MONROE, La. – Eight ULM track & field athletes earned All-Louisiana recognition from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association on Friday.
Olaia Becerrill Alvarez,
Sydney Lake,
Eunice Ilunga Mbuyi and
Claudine Raud-Gumiel each earned All-Louisiana recognition on the women's team, while
Bailey Couch,
Rojs Puks,
Callan Saldutto and
Ali Eren Unlu picked up honors on the men's side. To earn recognition, athletes must place within the top three of all marks by athletes from Louisiana institutions in their event in the 2023 season.
Alvarez, a junior from Vigo, Spain, was a Third-Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection in the outdoor season after taking third at the SBC Championships in the long jump at 19-3.5 (5.88 meters). Her best mark on the season came at the Bobcat Invitational, where she posted a victory with a personal-best distance of 20-9 (6.32 meters). She also won the long jump at the Warhawk Classic (19-6.25, 5.95 meters) and Section B of the long jump at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays (20-2.25, 6.15 meters). She won the long jump at the Samford Bulldog Open in the indoor season with a leap of 20-3.75 (6.19 meters) to pick up SBC Indoor Field Athlete of the Week honors. She was an NCAA East Regional Preliminary qualifier in the long jump.
Lake, a sophomore from Orlando, Florida, earns her first All-Louisiana honor thanks to her personal-best performance at the Leon Johnson Northwestern State Invitational. She finished with a mark of 168-9 (51.43 meters) in the hammer throw to earn her first collegiate victory. She competed in six meets on the outdoor season and three in the indoor season.
Mbuyi, a sophomore from Olivet, France, earns All-Louisiana recognition for the second-straight season after finishing in the top three in the triple jump, with a personal-best distance of 44-7.5 (13.60 meters), set at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. The First-Team All-SBC selection in the outdoor season and Second-Team All-SBC selection in the indoor season qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships for the first time in her career by placing eighth in the triple jump at the NCAA East Regional Preliminaries in Jacksonville, Florida, by leaping 44-0 (13.41 meters). She won seven events during the outdoor season, including championships in both the long (19-11, 6.07 meters) and triple jump (42-11.5, 13.09 meters) at the SBC Championships. She won the triple jump at the Maroon and White Invitational (43-5.75, 13.25 meters), Bobcat Invitational (44-4, 13.51 meters), LSU Battle On The Bayou (43-3, 13.18 meters) and Louisiana Classic (41-3.75, 12.59 meters). She finished second in the triple jump at the SBC Indoor Championship.
Raud-Gumiel, a sophomore from Nice, France, picks up her first All-Louisiana honor in her first season at ULM by scoring 5,265 points in the heptathlon at the SBC Outdoor Championships, which was good for third place and Third-Team All-SBC honors. She also was Third-Team All-SBC in indoor track by taking third in the pentathlon with 3,791 points. Raud-Gumiel set five personal bests while competing in the heptathlon at the SBC Championship, doing so in the high jump (5-6.5, 1.69 meters), 200 meters (25.44), long jump (19-0, 5.79 meters), javelin (99-4, 30.27 meters) and 800 (2:22.44).
Couch, a sophomore from Woodstock, Ontario, is an All-Louisiana honoree in the decathlon with 6,453 points, set at the SBC Championships, where he finished sixth. He set personal bests in the 100 (11.24), 400 (51.45), discus (101-3, 30.87 meters) and pole vault (12-4, 3.76 meters) at the SBC Championships. He won the decathlon at the Joe Walker Invitational with 6,304 points. He took sixth in the heptathlon with 4,798 points at the SBC Indoor Championships.
Puks, a junior from Liepaja, Latvia, picked up All-Louisiana honors in the 3000-meter steeplechase after winning the event at the Warhawk Classic in a season-best time of 9:38.83. He competed in seven outdoor meets, finishing 10th in the steeplechase in 9:40.17 at the SBC Championships.
Saldutto, a junior from Toronto, Ontario, was an All-Louisiana selection in the javelin thanks to his personal-best throw of 241-8 (73.67 meters) to win the SBC championship, where he was named First-Team All-SBC. He competed in just four meets, including the NCAA East Regional Preliminary. He won the javelin with a throw of 210-3 (64.09 meters) at the Warhawk Classic.
