler is currently ranked second in the nation with his 5000m time of 13:30.50 recorded earlier this year in California.
 
A native of Duson, La. (Acadiana H.S.), Emmanuel Williams was named male outstanding field performer for capturing the long jump and triple jump this past weekend at the Southland outdoor championship. Williams leaped for 24 feet, 10 inches in the long jump and had a winning distance of 50 feet, 11 inches in the triple jump. He now holds four individual conference titles after claiming both the long jump and triple jump at the 2014 indoor championships. Williams currently holds the seventh-best long jump in the nation with a 25-6.75 mark completed at the LSU Alumni Gold meet this season. The junior who redshirted for the 2014 outdoor season and this past indoor season already holds NCAA All-American honors in the long jump after his performance at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championship.
 
Southeastern Louisiana’s Alex Young from Nashville, Tenn. (Lavergne H.S.), was named male co-high point scorer this past weekend at the outdoor championships after taking first in the shot put and finishing second in the both the discus and hammer throws. Young’s toss in the shot put of 58 feet, 10 inches was good enough for the individual title, while his second-place hammer throw of 212 feet, two inches was the second-best mark in Southland outdoor championship history. The junior Gardner-Webb transfer posted a mark of 176-1.75 in the discus throw.
 
Spickes, a native of Rogers, Ark. (Rogers Heritage H.S.), earned freshman of the year honors after winning the men’s pole vault at the outdoor championships with a height of 16 feet, nine and 1/4 inches. The freshman also placed eighth in the long jump, leaping for 23 feet, two and 3/4 inches.
 
In addition to Payne being tabbed female athlete of the year, McNeese State senior sprinter Simone Johnson was named female outstanding runner of the year while Lamar distance runner Evelyn Chaves earned freshman of the year honors.
 
Payne, a junior from New Braunfels, Texas (New Braunfels H.S.), broke her own NCAA outdoor women’s pole vault record this past Friday at the Southland meet after needing just one jump to claim the individual title and set the Southland outdoor championship record. The Kansas transfer cleared 15 feet, five and a half inches (4.71m) to set the collegiate record and tie the highest vault in the world this season. Payne originally set the NCAA pole vault record earlier this spring in Des Moines, Iowa in the Beijing World Championship Preview pole vault competition as part of the Drake Relays with a mark of 15-3.5 (4.66m). Her Southland championship win now gives the junior a total of 11 individual pole vault titles this year and holds four of the top five outdoor jumps in collegiate history. Payne was also pole vault champion at the Southland indoor meet in February, setting the championship record and claiming outstanding field performer honors. In addition, she holds the NCAA indoor pole vault record after recording four of the top five indoor jumps in college history this past season.
 
Johnson captured the women’s 100-meter dash and long jump and was a part of McNeese State’s winning 4x100-meter relay team at the outdoor championships in Hammond, La. The Ville Platte, La. (Pine Prairie H.S.), native was also named female high point scorer after recording a total of 27.5 points. She ran the 100-meters in a winning time of 11.55 seconds and took first in the long jump with a mark of 20 feet, one and a half inches. Joining Danielle Epps, Lauren Thompson and Maegan Moore, Johnson helped the 4x100-meter relay team to win the race in a time of 45.04 seconds. The senior was also a 4x100-meter relay champion at the 2013 outdoor championships and a NCAA East Preliminary qualifier that same year.
 
Chavez, a native of Porter, Texas (Porter H.S.), took home first place in the women’s 10,000-meters at the Southland outdoor championships while finishing second in the 5000-meter run. The freshman posted a time of 37:11.04 to win the 10,000-meters and finished the 5000-meters in 17:37.78 to take second place.
 
