South Alabama and Texas State Lead Sun Belt Indoor Track & Field Championships After Day One

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The South Alabama Jaguars men’s team and the Texas State Bobcats women’s team concluded the first day of the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in the lead, contested at the Birmingham CrossPlex on February 23, 2026.

Team Standings

The South Alabama men have accumulated 37 points through the first five events. Texas State follows closely behind with 35.5 points and Southern Miss is in third place with 28 points.

On the women’s side, Texas State leads with 36 points, followed by Louisiana with 33 points, and Marshall with 27 points.

Men’s Team Scores (through five events):

• South Alabama (37)
• Texas State (35.5)
• Southern Miss (28)
• ULM (26)
• Marshall (24)
• Arkansas State (23.5)
• Louisiana (20)

Women’s Team Scores (through five events):

• Texas State (36)
• Louisiana (33)
• Marshall (27)
• South Alabama (23)
• Arkansas State (20)
• Coastal Carolina (12)
• Southern Miss (12)
• App State (7)
• James Madison (7)
• Georgia Southern (6)
• Georgia State (5)
• Troy (5)
• ULM (2)

Key Performances

Texas State’s Elisabet Runarsdottir secured the first gold medal of the championships in the women’s weight throw, achieving a mark of 20.62m/67-8 on her initial throw. Marshall’s Markayla Moore earned silver with 19.81m/65, and Louisiana’s Lily Murray took bronze with 19.77m/64-10.5.

Marshall continued its success with Lara Check winning the women’s long jump, reaching 6.05m/19-10.25. Coastal Carolina’s Emila Thurston claimed silver with 5.95m/19-6.25, and Georgia Southern’s Kennedy Hood secured bronze with 5.94m/19-6.

Arkansas State’s Miranda Burgett won the women’s pentathlon, totaling 3,937 points. Texas State’s Sophie Daugard finished second with 3,901 points, and South Alabama’s Jamie Willis earned bronze with 3,740 points.

South Alabama dominated the men’s pole vault, with Terek Logan winning gold and Will Fredrick taking silver, both clearing 5.23m/17-1.75. Arkansas State’s Gavin Schaer earned bronze with 5.13m/16-10.

Southern Miss likewise excelled in the men’s long jump, with DeAundre Ward winning gold and Tyler Nichols taking bronze. Texas State’s Chris Preddie secured silver.

Conner Mozee of Southern Miss won the men’s weight throw with a mark of 19.59m/64-3.25. ULM’s Benedikt Schweizer earned silver, and South Alabama’s Samuel Mika took bronze.

Meet Records

Valentino Rudolph from Southern Miss set a new meet record in the men’s 200m with a time of 20.78.

Charleen Elizondo of South Alabama won the women’s 5K with a personal-best time of 16:38.40. Louisiana’s Ella Segura and Isabelle Russell finished second and third, respectively.

Louisiana’s Henry Lyon won the men’s 5K in 14:34.11, followed by Marshall’s Justin Lipscomb and ULM’s Joshua Gill.

Relay Results

Southern Miss won the women’s distance medley relay in 11:37.83, with Texas State finishing second and App State third. South Alabama won the men’s DMR in 10:03.40, followed by Arkansas State and Louisiana.

Looking Ahead

The final day of the Sun Belt Indoor Track & Field Championships will begin at 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, with running events and the ESPN+ broadcast commencing at 1:30 p.m. CT.