Denton, Texas --- Western Kentucky scored 147 points to defend its Sun Belt Conference Mens Outdoor Track & Field team title. The Hilltoppers were led by the meets top male scorer and Mens Outstanding Field Performer Raigo Toompuu with 34 points. Toompuu, a junior from Estonia, finished first in the discus and shot put, second in hammer and third in javelin. WKU head coach Curtiss Long was named Mens Coach of the Year.
It (the championship) was one in which we had some outstanding performances, said Long. We had a lot of individual performances that added up to a total team effort. I have to commend our outstanding staff. The development of this team has been tremendous.
New Mexico State scored 175 points to win the 2004 Sun Belt Conference Womens Outdoor Track & Field title. The Aggies were led by top female scorer and Womens Outstanding Track Performer Rachael Cuellar with 30 points. Cuellar, a junior from Albuquerque, N.M., won three races in three days 10,000 meter run (Friday), 3,000 meter steeplechase (Saturday), and 5,000 meter run (Sunday). Aggie freshman Sandra Anane, a freshman from El Paso, Texas, won the Outstanding Field honors for wins in the long jump and triple jump. Aggie head coach Ed Crawford was named Womens Coach of the Year.
I am very pleased, said Crawford. These young ladies did an awesome job. This win was a total team effort. Every one on this team did a good job and contributed in some way. Obviously you have to mention Rachael Cuellar, the way she started the meet and winning three events. Everyone encouraged everyone else.
Middle Tennessee senior Mardy Scales won the 2004 Outstanding Mens Track Performer honors. Scales ran, unofficially, the sixth fastest time in the World in 2004 with a 10.12 100-meter dash. Scales also won the 200-meter dash. Scales was the last qualifier for the 100-meter dash on Saturday, after stumbling out of the blocks in the preliminary round.
Arkansas States Candon Powell won the mens hammer throw with a Sun Belt overall and championship record toss of 177 11 in his final throw of the day. Western Kentuckys Raigo Toompuu had just set a new mark in the previous round with a throw of 173 5.
Freshman Erin Kinnear of South Alabama continued her young streak of Sun Belt pole vault championship titles by winning the 2004 outdoor title with a jump of 12 3.5. Kinnear won the 2004 Sun Belt indoor title in February.
New Mexico States Erin Streater gave the Aggies a 21-point lead over the field after nine events with a record-setting throw in the womens hammer throw. Her heave of 176 1 is a Sun Belt championship meet and overall record.
Lawrence Willis and Lawrence Leben took first and second place for Louisiana in the mens triple jump. Willis jumped a regional qualifying mark of 536.5, followed by Leben at 49 11. Willis mark is the third best jump in conference meet history.
North Texas Chris Mordecai won the mens pole vault edging out South Alabamas Thomas Fowlkes at 15 11. South Alabama took second, third and fourth in the event.
South Alabamas Justin Cummins won the mens javelin with a throw with a heave of 2285. Cummins throw is the second longest in Sun Belt meet history.
The North Texas womens team of Chastidy Russell, Rhonda Williams, Ronniqua Wilson and Osaze Aghedo won the 4x100 meter relay with a season-best time of 45.89.
Middle Tennessees 4x100 meter relay team of Garland Martin, Mardy Scales, Xavier Darden and Pedro Holiday won the conference title with an NCAA regional qualifying time of 40.15. The squads best time of the season was 40.06
Amanda Caffey of Louisiana-Lafayette won the womens javelin with a throw of 145 8.
Terry LoFrese kept Arkansas State in the hunt for the conference championship with a win in the mens high jump. LoFrese jumped 7 0.5, picking up 10 points to help the Indians stay close to WKU in the team standings. Teammate Seth Bortey pitched in to the team cause with a win in the mens 800 with a time of 1:53.50.
Western Kentuckys Cara Nichols won the womens 1,500 meter run with a time of 4:41.55, while Dmitry Shokur of Arkansas-Little Rock picked up the win in the mens race with a time of 3:59.17.
