MOBILE, Ala. — The South Alabama women continue to lead at the Sun Belt Outdoor Track and Field Championships with 89.50 points through nine events, and the UTA men moved to No. 1 (seven events) in the team standings with 50 points heading into championship Saturday.  
 
Louisiana's Juliette Smith earned the first gold medal of the afternoon in the heptathlon after collecting 5,483 points. Hanna-Mai Vaikla of South Alabama finished second in the event with 5,441 points, and Alli Hensley of Arkansas State placed third (5,262).
 
Lucas Van Klaveren of UTA won the decathlon after registering 7,322 points through 10 events. Texas State's Ben Collerton finished second (7,160), and South Alabama's Graham Collins followed in third (6,369).
 
Georgia State's Jaeda Hunt registered a 6.15m (20' 2 ¼") in the long jump to win the event. Louisiana's Osayi Omorodion earned silver after a 6.07m (19' 11") jump, and UTA's Juleen Lewis took home bronze (6.05m, 19' 10¼"). Coastal Carolina's David Ejumeta won the men's long jump with a 7.97m (26' 1¾") mark. Little Rock's Ryan Curinton (7.61m, 24' 11¾") finished second and Louisiana's Obdarius Ware (7.51, 24' 7¾") placed third.
 
Troy's Maja Kuessner claimed the women's high jump with a 1.75m (5' 8¾") mark, edging Louisiana’s Frankie Griffin (1.75, 5' 8¾) and South Alabama's Emilie Berge (1.72, 5' 7¾").
 
A-State's Evangelynn Harris earned first in the shot put after registering a 15.92m (52' 2¾") toss. South Alabama's Autavia Fluker, who qualified for the Olympic Trials in the hammer throw, finished second in the shot put with a 15.32m (52' 2¾") mark. Calyha Brown placed third in the event (15.32, 49' 3").
 
South Alabama's Rickssen Opont and Sebastian Loschner claimed gold and silver in the men's shot put. Opnot tossed a 17.74m (58' 2½"), and Lochner (55' 11¼") registered a 17.05m mark. App State's Nate Karl finished third in the event with a mark of 16.23m (53' 3").
 
Texas State's Ariana Ealy-Pulido led the women's 100m hurdles with a time of 13.50, advancing to Saturday's finals. The women's 100m hurdles finals will also include Zykeria Williams of Georgia Southern, Kennedy London of Louisiana, Sedrickia Wynn of Texas State, Rainee Bowers of Arkansas State, Kattiana Ealy-Pulido of Texas State, Serenity Rogers of Louisiana and Shani's Bellamy of Coastal Carolina.
 
The men's 110m hurdles finals will feature Braydon Bennett of Coastal Carolina, Yves Cherubin of Louisiana, Joel Bengstsson of UTA, Ke'Von Holder of Arkansas State, Will Glass of A-State, Hunter Appling of South Alabama, Tahj Whitfield of Louisiana, and Jaquon Williams of Coastal Carolina.
 
Louisiana's Brock Appiah registered a 10.41 in the 100m dash, earning a spot in the event finals. A-State's Chris Hill clocked the second-fastest preliminary time, clinching a spot in the final event. Texas State's Bervensky Pierre, UTA's Seth Texada, Troy's Matthew, Louisiana's Terroll Jolla, App State's Jabari Johnson, and Little Rock's Cogan Derousselle will also run in 100m finals.
 
The eight runners that will feature in the women's 100m finals are Kayla Sweeney of Coastal Carolina, Shelby Smith of Texas State, Sadi Giles of Texas State, Kiana Foster of Louisiana, Melissa Jefferson of Coastal Carolina, Cierra Dedrick of South Alabama, Jaeda Hunt of Georgia State and Anayah Washington of Texas State.
 
Coastal Carolina's Jermaisha Arnold and Amaryah White earned spots in Saturday's women's 400m finals. The event will also feature ULM runners Brittany Roberson and Fiebe Tengrootenhuysen, Ta'la Spates of Louisiana, Scovia Ayikoru of Georgia Southern, Imani Flangan of Georgia State, and Chermariea Hardy of Texas State.
 
South Alabama's Xavier Rogers paced the men's 400m and advanced to the finals with a time of 47.08. Arkansas State's Jeremy Walker also earned a spot with a preliminary time of 47.37. The Texas State trio of Kobe Daniels, Jaylen Allen, Taahir Kelly, and ULM's Eric Hawkins also earned a spot in Saturday's action. Little Rock's Jalen Black will represent the Trojans in Saturday's finals. 
 
Troy's Gemma Finch led the 800m and advanced to the finals with a time of 2:13.20. The Trojans Edita Sklenska and Danisha Jeanty and UTA’s Madeleine Rowe and Mathilde Ruud also clinched a spot in the finals, alongside Breanna Clark of Texas State, Emoni Coleman of Louisiana, and Anouk Prop of Georgia State. 
 
South Alabama's Carolian Millnaar won the steeplechase with a time of 10:22.37. Lauren Locke (10:47.04) of Troy finished second, and Marine Garnier placed third in the event with a time of 10:49.88.
 
A-State's Bennett Pascoe broke the Sun Belt outdoor track and field championship meet record in the men's steeplechase with a time of 8:53.25. UTA's Justin Domangue and Marquentin Barnes earned silver and bronze in the event.
 
Championship Saturday will start with field events at 11:30 a.m. The women's 4x100 meter relay will be the first of the running events beginning at 4 p.m. The final event will start at 7 p.m. (men's 4x400 relay), and the award ceremony will follow that event.