Returning after a week off, the Texas State Men’s and Women’s track and field teams competed in the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championship in Birmingham, Alabama hosted at the Birmingham Crossplex Feb. 20.
The women’s team won the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Championship. The Bobcats totaled 135 points in capturing their second-straight title, while the men’s team finished third overall in the conference.
The Championships began at 9 a.m. with the 60-meter hurdles of the heptathlon. Heading into the final event of the heptathlon, Ben Collerton, sophomore multis, had an 81-point advantage.
Claiming bronze in the mile was Devina Schneider, sophomore mid-distance, in 4:54.49. She made the second fastest time in school history. She also led the women’s team with 44 points.
Tramesha Hardy, junior sprinter, repeated as a 400-meter champion in 54.39. While Sydney Willis, senior sprinter, took third in 55.35.
De’Marcus Porter, senior sprinter, finished in fourth while Kelson Pierre, senior sprinter, in seventh and Christopher Green in eighth in the 400-meter to earn a combined eight points which jumped the men’s team into fourth place.
Collerton won the heptathlon with 5,115 points which made him the first Bobcat to claim an indoor heptathlon in the program history.
Carlos Wilson, freshman sprinter, claimed fourth place (6.77) and Porter claimed sixth in the 60-meter to add eight more points to the men’s total.‏
Kylah Smith, junior multis, won the 60-meter hurdles in her personal best with 8.45. Esther Oyetunde, senior sprints, nearly got the gold in the 800-meter but got edged out by .01.
T’Mond Johnson, junior thrower, has made two titles in two years in the shot put (19.05m) at the Championships.‏ His toss is the second best in Texas State history.
Joe Austin, freshman distance, claimed the bronze with a personal record of 1:52.51 and adds his name to the Texas State record book.
Hardy had a second 3-peat as she won the 200-meter in 23.68. Joining Hardy on the 200-meter podium was DeAijha Hicks-Boyce, senior sprinter, with a bronze in personal record of 24.33.
Alvin Chikaeze, senior horizontal jumper, leaped to the men’s triple jump title with 15.16-meters. Micheal Madu, junior horizontal jumper, finished in fourth and Ronnie Briscoe, freshman jumper, placed fifth, earning 19 points for the men’s team.
Tying for second in the women’s triple jump was Mylana Hearn, senior horizontal jump, with a leap of 12.43-meters (40-9.5) on her last attempt.
Hardy had a Sun Belt Conference triple-double as she completed the 60-200-400 sweep, repeating as the women’s 200-meter champion (23.68). She was awarded the top scoring woman of the entire Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championship with 32.5 points.
Collerton nearly reached the podium in the high jump with a fourth place finish and personal record clearance of 2.04-meters (6-8.25) after entering the meet  as 17th in the conference.
The women’s team won the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 3:43.53, the sixth fastest time in Texas State history.
The track and field teams will continue its season in College Station, Texas, March 9-10 for the NCAA Indoor Championships.