FRISCO, Texas – McNeese’s Morgan Talley and UIW’s Isaiah Hudgens are the 2023 Southland Conference Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field Athletes of the Year, the league announced Monday. Alongside the superlative awards, the indoor all-conference rosters were also announced.
Both Talley and Hudgens claimed Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Field Events Performer honors after great performances at the SLC Championships.
UIW’s Dr. Derek Riedel repeated as the Southland Indoor Track & Field Men’s Coach of the Year after leading the Cardinals to 143.5 points and their second team title in program history, 39.5 points ahead of runners-up Northwestern State for the largest margin of victory at the SLC indoor meet since 2012.
Northwestern State head coach Mike Heimerman was named the Women’s Coach of the Year after he led the Lady Demons to their first conference indoor title with 111 points in the closest title race since 2006.
Southland Conference Indoor Track & Field superlative awards are nominated and voted upon by the league’s head coaches. Voting for oneself or one’s own athletes is not permitted. All-conference distinction is given to the first-, second- and third-place finishers in each championship event final.
Men’s Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Field Events Performer – Isaiah Hudgens, UIW
Hudgens collected 26 points for the Cardinals with wins in the heptathlon (5,620 points) and pole vault (4.85 meters, 15’ 11”) and a bronze medal in the 60 meter hurdles (8.06 seconds).
Men’s Outstanding Running Events Performer – Dennis Kipngeno, A&M-Corpus Christi
Kipengeno scored 22.5 points at the conference meet with wins in the 3,000 meters (8:21.23), 5,000 meters (14:23.40), and DMR (9:54.71).
Men’s Freshman of the Year – Cameron Chin, Lamar
Chin was the third place finisher in the 400 meter dash (47.30 seconds) and anchored the bronze medal 4x400 meter relay (3:15.27).
Men’s Newcomer of the Year – Alex Piquart, HCU
Piquart was the gold medalist in the mile run at the conference meet (4:23.27) and also kicked off the runner-up DMR (9:55.14).
Men’s Coach of the Year – Derek Riedel, UIW
Dr. Riedel was named the Men’s Coach of the Year after leading the Cardinals to their second consecutive Southland Indoor Track & Field Title and the largest margin of victory in 11 years.
Women’s Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Field Events Performer – Morgan Talley, McNeese
Talley racked up 34 points individually as the champion of the 60 meter hurdles (8.49 seconds), the triple jump (12.35 meters, 40’ 6-¼”), runner-up in the pentathlon (3,810 points), and bronze medalist in the long jump (5.76 meters, 18’ 10-¾”).
Women’s Outstanding Running Events Performer – Jessica Rabius, HCU
Rabius was the conference champion in the mile run (4:50.59) and 3,000 meter run (9:54.37) and helped the Huskies take the silver medal in the DMR (11:47.08).
Women’s Freshman of the Year – Sanaria Butler, Northwestern State
Butler took bronze in the triple jump and 400 meter run as well as fifth place in the long jump. She was also a key leg in the Lady Demons’ silver medal 4x400 meter relay, which clinched the team title for NSU.
Women’s Newcomer of the Year – Tshwanelo Maruping, New Orleans
Maruping was the bronze medalist in the mile run, picked up fifth place points in the 3,000 meter run and ran the third leg in the Privateers’ bronze medal DMR.
Women’s Coach of the Year – Mike Heimerman, Northwestern State
Heimerman was named the Women’s Coach of the Year after he led the Lady Demons to their first conference indoor title with 111 points in the closest title race since 2006.