Unlu, a sophomore from Istanbul, Turkey, had the top men's high jump mark in Louisiana with a personal-best clearance of 7-3.75 (2.23 meters) at the SBC Outdoor Championships, where he earned SBC Men's Field Athlete of the Year and First-Team All-SBC recognition to go with his conference championship. He was an Honorable Mention All-American after qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships for the first time in his career after finishing 10th at 6-10.25 (2.09 meters) at the NCAA East Regional Preliminaries. He was a First-Team All-American, SBC Field Performer of the Year and First-Team All-SBC in indoor track. He tied for seventh at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships by clearing 7-1.75 (2.18 meters) and won the SBC Championship by clearing 7-3 (2.21 meters).
Complete honors list for the LSWA All-Louisiana Track and Field Team:
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – GODSON OGHENEBRUME, LSU
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – TZURIEL PEDIGO, LSU
MEN'S FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – MATTHEW SOPHIA, LSU
MEN'S NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – BRANDON HICKLIN, LSU
MEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR – DENNIS SHAVER, LSU
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – MICHAELA ROSE, LSU
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR (TIE) – KRISTEN O'HANDLEY, TULANE; MORGAN SMALLS, LSU
WOMEN'S FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR (TIE) – SANARIA BUTLER, NORTHWESTERN STATE; BRIANNA LYSTON, LSU
WOMEN'S NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR –SHANI'A BELLAMY, LSU
WOMEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR –YHANN PLUMMER, XAVIER
Voting
The complete list of Best Times for the 2023 outdoor track season by Louisiana schools:
ALL-LOUISIANA TRACK AND FIELD BEST TIMES
100 Meters (Men)
Godson Oghenebrume, LSU – June 9, 2023 – 9.90
Da'Marcus Fleming, LSU – June 9, 2023 – 9.97
Brandon Hicklin, LSU – June 7, 2023 – 10.12
Rodney Heath Jr., Louisiana Tech – May 14, 2023 – 10.12
100 Meters (Women)
Favour Ofili, LSU – May 11, 2023 -- 11.17
Thelma Davies, LSU – March 29, 2023 – 11.19
Tionna Brown, LSU – March 17, 2023 – 11.33
200 Meters (Men)
Da'Marcus Fleming, LSU – April 22, 2023 – 20.22
Dorian Camel, LSU – May 26, 2023 – 20.23
Jamie Sancho, Louisiana Tech – April 28, 2023 – 20.64
200 Meters (Women)
Favor Ofili, LSU – May 11, 2023 – 22.58
Thelma Davies, LSU – April 14, 2023 – 22.64
Brianna Lyston, LSU – May 25, 2023 – 22.75
400 Meters (Men)
Eugene Omalla, Southeastern – May 4, 2023 – 46.06
Ashton Hicks, LSU – April 14, 2023 – 46.24
Sean Burrell, LSU – May 11, 2023 – 46.38
400 Meters (Women)
Ella Onojuvwevwo, LSU – May 11, 2023 – 51.85
Sanaria Butler, Northwestern State – April 21, 2023 – 52.19
Maygan Shaw, Northwestern State – April 21, 2023 – 52.73
800 Meters (Men)
Alex Selles, LSU – April 13, 2023 – 1:47.68
Javon-Taye Williams, Southeastern – April 8, 2023 -- 1:48.64
Nicholas Scott, Southern – April 22, 2023 – 1:48.84