Ciji Brooks of North Texas won the womens 100-meter hurdles with an NCAA regional qualifying time of 13.91. Linnie Yarbrough of Middle Tennessee won the mens 110-meter hurdles and was one of four competitors to run a regional qualifying mark in the finals.
South Alabamas Ajoke Odumosu picked up two wins for the Jaguars in the womens 400 meter dash (53.45) and 400 meter hurdles (58.72). Odumosus time in the 400 hurdles is a Sun Belt championship record and qualifies her for the NCAA regional meet. Teammate Bibiche Mankatu won the womens 800 with a time of 2:12.74.
USAs Felix Okello won the mens 400 meter dash with a time of 47.61.
Middle Tennessee junior Rosemary Okafor won two races for the Lady Raiders the 100 meter dash (11.43) and the 200 meter dash (23.49). Mens hurdler Victor Okorie won the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 51.87. Okorie set a conference record in the event last season at the 2003 NCAA national meet at 49.17.
Walter Whitfield picked up his second win of the meet for UL Lafayette in the 5,000 meter run on Sunday night. Whitfield ran a time of 15:29.13.
Kerry Barrow, Contrena Brown, Tiffany Owens and Kishara George ended the womens portion of the meet with a win for Middle Tennessee in the 4x400 meter relay with a regional qualifying mark of 3:42.32.
The festivities closed out with a tight race in the mens 4x400 meter relay. The North Texas team of David Turner, Derek Logan, Arthur Cox and Andre Douglas edged Middle Tennessee by .06 seconds for the win.
Team Standings
Mens Standings - Final
1. Western Kentucky, 147
2. Arkansas State, 133.50
3. Middle Tennessee, 123
4. North Texas, 108
5. Louisiana-Lafayette, 101
6. Arkansas-Little Rock, 80
7. South Alabama, 69
8. Florida International, 30.50
9. New Orleans, 25
Womens Standings Final
1. New Mexico State, 175
2. North Texas, 143
3. Middle Tennessee, 114
4. Western Kentucky, 109
5. Florida International, 85
6. South Alabama, 72
7. Arkansas-Little Rock, 34
8. Louisiana-Lafayette, 32.50
9. Arkansas State, 27.50
10. New Orleans, 23
Champion quotes
Womens Pole Vault Erin Kinnear, Fr., South Alabama
I was pleased with my performance, this being my first year here. I want to keep improving. I was aiming for the Sun Belt championship record, but I came up just a little short.
Mens Hammer Throw Candon Powell, Jr., Arkansas State
I actually had a subpar performance, throwing below 15 feet is below my personal record. Raigo (Toompuu) was really pushing me and throwing hard, but I was able to hold on.
Womens Hammer Throw Erin Streater, So., New Mexico State
I was excited to win. My progress through the season has been leading up to this. I was peaking at the right time.
Mens Pole Vault Chris Mordecai, Sr., North Texas
Everything I have comes from God. I dont rely on my strength, but the strength He gives me.
Mens Javelin Justin Cummins, South Alabama
I was coming back from an injury and am very fortunate to be throwing better now than two years ago. I am self-motivated, but the support of my family, friends and teammates is a large part of my success.
Womens Javelin Amanda Caffey, Sr., Louisiana-Lafayette
My senior year I just wanted to try to come out and do my best.
Womens Triple Jump Sandra Anane, Fr., New Mexico State
I came out expecting to jump at least 42, but either way I was able to pull out the win. Coach (Crawford) said everyone needed to step up and thats what I wanted to do.
Mens High Jump Terry LoFrese, Arkansas State
I just came out of the decathlon. I was a little tired, but I pushed through and tried to earn our team some points.
Womens 4x100 Relay Rhonda Williams, North Texas
I think we did well. We believed in ourselves and we were very confident and that is what got us the victory. We knew Keisha (Gentry) was behind us all the way and we did it for her and ourselves.
