May 10, 2009

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Lamar University men's and women's track and field teams closed out the Southland Conference championship meet hosted by Stephen F. Austin University at Fletcher Garner Track at Homer Bryce Stadium, with the men finishing in eighth place with 33 points and the women in 11th with 12 points.

The women's 4x100 meter relay team scored the first points of the day for Lamar with an eighth place finish. The team of Porsch'e Williams, Megan Bibbs, Adrianne Johnson and Ashley Smith ran a season-best time of 47.09 seconds for third place in section one eighth overall.

The men's scoring started in the 1,500 meter run as Bob Ahimbisibwe earned all-conference honors with a third place finish in a personal-best time of 3:56.44. Ewan Simpson also scored for the Cards, notching an eighth place finish in a time of 4:002.13.

In the women's 100 meter hurdles Johnson and Bibbs were back on the track, where they placed sixth and eighth respectively. Johnson took sixth by crossing the line in a time of 14.27 seconds which ties her for fourth in school history. Bibbs was eighth in a time of 15.79 seconds.

In the men's 5,000 meter run, Samuel Kosgei continued his dominance of the SLC in distance races this season, cruising to a first place finish in a time of 14:21.60. It is his fourth individual championship of the 2008-09 school year, adding to his cross country, indoor 3,000 and indoor 5,000 meter titles. Drew also turned in a strong performance in the 5,000, finishing in fourth place in a time of 14:50.56.

In the women's 4x400 meter relay, the Lady Cardinals again turned in a season-best performance to notch an eighth place finish. The team of Linnea Collin, Smith, Williams and Amanda Mooney ran to a 3:55.04 finish to win section one and finish eighth overall while shaving three seconds off their previous best time of the year.

In the men's 4x400 meter relay the Cards ran to a seventh place finish. The team of Josh Raglon, Jamal Nash, Julius Kasule and Greg Williams shaved three seconds off their season-best performance to finish in a time of 3:13.36.

In Saturday's women's 3,000 meter steeplechase Emily Carpenter ran to a fifth place finish with a personal-best time of 11:48.89. The performance was 23 seconds better than her previous best and ranks her third in school history.

The SLC championship meet closes out the 2009 outdoor season for the majority of the Cardinals athletes. Kosgei and long jumper Craig Bailey will compete at the regional meet in Norman, Okla. on May 29-30, in the 5,000 meter run and the long jump respectively.