HAMMOND, La. – D.J. Ruffin was named Southland Conference Men's Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Field Events Performer and Ashley Davis was named first team All-Southland in the women's shot put for the Southeastern Louisiana track team, the league office announced Tuesday.
                                               
Ruffin, a Gautier, Mississippi native, was named first team All-Southland in the high jump and long jump and second-team in the 400m and 4X400. The senior was the men's outstanding performer at the Southland Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, Feb. 24-25. Ruffin finished with 28 points for the weekend winning the high jump and long jump while finishing second in the 400m and the 4X400 with teammates Cliff Resias, Donovan Storr and Tahrike Jones.
 
Second-year SLU head track coach Corey Mistretta couldn't have been more impressed with Ruffin's performance.
 
"We are all so very proud of this young man (Ruffin)," said Mistretta. "He has overcome a lot of adversity in his career for us and to be named athlete of the year is a huge reward for his determination and commitment to our team. Many people don't understand the daunting challenge he asked to take on at the conference championships to help the team. DJ hadn't competed in the high jump for two years. But, he knew he could score some points for our team if he just gave it a try. To actually win the event with a mark of 2.08m after not jumping for two years was astounding. Also, on Monday morning of Championship week, DJ asked me to enter him in the 400m. He had never competed in an open 400m in his career. But, he was confident and felt he could score a point or two. For him to make a final shocked everyone. Then, to get on the podium in the finals was another accomplishment no one ever dreamed of, except maybe D.J. himself. The most amazing thing of the entire weekend was that he competed in the long jump, high jump, and 400m all at the same time. He took his last long jump attempt in the finals, ran the qualifying round of the 400m, and took his first jump in the high jump, within a 12 minute stretch. DJ Ruffin set a new standard for what our expectations should be at Southeastern for commitment to your team at a conference championship event. He has a true heart of a Lion."
 
Davis, a junior from Watson, Louisiana, won the women's shot put by setting a Southland record with a throw of 54 feet, 7.25 inches breaking her record from the previous year of 54-6.
 
Seniors Devin King and Stevon Crooks were all named to the second team for the men.
 
Crooks, a senior from Westmoreland, Jamaica, finished second at the Southland Indoor Championships in the shot put with a mark of 56-8 (17.27m).
 
King, a Kentwood, Louisiana product, finished runner-up in the pole vault earning second team honors with a vault of 17-8.50 (5.40m). The senior will also compete in the NCAA National Indoor Championships March 7 in Birmingham.
 
Grant O'Callaghan, from Flowery Branch, Georgia, also garnered some attention. The junior was named third-team All-Southland by finishing third in the 3000m and 5000m.
 
The outdoor season continues for Southeastern Saturday at the Bob Hayes Invitational in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
 
Men's Outstanding Field Events Performer – D.J. Ruffin, Sr., Southeastern
Men's Outstanding Running Events Performer – Jordan Rowe, Jr., Lamar
Men's Freshman of the Year – Jo'vaughn Martin, Sam Houston State
Men's Newcomer of the Year – Jordan Rowe, Jr., Lamar
Men's Athlete of the Year – D.J. Ruffin, Sr., Southeastern
Men's Coach of the Year – Dave Self, Sam Houston State
Women's Outstanding Field Events Performer – Sarea Alexander, RSr., Incarnate Word
Women's Outstanding Running Events Performer – Natashia Jackson, Jr., Northwestern State
Women's Freshman of the Year – Nastassja Campbell, Stephen F. Austin
Women's Newcomer of the Year – Sophie Wood, Jr., Lamar
Women's Athlete of the Year – Sarea Alexander, RSr., Incarnate Word
Women's Coach of the Year – Phil Olson, Stephen F. Austin