Guiding the Stephen F. Austin men’s and women’s track and field programs to team titles at the outdoor championships, Phil Olson swept coach of the of year honors for the second time in 2015. Olson was also named both men’s and women’s indoor coach of the year after leading SFA to men’s and women’s team championships at the indoor meet in February. At the helm of SFA’s track and field programs since the fall of 2000, Olson has claimed a total of 10 Southland outdoor coach of the year awards and has now swept men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor honors twice in his career (2013, 2015). He has guided the Lumberjacks to three SLC outdoor championships (2011, 2013, 2015) and the Ladyjacks to seven outdoor titles (2003, 2009-13, 2015). Olson was also named Southland outdoor men’s coach of the year after the 2011 and 2013 seasons, in addition to earning outdoor women’s coach of the year honors in 2003 and 2009-13.
 
The top-three finishers in each event at last weekend’s outdoor championships earned All-Southland Conference honors. The winner earned first-team honors, the second place finisher earned second-team accolades while third place finishers were honored with third-team awards.

Men’s Individual Award Winners
 
Male Athlete of the Year: Sam Stabler, Lamar
Male Outstanding Field Events: Emmanuel Williams, Northwestern State
Male Outstanding Running Events: Sam Stabler, Lamar
Male Newcomer of the Year: Alex Young, Southeastern Louisiana
Male Freshman of the Year: Daniel Spickes, Central Arkansas
Leon Johnson Men’s Coach of the Year: Phil Olson, Stephen F. Austin
 
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field All-Conference Teams
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
100-Meter Dash Justin Jenkins, SHSU Johnathan Farquarshon, ACU Jared Love, SFA
110-Meter Hurdles Matthew Viverette, SHSU William Stark, SHSU Kerry Gleason, SFA
200-Meter Dash Johnathan Farquarshon, ACU Justin Jenkins, SHSU Amir James, NSU
400-Meter Dash Chance Tanner, UCA My’Lik Kerley, SFA Rodney Jones, SHSU
400-Meter Hurdles Josh Taylor, SFA Matthew Viverette, SHSU Kemar Mowatt, AMCC
800-Meter Run Michael Batson, UNO Daniel Shelton, HBU Daniel Block, ACU
1,500-Meter Run Sam Stabler, LU Federico Gasbarri, LU Oliver James, MCN
3,000-Meter Steeple Brock Moreaux, MCN Jan Lukas Becker, LU Patrick Pitts, SHSU
5,000-Meter Run Sam Stabler, LU Charles Mathenge, SFA Alex Dunbar, LU
10,000-Meter Run Charles Mathenge, SFA Colby Mehmen, SFA Sam Stabler, LU
4x100-Meter Relay* Sam Houston State Abilene Christian UIW
4x400-Meter Relay* Stephen F. Austin Northwestern State Central Arkansas
High Jump Tyler Adams, SHSU Eric Moore, UCA Jamarkese Williams, UIW
Long Jump Emmanuel Williams, NSU Kartavius Hamilton, MCN Kagan Angers, SHSU
Triple Jump Emmanuel Williams, NSU John Lemke, MCN Gennard Paul, SLU
Pole Vault Daniel Spickes, UCA Jaden Dement, ACU Daven Murphree, SFA
Shot Put Alex Young, SLU Brett Olsen, SLU Jimmy LeBlanc, SLU
Discus Brett Olsen, SLU Alex Young, SLU Kai Schmidt, ACU
Javelin Derek Hampton, SLU Collin Rowland, SLU Kyle Zenon, MCN
Hammer                                      Jonathan Kinchen, SLU Alex Young, SLU Trevor Sealy, SHSU
Decathlon                             Cody Rhodes, SFA Luke Woods, ACU Hunter Key, SFA

*4x100-Meter Relay:   
1. Sam Houston State – (Dedrick Brooks, Justin Jenkins, Rodney Jones, Christopher Jefferson)
2. Abilene Christian – (Devan Brown, Johnathan Farqarshon, Osei Allyene-Forte, Deandre McBride)
3. UIW – (Jamarkese Williams, Jordan Epps, Randalle Williams-Diaz, Chris DeWitt)
 
