Men Win SWAC Indoor

February 24, the Southern University men’s indoor track team won the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship, for the second consecutive year
“We had no idea we were going to dominate like we did, TSU did a good job during the season and PVU is always strong,” said Southern coach Johnny Thomas.
With only 20 girls participating in the meet, the women finished in fifth with 48 points, out-performing five schools.
With 177 points, SU, outscored the second-place team Alcorn State University by 77.50 points.
“I am happy we have the talent and thank God for blessing us with the quality athletes that we have,” said senior Devin Daniels.
In the 55-meter dash Jonathon Robinson placed first with a time of 6.41 seconds, with Noel Parnell finishing third. In the 200-meter dash Parnell placed second with time of 22.25 seconds. Robinson, Daniels and Chermond Thomas, finished in fourth, fifth and seven place respectively.
In the 400-meter dash Leon Stewart placed second clocking in at 49.10 seconds, Kevin Harris placed third.
“They would not let me run the 400 all year, when given the chance I ran my all and I placed,” said Stewart.
In the 3,000-meter run, Charles Moon placed third, finishing fourth in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 16 minutes, 47.60 seconds.
Mclendon placed first in the 55-meter hurdles clocking in at 7.41.
“In my performance on the hurdles I had a late start out of the blocks on the second hurdle I started to catch on to the feel at the third and fourth I started surpassing because that is the most powerful part and I won my race,” said Mclendon.
Southern placed third in the 4×400 relay with a time of 3 minutes, 18.15 seconds.
Placing first in the Distance Medley, with a time of 10 minutes, 46.64 seconds, gave the men another trophy to take home.
The only person competing in the high jump, from Southern was Michael McKinney, who placed third with 6’ 07.50 jump.
New men’s pole vaulter Nicholas Wilson placed first with a 13’8. 25 jump. In the long jump Brian Johnson placed first with 23’10. 75 jump. In the men’s triple jump Pierre placed first with a 47’09. 25 jump.
The Southern men swept the hammer throw with Arnold Sims, Austin Mumphrey and Richard Celestine capturing first, second and third place honors.
“We set our goal early that week at practice and one of our goals was to sweep in our event and we knew we all had to make to finals” said Arnold Sims who also set a personal record in the hammer, with a 48’11.50 throw.
Now that indoor competition is complete, the team can begin preparations for outdoors.
” We are eager for out door track because that is more of a climate for us,” Coach Thomas.
Southern will take to the track in the Florida A& M Relays, March 8-9.