2019 Southland Conference Men's Indoor Track & Field All-Conference Teams

Event		First		Second		Third
60m		Micah Larkins, NSU		Jo'vaughn Martin, SHSU		Chris Jefferson, SHSU
200m		Jo'vaughn Martin, SHSU		Chris Jefferson, SHSU		Tyler Smith, MCN
400m		Webster Slaughter, LU		D.J. Ruffin, SLU		Jared Williams, ACU
800m		Drake Murphy, SFA		Alex Hanson, UCA		Joe Austin, SHSU
Mile		Jordan Rowe, LU		Ryan Cleary, ACU		Deion Hardy, UIW
3,000m		Jordan Rowe, LU		Garett Cortez, UIW		Grant O' Callaghan, SLU
5,000m		Matthew Arnold, LU		Markus Schweikert, UCA		Grant O' Callaghan, SLU
60m Hurdles		Fabian McCall, SHSU		Tremayne Flagler, NSU		Darion Dunn, MCN
4x400m		ACU: R. Linton, B. Brownlow, J. Williams, A. Williams		SLU: D. Ruffin, T. Jones, C. Resais, D. Storr		AMCC: T. Spivey, D. Baptiste, K. Humber, D. Nwachukwu
DMR		LU: J. Gooch, K. Nelson,B. Lantau, M. Arnold		UCA: M. Schweikert, L. Colon,S. Sullivan, J. Jeandree		SHSU: J. Austin, E. Pouncy, M. Freeman, J. Leon
High Jump		D.J. Ruffin, SLU		Zach Seaman, AMCC		Noah Berney, SFA
Pole Vault		Branson Ellis, SFA		Devin King, SLU		Clayton Fritsch, SHSU
Long Jump		D.J. Ruffin, SLU		LaRon James, NSU		Jacorious Jeter, NSU
Triple Jump		Tylen Guidry, LU		Ceaser Stephens, NSU		Chris Welch, HBU
Shot Put		Kai Schmidt, ACU		Stevon Crooks, SLU		Kevin Steward, SFA
Weight Throw		Joshua Hernandez, SHSU		Morgan Knight, ACU		Aaron Akens, SHSU
Heptathlon		Denim Rogers, HBU		Rodney Littlejohn, UIW		Scott Boon, HBU

 
2019 Southland Conference Women's Indoor Track & Field All-Conference Teams

Event		First		Second		Third
60m		Thai Williams, LU		Aleyah Donald, MCN		Natashia Jackson, NSU
200m		Natashia Jackson, NSU		Ajah Criner, UCA		Imani Nave, SFA
400m		Imani Nave, SFA		Tiffani Mays, UIW		Natashia Jackson, NSU
800m		Madison Compass, SFA		Dominique Allen, UIW		LaSean Davis, SFA
Mile		Kelsey Ramirez, SFA		Briahna Gerlach, ACU		Alejandra Ruiz, UCA
3,000m		Brittany Innis, SFA		Alex Eykelbosch, MCN		Kelsey Ramirez, SFA
5,000m		Alex Eykelbosch, MCN		Brittany Innis, SFA		Valentina Campos, AMCC
60m Hurdles		Jerica Love, UIW		Jillian Turner, SFA		Megan Kirby, ACU
4x400m		NSU: C. Willis, D. Granados, K. Evans, N. Jackson		UIW: E. Sebastion, D. Allen, D. Keys, T. Mays		SFA: D. Jackson, A. Teel, M. Compass, I. Nave
DMR		SFA: L. Davis, A. Compass, M. Compass, K. Ramirez		AMCC: M. McCutchen, L. Manciaz, S. Wynn, V. Campos		HBU: J. Rabius, S. Slaughter, S. Moore, J. Drews
High Jump		Sashane Hanson, AMCC		Hannah Noble, UCA		Grace McKenzie, MCN
Pole Vault		Nastassja Campbell, SFA		Kaylee Bizzell, SFA		AnnMarie Broussard, NSU
Long Jump		Sarea Alexander, UIW		Jasmyn Steels, NSU		Deja Phillips, LU
Triple Jump		Sarea Alexander, UIW		Jasmyn Steels, NSU		Lauren Clarke, NSU
Shot Put		Ashley Davis, SLU		Kayla Melgar, ACU		Danielle Lorenz, UNO
Weight Throw		Alanna Arvie, MCN		Lonnie Smith, ACU		Kayla Melgar, ACU
Pentathlon		Sashane Hanson, AMCC		Migle Muraskaite, LU		Parl Eelma, LU

 
 
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Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the track and field program are encouraged to join the Podium Club. Lion alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners. All membership fees and donations to Podium Club are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern track and field program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
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