MOBILE, Ala. – The South Alabama men and Texas State women lead the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, contested at the Jaguar Track on the campus of South Alabama, following the opening day of the event.
The South Alabama men have totaled 37 points through a trio of events. Texas State is in second place with 24 points, while ULM sits in third with 20 points. The Texas State women have tallied 41 points through four events. Louisiana currently stands in second with 32 points as South Alabama is in third with 31 points.
The second day of the Sun Belt Outdoor Track & Field Championships begins at 10:30 a.m. CT on Friday, May 15 with the 110m hurdles for the Decathlon. The men’s long jump will kick off field events at 2:30 p.m. with the ESPN+ broadcast starting with the running events at 5 p.m. for the Women’s 100m Hurdles Prelims.
Elisabet Runarsdottir returned to the top of the podium with a new Sun Belt Championship Meet Record throw of 70.81m/232-03 in the women’s hammer throw. The mark also set a new facility record, as the junior currently ranks second nationally in the event. Teammate Lara Roberts claimed the silver medal with the No. 9 ranked throw in the country at 68.37m/224-03. Georgia State’s Zayna Fray earned the bronze with a mark of 64.33m/211. The top five marks in the women’s hammer throw all ranked inside the top 60 as ULM’s Sydney Lake (No. 55 nationally, 60.95m/199-11) and South Alabama’s Iyana Johnson (No. 57 nationally, 60.80m/199-05) joined the list of nationally ranked individuals in the event.
Texas State earned a sweep in the hammer throw as sophomore Manfred Mannamaa claimed the men’s hammer throw title with a mark of 66.99m/219-09, a mark that currently ranks No. 29 nationally. ULM’s Benedikt Schweizer earned the silver medal with a mark of 64.85m/212-09 as South Alabama’s Samuel Mika jumped a pair of spots to earn the final spot on the podium with the No. 77 nationally ranked mark of 63.52m/208-04.
The third field event saw a pair of Bobcats finish on the podium once again as Texas State’s Hannah Kemele claimed the women’s javelin throw crown with a mark of 49.77m/163-03. Her mark was a personal best that currently ranks No. 60 in the nation. Teammate Charlize Goody earned the silver with a mark of 48.22m/158-02. Louisiana’s Emma Bacilla claimed the bronze on her final attempt with a mark of 48.04m/157-07.
Arkansas State’s Carly Pujol claimed the gold in the women’s pole vault after clearing 4.13m/13-06.5. South Alabama’s Dianna Goodman claimed the silver by clearing 4.03m/13-2.5. App State’s Lilly Nichols cleared the same height as Goodman to earn the bronze medal and the final podium spot.
South Alabama’s Reuben Booysen launched a season-best 71.48m/234-06 javelin throw to claim the gold medal with the No. 21 ranked mark in the country. Louisiana’s Jemar Ferguson earned the silver with a mark of 64.61m/211-11. South Alabama picked up its second spot on the podium in sophomore Brody Hamilton, who threw 60.37m/198 on his final attempt.
Heading to the track, in the final events of the day, the men’s and women’s 10000m concluded day one. South Alabama’s Charleen Elizondo earned the top spot on the podium in 36:36.81. Louisiana tallied a pair of podium finishes as Isabelle Russell (36:45.93) and Ella Segura (36:46.41) claimed the final two slots for a medal. On the men’s side, the final lap provided the dramatics. Arkansas State’s Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo took the lead in the final 400m to earn the gold medal in 30:27.84. App State’s Aaaron Kidd earned the silver in 30:36 as teammate Memphis Rich climbed three spots to finish on the podium in third with a time of 30:46.94.
2026 Sun Belt Outdoor Track & Field Championships (May 14, 2026)
Men’s Team Scores (Through Three Events):
1 South Alabama (29)
2. Texas State (24)
3. ULM (20)
4. App State (14)
5. Arkansas State (13)
6. Louisiana (8)
T7. Marshall (3)
T7. Southern Miss (3)
T7. Troy (3)
-- Coastal Carolina
Women’s Team Scores (Through Four Events):
1. Texas State (41)
2. Louisiana (32)
3. South Alabama (31)
4. App State (13)
5. Arkansas State (12)
6. Georgia State (6)
T7. Coastal Carolina (5)
T7. Southern Miss (5)
T7. ULM (5)
10. Marshall (4)
11. Georgia Southern (2)
-- Troy
-- James Madison
Meet Records Broken
Women’s Hammer Throw – Elisabet Runarsdottir, Texas State [70.81m/232-03]