Bearkat Women Leads Charge In SLC Track And Field Tournament
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Norman, Okla. – Morgan Davis became the first Sam Houston women’s athlete to win back-to-back titles in the Southland Conference Indoor multi-events competition.
Davis, a senior, opened the meet for the Bearkats with a win in the women’s pentathlon, finishing 245 points ahead of the field with a total of 3,632.
The Sam Houston women also picked up points from the pentathlon with a third place finish by Allyson Pettit (3,387 points) and an eighth place performance by Nicolle Jenrette (3,199). Francis Porter was ninth with 2,912 points.
Davis earned her pentathlon victory with finishes of first in the high jump (5′ 1.75″), second in the shot put (38′ 5″) and third in the 60 meter hurdles (8.99), long jump (17′ 4.75″) and 800 meter run (2:26.78).
“Coming back and winning this event again this year is just so exciting, especially since I didn’t think I’d be back this season,” Davis said. “I graduated in May and then remembered that I red-shirted my freshman year so I had one more opportunity to come back. It’s truly a grueling event but I wouldn’t change a thing. This medal means everything to me.”
On the men’s side, Sam Houston’s Matt Johnson and Josh Sigmon finished the first day of the men’s heptathlon in medal contention.
Johnson won both the 60 meter hurdles (6.97) and the shot put (44′ 2.75″), finished second in the high jump (6′ 0.5″) and was third in the long jump (21′ 7.5″).
Sigmon was the runner-up in the shot (44′ 0.75″) and placed sixth in the high jump (5′ 10″) and 60m hurdles (7.31).
Friday night’s action brought the Bearkats two more gold medals. Charles White won the men’s long jump with a mark of 24′ 6.25″. The Bearkat women’s distance medley relay also took first place with a time of 12:09.53. The Sam Houston squad consisted of Johanna Saellimen, Tonicia Wimberley, Nicole Aponte and Alyssa Dooley.
The men’s distance medley quartet of Clint Anders, Matt Viverette, Fred Arellano and Karl Schreiber were runners-up with a clocking of 10:11.18.
In other action for the women, Shelbie Zotyka placed third in the pole vault with a mark of 12′ 9.5″.
Through the first day’s action, Sam Houston leads the women’s standings with 52.5 points. Stephen F. Austin is in second place with 50 followed by McNeese (35) in third and Central Arkansas (20) in fourth.
Sam Houston stands fourth in the men’s team standings with 29.5 points. SFA leads the men wiwth 42 points. Southeastern Louisiana (37.5) and McNeese State (30) are second and third, respectively.
WOMEN
Weight Throw Ashley Jenkins 56′ 10.75″ 3
Adrienne Quilliln 51′ 5.5″ 10
Pole Vault Shelbie Zotyka 12′ 9.5″ 3
Ashley Thompson 12′ 15″ 7
Katelyn Wynn 11′ 7.75″ 9
Kara Whitson 11′ 7.75″ 10
60m Dash Lauren Nwegbo 7.61 (p) 2
Prelims Elizabeth Ene 7.78 11
Taylor Sanders 7.80 12
200m Dash Lygia Foreman 24.70 (p) 2
Prelims Elizabeth Ene 25.32 11
Taylor Sanders 25.50 15
800m Run Allyssa Dooley 2:19.32 3
Prelims
5000m Solenn Riou 18:23.71 4
Ana Moreno 18:34.74 5
60m Hurdles Danielle Dumas 8:84 2
Prelims Winnie Ileso 9.02 12
Morgan Davis 9.09 13
MEN
Weight Throw Brek Christensen 57′ 4.75″ 5
Trevor Sealy 57′ 2.75″ 6
Ammaad McCarthy 54′ 11.25″ 9
Long Jump Charles White 24′ 6.25″ 1
Matt Johnson 23′ 3.5″ 7
Karique Stephen 21′ 9″ 20
Pole Vault Garrett Rose 15′ 1.75″ 6
Matthew Johnson 15′ 1.75″ 8
Cutter Bernhard 15′ 1.75″ 8
60m Dash Leroy Harris 6.86 7
Prelims Kristen Mitchell 6.89 8
Jarrick Wright 7:01 14
200m Dash Rodney Jones 20:09 5
Prelims Kristen Mitchell 22:24 9
Leroy Harris 22:47 13
Treyvion White 22.85 22
Jarrick Wright 23.02 27
400m Dash Rodney Jones 48.74 2
Prelims Brian Helaire 49.19 5
Trey Jones 49.19 5
800m Run Freddy Arellano 1:56.08 1
Prelims De’Quad Binder 1:58.25 3
Andrew Waller 1:59.08 12
Clint Anders
5000m Palo Ponce 15:29.55 12
Ryan Saam 15:39.52 13
60m Hurdles Matthew Viverette 8.06 1
Prelims Matthew Johnson 8.25 3
William Stark 8.34 7
Reggie Davis 8.51 8
Lost In Translation
by Cheval John
In today’s environment with the popularity of college football and basketball, most student athletes who play those sports do not get their college degree because they leave early for the NFL or the NBA.
Worst of all, their grades are not on par with the rest of the student body on campus.
But at some universities, student-athletes are performing equally or better than the rest of the student body in the classroom.
One university that comes to mind is Sam Houston State University.
More than 400 student-athletes participates in 15 sports for SHSU at the NCAA Division I level in the Southland Conference (with the exception of bowling).
During the 2011-12 school year, the majority of the athletic teams made it to post-season tournaments at the Southland Conference and the NCAA .
These same student-athletes achieved success in the classroom as well.
In the fall of 2011, they had a combined GPA of 2.90.
The following semester, they did even better with a combined 3.00 GPA, the highest of any semester at SHSU.
Leading the charge was the volleyball team with a combined G.P.A. of 3.36.
They gained recognition regionally and nationally as they earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association team academic award last week.
The award is given to any team at the high school and/or collegiate level who earns a 3.30 G.P.A or above during the school year.
The volleyball team were among the 102 schools at the NCAA Division I level that received the award.
Individually, four Bearkats received the Southland Conference “Student-Athlete of the Year” award for their success in the classroom as well as on the field.
They are Travis Watson (football), James Glenn (men’s golf), Jake Arrington (baseball) and Morgan Davis (Women’s Indoor Track).
“It was very exciting,” Davis said. “I had no idea that I was in the running for it.”
“When I found out about it, I instantly burst into tears.”
“It was the best news that I could have heard.”
The most important achievement of it all is that 90% of the student-athletes at SHSU receives a college degree after they complete their eligibility.
Many of these athletes go on to be professionals in their chosen fields outside of sports.
Don’t believe me, just ask Ms. Davis.
She is going to dental school to fulfill her dream of becoming a dentist.
“I knew that it was going to be even harder doing those classes along with athletics,” Davis said.
“I was willing to take on that challenge and I think I did a pretty good job with it.”