Kats capture half of Southland weekly awards
2/4/2016 11:47:00 AM | Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
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In a week and a half at the Southland Conference Indoor Championships, the Sam Houston State men's and women's track and field squads will find out how they truly stand against league foes, but if the weekly athlete of the week awards are any indication, it could be an event to remember.
With eight athlete of the week honorees, including Courtney Lord's honoree on Wednesday, the Bearkats claimed half of the 16 up for grabs during the regular season.
“That tells you the level we're competing at,” head coach David Self said. “I took this program over six years ago and we'd had a storied success. When I took over as head coach, the staff and I set a goal that when you talk about conference championships year in and out, Sam Houston will be in the conversation.”
The recognition comes for Lord following a first-place finish in the pentathlon at the Jayhawk Classic in Lawrence, Kan., over the weekend. The sophomore downed 21 competitors with a score of 3,555 points (3,576 track-size converted) to rank No. 50 nationally and first in the Southland.
Lord seized the winning mark after capturing the top spot in the high jump (5 feet, 7 ¼ inches), runner-up in the long jump (17 feet, 10 ¾ inches) and third in the 60-meter hurdles (9.21). Her point total also ranks fourth in Bearkat lore.
“Courtney came here as a walk-on, unrecruited by anyone else,” Self said. “She said, 'I love track and field, I want to give this a try.' She had a rocky year last year but worked really hard. We could see the talent was there. It makes you feel really good to see her put it all together.”
“She went from a walk-on who redshirted indoors last year and competed outdoors but didn't score in the conference meet to leading the conference in the pentathlon in only the second multi-event you've ever done. It just doesn't happen that way.”
The Buda native and Hays Consolidated High School product joins Ashley Jenkins (three-time winner), Danielle Demas, Camry Grigsby, Jeffrey Moore and Chris Jefferson among winners, voted on each week by conference sports information directors.
The Southland Conference Indoor Championships take place Feb. 15-16 at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala., as the Kats make minor adjustments in preparation for the event they ready for all season.
“Training is over and the hay is in the barn,” Self said. “It's been a fast and furious season. At this point, we're fine-tuning things. We're making sure the kids are feeling good physically and if you can do that, you can turn the corner and start seeing some good things.”