2023 Southland Conference Men’s Indoor Track & Field All-Conference Teams
| Event |
First |
Second |
Third |
| 60m |
JT Smith, TAMUC |
Canman Swain, NSU |
Ibrahim Fuseini, TAMUC |
| 60m Hurdles |
Garrett Gibson, HCU |
Olufolabo Ogunyemi, SLU |
Isaiah Hudgens, UIW |
| 200m |
Delan Edwin, TAMUC |
Destine-Unique Scott, NSU |
JT Smith, TAMUC |
| 400m |
Eugene Omalla, SLU |
Destine-Unique Scott, NSU |
Cameron Chin, LU |
| 800m |
Noah Kiprotich, SLU |
Travis Jacobs, HCU |
Kelvin Chiku, UNO |
| Mile |
Alex Piquart, HCU |
Jaden Forester, UNO |
Christopher Daniels, UIW |
| 3,000m |
Dennis Kipngeno, AMCC |
Griffin Neal, UIW |
Kelvin Kimaiyo, AMCC |
| 5,000m |
Dennis Kipngeno, AMCC |
Griffin Neal, UIW |
Kelvin Kimaiyo, AMCC |
| 4x400m |
Omri Shiff, Eugene Omalla, Jaimie Omalla, Agerian Jackson - SLU |
Eddie Barrientes, Conner Stockerl, Philip Krenek, Delan Edwin - TAMUC |
Jaylon Roberts, Kenson Tate, Trent Guidry, Cameron Chin - LU |
| DMR |
Kelvin Kimaiyo, Sean Majors, Enock Kimutai, Dennis Kipngeno - AMCC |
Alex Piquart, Travis Jacobs, Krzysztof Turski, Justice Artisst - HCU |
Christopher Daniels, Miguel Flores, King Grimm, Jared Laverty - UIW |
| High Jump |
Slavko Stevic, SLU |
Micky Ferdinand, TAMUC |
Randy Kelly, NSU |
| Pole Vault |
Isaiah Hudgens, UIW |
Kyle Sieracki, UIW |
Micky Ferdinand, TAMUC |
| Long Jump |
Kenson Tate, LU |
Andrew Gilreath, NSU |
Trpimir Siroki, AMCC |
| Triple Jump |
Andrew Gilreath, NSU |
Trayveon Franklin, TAMUC |
Jacarrius Demmerritte, LU |
| Shot Put |
Djimon Gumbs, NSU |
Marcus Francis, MCN |
Diamante Gumbs, NSU |
| Weight Throw |
Garrett Stokes, UIW |
Diamante Gumbs, NSU |
Terrell Webb, SLU |
| Heptathlon |
Isaiah Hudgens, UIW |
Micky Ferdinand, TAMUC |
Nicola Paletti, UIW |
2023 Southland Conference Women’s Indoor Track & Field All-Conference Teams
| Event |
First |
Second |
Third |
| 60m |
Lynelle Washington, NSU |
Vivette Green, UNO |
Jada Green, UIW |
| 60m Hurdles |
Morgan Talley, MCN |
Vanessa Balde, NSU |
Parl Eelma, LU |
| 200m |
Lynelle Washington, NSU |
Vivette Green, UNO |
Vanessa Balde, NSU |
| 400m |
Maygan Shaw, NSU |
Faith Outing, LU |
Sanaria Butler, NSU |
| 800m |
Yasmin Austridge, LU |
Eline Mast, HCU |
Faith Bett, AMCC |
| Mile |
Jessica Rabius, HCU |
Alexandra Weir, UNO |
Tshwanelo Maruping, UNO |
| 3,000m |
Jessica Rabius, HCU |
Yasmin Austridge, LU |
Alexandra Weir, UNO |
| 5,000m |
Joy Gill, UIW |
Nia Clatworthy, LU |
Ariana Jimenez, UNO |
| 4x400m |
Naomi Ndukwe, Maia Maury, Sofia Khenfar, Mariana Shostak - TAMUC |
Sian Weller, Sanaria Butler, Maygan Shaw, Vanessa Balde - NSU |
Kayla Harrison, Kayla Warner, Boluwatife Akinwande, Jordan Carter - MCN |
| DMR |
Jillian Howard, Faith Outing, Nia Clatworthy, Yasmin Austridge - LU |
Eline Mast, Isabel Case, Jessica Rabius, Destiny Quintanilla - HCU |
Ariana Jimenez, Trinity Bracey, Tshwanelo Maruping, Alexandra Weir - UNO |
| High Jump |
Rebecca Pecora, HCU |
Katrine Olsen, SLU |
Jenneil Jacobie, TAMUC |
| Pole Vault |
Matlide Poli, UIW |
Karlyn Trahan, NSU |
Lara Zupanc, SLU |
| Long Jump |
Alimot Alowonle, UNO |
Parl Eelma, LU |
Morgan Talley, MCN |
| Triple Jump |
Morgan Talley, MCN |
Gabrielle Thomas, UIW |
Sanaria Butler, NSU |
| Shot Put |
Klaire Bentley, UIW |
Kristian Jackson, SLU |
Angelina Sahagun, UIW |
| Weight Throw |
Klaire Bentley, UIW |
Mariah Lee, MCN |
Kristian Jackson, SLU |
| Pentathlon |
Parl Eelma, LU |
Morgan Talley, MCN |
Maia Maury, TAMUC |
---#EarnedEveryDay----