800 Meters (Women)
Michaela Rose, LSU – April 13, 2023 – 1:59.08
Cindy Bourdier, LSU – May 25, 2023 – 2:03.09
Lorena Rangel Batres, LSU – April 8, 2023 – 2:03.53
1500 Meters (Men)
David Bove, LSU – April 13, 2023 – 3:39.42
Alex Selles, LSU – April 13, 2023 – 3:42.82
Aaron Gilliam, Tulane – May 14, 2023 -- 3:45.27
1500 Meters (Women)
Lorena Rangel Batres, LSU – April 13, 2023 – 4:11.61
Michaela Rose, LSU – April 13, 2023 – 4:11.98
Cindy Bourdier, LSU – April 13, 2023 – 4:20.90
5000 Meters (Men)
Bradley Makuvire, Tulane – March 23, 2023 – 13:57.67
Aaron Gilliam, Tulane – March 23, 2023 – 14:27.84
Louden Boudreaux, UL Lafayette – April 18, 2023 – 14:31.42
5000 Meters (Women)
Rebecca DeKay, UNO – April 14, 2023 – 16:58.31
Sorcha Moloney, McNeese – April 22, 2023 – 17:09.34
Haley Salsbury, UL Lafayette – April 15, 2023 – 17:19.29
10000 Meters (Men)
Bradley Makuvire, Tulane – April 13, 2023 – 28:50.61
Gilbert Kimutai, McNeese – May 4, 2023 – 30:44.53
Jacob Kipkogei, McNeese – March 29, 2023 -- 31:07.44
10000 Meters (Women)
Sophie Daigle, UL Lafayette – April 13, 2023 – 34:19.08
Rebecca Dekay, UNO – May 4, 2023 – 37:31.24
Sorcha Moloney, McNeese – May 4, 2023 -- 37:44.95
100 Meter Hurdles (Women)
Alia Armstrong, LSU – May 11, 2023 – 12.31
Leah Phillips, LSU – May 27, 2023 – 12.86
Shani'a Bellamy, LSU – May 25, 2023 – 12.98
110 Meter Hurdles (Men)
Matthew Sophia, LSU – May 24, 2023 – 13.53
Jorim Bangue, UNO – May 4, 2023 – 13.87
Loubert Dagrin, Louisiana – April 28, 2023 – 13.89
Jordan Thompson, Southern – May 6, 2023 – 13.89
400 Hurdles (Men)
Sean Burrell, LSU – May 11, 2023 – 49.32
Omri Shiff, Southeastern – March 25, 2023 – 50.81
Javed Jones, Louisiana – May 11, 2023 – 50.96
400 Hurdles (Women)
Shani'a Bellamy, LSU – June 10, 2023 – 55.58
Leah Phillips, LSU – April 14, 2023 – 56.56
Garriel White, LSU – May 11, 2023 – 58.01
3000 Steeplechase (Men)
Kolyn Saltzman, UNO – April 13, 2023 – 9:01.55
Arturs Lapins, Tulane – April 13, 2023 – 9:02.64
Rojs Puks, ULM – April 22, 2023 – 9:38.83
3000 Steeplechase (Women)
MacKenzie Callahan, Tulane – April 26, 2023 – 10:24.50
Arana Jimenez, UNO – April 13, 2023 – 10:31.11
Ella Chesnut, LSU – March 29, 2023 – 10:34.02
4x100 Relay (Men)
LSU (Hicklin, Camel, Fleming, Oghenebrume) – May 11, 2023 – 37.90
UL Lafayette (Jones, Crockett, Appiah, Booth) – June 7, 2023 – 39.38
Northwestern State (SImoneaux, Scott, Jacobs, Wulff) – March 25, 2023 – 39.51
4x100 Relay (Women)
LSU (Armstrong, Ofili, Lyston, Davies) – May 11, 2023 – 42.92
Northwestern State (Byrd, Washington, Balde, Shaw) – March 25, 2023 – 44.91
UL Lafayette (London, Bridgen, Robinson, Spates) – April 22, 2023 – 45.13
4x400 Relay (Men)
LSU (Camel, Burrell, McKay, Hicks) – May 11, 2023 – 3:03.16
Southeastern (Omalla, Omalla, Shiff, Jackson) – May 4, 2023 – 3:06.48
UL Lafayette (Hoyte-Small, Scott, Jones, Fergusson) – May 11, 2023 – 3:08.32
4x400 Relay (Women)
LSU (Onojuvwevweo, Rose, Phillips, Douglas) – May 27, 2023 – 3:31.51
Northwestern State (Weller, Shaw, Balde, Butler) – May 4, 2023 – 3:35.77