*4x400-Meter Relay:   
1. Stephen F. Austin – (Will Gibson, Teddy Hawkins, Josh Taylor, My’Lik Kerley)
2. Northwestern State – (Keenan Jackson, Gabe White, Amir James, Anthony Taylor)
3. Central Arkansas – (Jeremiah Watson, Kelton Ray, Trevon Boyd, Chance Tanner)
 
Women’s Individual Award Winners
 
Female Athlete of the Year: Demi Payne, Stephen F. Austin
Female Outstanding Field Events: Demi Payne, Stephen F. Austin
Female Outstanding Running Events: Simone Johnson, McNeese State
Female Newcomer of the Year: Demi Payne, Stephen F. Austin
Female Freshman of the Year: Evelyn Chavez, Lamar
Women’s Coach of the Year: Phil Olson, Stephen F. Austin
 
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field All-Conference Teams
1st 2nd 3rd
100-Meter Dash Simone Johnson, MCN Ebony Collins, AMCC Danielle Epps, MCN
100-Meter Hurdles Alexia Fortenberry, UNO Lauren Thompson, MCN Stephanie White, SFA
200-Meter Dash Ebony Collins, TAMUCC Paula Smith, SHSU De’Shalyn Jones, NSU
400-Meter Dash Jordan Grady, SHSU De’Shalyn Jones, NSU Cierra Jefferson, SFA
400-Meter Hurdles                Ruth Amaku, SHSU Stephanie White, SFA Kryshell Rolle, NICH
800-Meter Run DeJernel Jordan, SFA Kierstin Santana, HBU Briana McCall, SHSU
1,500-Meter Run Verity Ockenden, LU Louise Webb, LU Alexandria Hackett, ACU
3,000-Meter Steeple Louise Webb, LU Brittany Innis, SFA Marina Guerrero Puigdevall, ACU
5,000-Meter Run Alexandria Hackett, ACU Evelyn Chavez, LU Rainy Castaneda, UIW
10,000-Meter Run Evelyn Chavez, LU Brigette Carruthers, UCA Samantha Ottman, SFA
4x100-Meter Relay* McNeese State Sam Houston State Southeastern Louisiana
4x400-Meter Relay* Stephen F. Austin Sam Houston State Houston Baptist
High Jump Melai Carter, SFA Ashley Gadson, SFA Kerissa Wiley, AMCC
Long Jump Simone Johnson, MCN Taylor Thomas, HBU Lauren Thompson, MCN
Triple Jump Por’sha Thomas, NSU Breann Denson, NSU Kaylynne Wright, SHSU
Pole Vault Demi Payne, SFA Kara Whitson, SHSU Nicole Casper, MCN
Shot Put Jermisha Frazier, SLU Keona Jackson, NSU Kristine Hanks, SHSU
Discus Rechelle Bessard, NSU Jessica Spelling, SFA Jermisha Frazier, SLU
Javelin Ashley Aldredge, NSU Jessica Talley, NSU Elizabeth Lyssy, SHSU
Hammer                                     Ashley Jenkins, SHSU Adrienne Quillin, SHSU Jermisha Frazier, SLU
Heptathlon                                Farydah Inoussa, UNO Nicole Jenrette, SHSU Avery Zamzow, SHSU

*4x100-Meter Relay:
1. McNeese State – (Danielle Epps, Lauren Thompson, Simone Johnson, Maegan Moore)
2. Sam Houston State – (Danielle Demas, Elizabeth Ene, Jordan Grady, Paula Smith)
3. Southeastern Louisiana – (Daijah Washington, Kaelyn Smith, Shanetria Thomas, Nakiya Smith)

*4x400-Meter Relay:
1. Stephen F. Austin – (Tiffany Williams, Cierra Jefferson, Stephanie White, DeJernal Jordan)
2. Sam Houston State – (Camry Grigsby, Ruth Amaku, Brianna McCall, Jordan Grady)
3. Houston Baptist – (Ericka Rodriguez, Kiersten Santana, Gbemi Orundami, Ashley Johnson)