FRISCO, Texas – Oral Roberts senior Jack Whitt and Stephen F. Austin senior Lauren Smith were named the Southland Conference Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Year by vote of the league’s head coaches, the conference announced Thursday.

Whitt, a Norman, Okla., native, set a Southland Conference, Oral Roberts and Mosier Indoor Complex record when he cleared 18 feet, 4.75 inches in the pole vault. The senior was also tabbed as the men’s outstanding field performer. Whitt shattered the meet record by more than seven inches and the accomplishment tied him for the No. 1 ranking in the nation in the pole vault.

Smith, a Lake Jackson, Texas, native won the athlete of the year award for the second consecutive year, becoming the first woman to complete such an accomplishment since Clerc Koenck of Lamar did it in 2007-08. The senior was the high-point scorer of the championships (22.5) when she finished second in the 3,000-meter run (10:12.90) and 5,000-meter run (17:46.22). Smith finished fourth in the one-mile run (5:02.57) and third as a member of SFA’s distance medley relay.

Stephen F. Austin sophomore La’Tricia Griffin was tabbed the women’s outstanding field performer after she won the shot put and finished second in the weight throw. The West Columbia, Texas, native, was the third highest scorer on the women’s side. Her throw in the shot put of 49 feet, 10.50 inches bested her closest competitor by more than a foot.

McNeese State’s David Rooney and Nicholls State’s Jackie White won the men’s and women’s outstanding running performer awards.

Rooney, a Dublin, Ireland, native, tied for highest scorer after winning the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter run. The graduate student posted a time of 8:23.77 in the 3,000-meter run and 14:48.62 in the 5,000-meter race, helping him become the first Cowboy to earn the award.

White, a native of Spring Hill, Florida, finished second in total points (20) after she won the 800-meter run (2:16.41) and finished second in the mile run (5:02.50). The junior also ran a leg of the second-place distance medley relay team. White is the first Colonel to earn the award.

Southeastern Louisiana junior Jeff Milliron and Stephen F. Austin junior Shambrall Woods claimed the men’s and women’s newcomer of the year awards.

Milliron, a Cobleskill, N.Y., native, is the third Southeastern student-athlete to claim the honor, joining Henry Rop (2008) and Adonson Shallow (2009). The junior finished second in the shot put (54-1) and third in the weight throw (60-6) to lead the Lions to a fourth place finish. Woods, a Trinity, Texas, native, is the first Ladyjack to earn the award. The junior finished fourth in the pentathlon with 3,321 points while winning the 800-meter run in the event.

Lamar’s Jonathan Reece was tabbed as men’s freshman of the year to become the third Cardinal to win the award since it became recognized in 2007. The New Waverly, Texas, native finished second in the high jump (6 feet, 9.75 inches) and ninth in the long jump (22-10.75).

Chasity Clark of Stephen F. Austin notched the women’s freshman of the year award as the Ladyjacks have claimed the award in back-to-back seasons and three times in the last five years. The Garland, Texas, product placed fourth in the 60-meter dash and was the only freshman in the top-five. She followed up with a win in the 200-meter dash, edging Lamar senior Ashley Inoduba by one one-hundreth of a second.

Stephen F. Austin coach Phil Olson was named the men’s and women’s coach of the year as Stephen F. Austin swept the championships for the second time in school history (2005). Olson led the women’s team to its fifth consecutive title and seventh in nine years. The Ladyjacks posted 173 points, which is the second highest in championship history. He has tallied the women’s coach of the year award in five consecutive seasons. On the men’s side, Olson garnered the men’s coach of the award for the second time (2005). The Lumberjacks held on to defeat Sam Houston State (124-119.5) in the fourth-closest margin in the men’s event. He is the only SFA coach to win the men’s coach of the year award.

The top-three finishers in each event earned All-Southland Conference honors. The winner earned first-team honors, the second place finisher earned second-team accolades while third place finishers are honored with third-team awards.

Individual Award Winners
Male Athlete of the Year: Jack Whitt, Oral Roberts
Female Athlete of the Year: Lauren Smith, Stephen F. Austin
Male Outstanding Field Events: Jack Whitt, Oral Roberts
Female Outstanding Field Events: La’Tricia Griffin, Stephen F. Austin
Male Outstanding Running Events: David Rooney, McNeese State
Female Outstanding Running Events: Jackie White, Nicholls State
Male Newcomer of the Year: Jeff Milliron, Southeastern Louisiana
Female Newcomer of the Year: Shambrail Woods, Stephen F. Austin
Male Freshman of the Year: Jonathan Reece, Lamar
Female Freshman of the Year: Chasity Clark, Stephen F. Austin
Men’s Coach of the Year: Phil Olson, Stephen F. Austin
Women’s Coach of the Year: Phil Olson, Stephen F. Austin

Men’s Indoor Track and Field All-Conference Teams

Event                                   1st                                                       2nd                                                         3rd

Women’s Indoor Track and Field All-Conference Teams