Womens 1,500 Cara Nichols, Western Kentucky
The group came out real slow, so I just tried to pull away early. The wind was tough and I knew there were some girls with good kicks, so I just wanted to get myself as far ahead as possible before the end of the race.
Mens 1,500 Dmitry Shokur, Arkansas-Little Rock
This was a nice win. I think it was a really nice run and I am happy to win it. I want to thank everyone that ran.
Womens 100 Hurdles Ciji Brooks, North Texas
I felt like I had an extra push in the middle of the race. I was confident going into the race that I could perform my best. Fortunately, I was able to do that.
Womens 400 Ajoke Odumosu, South Alabama
It felt good to win the race. I just put my mind to it, knew I could do it, and thats what I did. I am very excited about the time (regional qualifying), but I wasnt worried about that.
Mens 400 Felix Okello, South Alabama
I am kind of disappointed because I didnt run as well as I wanted to. I ran the same time as yesterday (in the prelims). I dont know if it is because of the wind or what, but I will run hard again next time.
Womens 100 & 200 Rosemary Okafor, Middle Tennessee
I didnt expect to perform that well because Ive had a groin injury and havent trained for the past two weeks. I tried to stay focused and concentrate on what I needed to do.
Mens 100 & 200 Mardy Scales, Sr., Middle Tennessee
I always want to go into a meet trying to improve my time. I focused on my start today after stumbling at the start yesterday. I think once I got a good start, the rest worked itself out.
Womens 800 Bibiche Mankatu, South Alabama
I was competing to win. I am very happy to finish first. I just wanted to do everything I could to help my team.
Mens 800 Seth Bortey, Arkansas State
I was disappointed with my running time because it was below normal, but I am excited to win. I focused on just relaxing and trying to win the race.
Womens 400 Hurdles Ajoke Odumosu, South Alabama
My coach believes in me and I believe in myself. I train to run through the little pains of running multiple events in the same day.
Mens 400 Hurdles Victor Okorie, Middle Tennessee
I felt really good after being injured for most of the outdoor season. My coach had confidence that I could win. I just wanted to help my team.
Womens 5,000 Rachael Cuellar, Jr., New Mexico State
I thought it would be tough because my legs were tired and tight during warm-ups. I knew the girl for Louisiana-Lafayette (Natalie Gillis) would push me to the finish, and she did.
Mens 5,000 Walter Whitfield, Louisiana-Lafayette
This race was basically about just trying to go out and get the W. I knew the race would start slow and develop, so I just sat back and let them do the work. It feels very good to win two events. This has been a great season and now I have to get ready for regionals.
Womens 4x400 relay Kishara George, Middle Tennessee
We got off to a rough start. We knew we needed to come back out here and excel in what were good at. One of those things is the 4x400 relay. So we wanted to make Coach (Dean Hayes) and our team proud.
Sun Belt Meet Records
Mens Discus 183-3 (55.85m), Raigo Toompuu, WKU, 2004; old record 183-2, Ahville Black, Louisiana Tech, 1999.
Mens Shot Put 59-8.50 (18.20m), Raigo Toompuu, WKU, 2004; old record 54-11.50, Robert Holdsworth, Louisiana Tech, 1997
Mens Hammer (also an overall Sun Belt record) 177-11 (54.24m), Candon Powell, ASU, 2004; old record 173-5 (52.87m), Raigo Toompuu, WKU, 2004; coming into the meet: old record (meet) 164-10, Candon Powell, ASU, 2002; old record (overall) 168-3, Candon Powell, ASU, 2002
Womens Hammer (also an overall Sun Belt record) - 176-1 (53.67m), Erin Streater, NMSU, 2004; old record (meet) 170-6, Isela Mendoza, ASU, 2003; old record (overall) 172-1, Isela Mendoza, ASU, 2003