UL Lafayette (Spates, Bridgen, Noel, Johnson) – March 31, 2023 – 3:45.63
High Jump (Men)
Ali Eren Unlu, ULM – May 11, 2023 – 7.3.75
Slavko Stevic, Southeastern – April 15, 2023 – 7-3.25
Randy Kelly, Northwestern State – May 4, 2023 – 6-11.50
High Jump (Women)
Morgan Smalls, LSU – April 8, 2023 – 6-1.25
Katrine Olsen, Southeastern – May 4, 2023 – 5-9.75
Taylor Davis, UL Lafayette – April 15, 2023 – 5-9.25
Pole Vault (Men)
Beau Domingue, LSU – May 11, 2023 – 17-4.50
Nick Russell, UL Lafayette – April 22, 2023 – 16-7.25
Kameron Aime, LSU – March 17, 2023 – 16-6.75
Pole Vault (Women)
Emery Prentice, LSU – April 22, 2023 – 13-1
Jordan Brown, UL Lafayette – April 28, 2023 – 12-8.75
Madison Brown, Northwestern State – May 4, 2023 – 12.750
Long Jump (Men)
Brandon Hicklin, LSU – March 29, 2023 – 26-1
Ji'eem Bullock, LSU – April 14, 2023 – 25-2
Adam Lindo, Northwestern State – May 12, 2023 – 25-0
Long Jump (Women)
Morgan Smalls, LSU – May 11, 2023 – 21-1.50
Olaia Becerril Alvarez, ULM – March 30, 2023 – 20-9
Jacqueline Pokuaah, UL Lafayette – April 15, 2023 – 20-6.5
Triple Jump (Men)
Apalos Edwards, LSU – April 22, 2023 – 53-5
Jeremy Nelson, UL Lafayette – March 25, 2023 – 51-4.25
Seth Alexander, Xavier – May 26, 2023 – 50-6
Triple Jump (Women)
Eunice Illunga Mbuyi, ULM – March 29, 2023 – 44-7.50
Jacqueline Pokuaah, UL Lafayette – May 11, 2023 – 42-9.75
Taylor Davis, UL Lafayette – May 27, 2023 – 41-11.25
Shot Put (Men)
John Meyer, LSU – May 11, 2023 – 67-3.25
Djirmon Gumbs, Northwestern State – March 11, 2023 – 63-1.50
Marcus Francis, McNeese – May 4, 2023 – 58-1.0
Shot Put (Women)
Maren Butler, Tulane – May 12, 2023 – 51-4.25
Kristian Jackson, Southeastern – March 25, 2023 – 50-7.25
Ashari Jones, McNeese – McNeese – March 23, 2023 – 47-11.25
Discus (Men)
Djimon Gumbs, Northwestern State – March 11, 2023 – 205-11
Claudio Romero, LSU – March 25, 2023 – 201-1
Jaden James – LSU – March 17, 2023 – 184-4
Discus (Women)
Kristian Jackson, Southeastern – April 22, 2023 – 178-5
Maren Butler, Tulane – April 28, 2023 – 156-2
Reese Grossie, McNeese – May 4, 2023 – 155-5
Hammer (Men)
Terrell Webb, Southeastern – April 8, 2023 – 210-3
Jonathan Witte, LSU – April 22, 2023 – 197-0
Tyler Challis, McNeese – May 4, 2023 – 187-2
Hammer (Women)
Mariah Lee, McNeese – May 4, 2023 – 196-8
Chloe Hernandez, McNeese – April 15, 2023 – 177-3
Sydney Lake, ULM – April 15, 2023 – 168-9
Javelin (Men)
Tzuriel Pedigo, LSU – June 9, 2023 – 261-9
Callan Saldutto, ULM – May 11, 2023 – 241-8
Jackson Rimes, LSU – March 17, 2023 – 226-11
Javelin (Women)
Maria Bienvenu, UL Lafayette – May 25, 2023 – 169-11
Mann Barras, UL Lafayette – March 29, 2023 – 156-1
Emma Bacilla, UL Lafayette – April 28, 2023 – 153-6
Heptathlon (Women)
Kristen O'Handley, Tulane – April 20, 2023 – 5802
Margot Temines, Tulane – May 12, 2023 – 5515
Claudine Raud-Gumiel, ULM – May 11, 2023 – 5265
Decathlon (Men)
Bailey Couch, ULM – May 11, 2023 -- 6453
Luke Benoit, UL Lafayette – May 11, 2023 -- 6223
Logan Broussard, McNeese – May 4, 2023 – 6062
