HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University track and field team is back in Birmingham, Ala. for the third time in this indoor season, but this time it's to run, jump, and throw for conference titles as the Lions prepare for the 2024 Southland Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships, which runs Sunday and Monday at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
 
The heptathlon and pentathlon events start both days, kicking off at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday and 9 a.m. on Monday, while the regular track events start at noon Sunday and 11 a.m. on Monday while the field events begin at 1 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. on Monday.
 
Several Lions find themselves heading into the conference championships looking to defend current medal-winning positions, based off this season's results leading into the weekend.
 
Slavko Stevic leads the way as he has the conference's best men's high jump this season when he cleared 2.19 meters at the Samford Open back in January. That jump is currently the 15^th-best in all of Division I and would not only get him gold in the conference championships, but would get him a spot at the NCAA Indoor Nationals in two weeks.
 
Terrell Webb also finds himself defending a gold medal spot this weekend, having been the lone SLC competitor to eclipse the 20-meter mark in the weight throw competition this season with his best toss coming in the Bulldog Invitational earlier this month, a toss which went 20.52 meters (67'4").
 
Other medal defenders in the field for the Lions this weekend include Donroy Brown, who currently sits in third in the SLC standings in the shot put thanks to his toss at the LSU Purple Tiger last month which went 16.88 meters (55'4.75"). Looking to improve and get into a medal spot is Lara Zupanc, whose best height cleared in the pole vault came at the Samford Open where she crossed 3.56 meters (11'8") which currently sits fourth in the Southland. Kallie Calvaruso's best high jump came at the Bulldog Invitational as she cleared 1.65 meters on that day two weeks ago. She sits sixth in the SLC due to that performance. Meanwhile, back on the men's side of the high jump, Donald Butler is currently fifth On the Southland's performance list as his leap of 2.02 meters (6'7.5") from the LSU Twilight last week is fifth-best in the SLC currently and has him looking to reach the podium in his first season as a Lion.
 
On the track, the Lady Lions are defending several medal positions heading into the conference championships, led by the 4x400-meter relay team which currently possesses a time which would take home a silver medal as the 3:45.21 mark from the Bulldog Invitational currently sits second-best in the Southland.
 
Southeastern could be looking for a potential sweep of the 400-meter dash podium on the women's side as Indya Jackson, Esther Nwanze, and Onyah Favour are all inside the top-10 in times this season. Jackson's best showing in the discipline came at the Samford Open as she crossed in a time of 55.38, currently a bronze-medal winning time in the Southland. Nwanze's best time of 55.64 from the Bulldog Invitational has her right behind Jackson on the performance list. Favour's time of 56.47 from the LSU Twilight is currently the SLC's seventh-best time.
 
Ava Pitarro is looking to lock down a medal in one of the longer running competitions as her time of 18:58.87 in the 5,000-meter run from the Bulldog Invitational would earn her a bronze medal in that discipline entering the weekend.
 
Olu Ogunyemi was having a stellar start to the season in the 60-meter hurdles, including tying his own school record to start the season when he ran an 8.04 time at the LSU Purple Tiger, the season's first meet. However, an injury suffered at the Samford Open in late-January has him questionable to compete at the conference championships.
 
Victory Achakpoekri is looking to cap a fine freshman campaign with a medal from the SLC Championships as he currently sits with the fifth-best time in the 400-meter dash as his 48.39 from the Bulldog Invitational has him right up there with the conference's best. Among one of the competitors he'll be looking to beat out in that discipline is a teammate and previous conference champion in Javon-Taye Williams, who currently holds the ninth-best time in that same race, a 48.97 from that Bulldog Invitational as well.
 
Tim Anstett also looks to round out a solid freshman indoor season with a conference medal as he brings the conference's eighth-best time in the 800-meter dash to the SLC Championships, crossing the line with a season-best 1:53.73 at the Bulldog Invitational.
 
The men's 4x400-meter relay team, which is the defending champion of the conference, will be looking to make up time in pursuit of another SLC title, currently holding the Southland's fifth-fastest relay time at 3:17.45 from the Bulldog Invitational.
 
This weekend's conference championships also represents the final chance for athletes to punch a ticket to the NCAA Indoor National Championships, which runs March 8^th-9^th in Boston, Mass. at The Track at New Balance. Southeastern will then immediately move into the outdoor season, starting on March 15^th in Ruston, La. at the Jim Mize Invitational, hosted by Louisiana Tech, at the Jim Mize Track & Field Complex.
 
PODIUM CLUB/S CLUB
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.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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