By: Chris Donsereaux: Sports Information Graduate Assistant
NEED TO KNOW:
Top 3 Teams:
1st: William Carey - 241
2nd: Life U - 162
3rd: Xavier-Louisiana - 84
GAINESVILLE, Fla.- The Life University women's track and field team left the Southern States Conference Indoor Championships with multiple podium finishes, event victories and a plethora of single-A standard and single-B standard marks. Overall, the Running Eagles placed second with 162 points as William Carey claimed first with 241 points and Xavier-Louisiana placed third (84)
DAY 1
Life U wasted no time asserting itself on the track in the women's 400 meters, delivering a dominant 1-2 finish. Freshman standout Shevaughn Thomas blazed to the conference title and single-A standard in 55.33, splitting 26.11 at 200 meters before closing hard over the final lap to secure 10 team points. Teammate Najah Gibson followed closely behind in 56.66 to claim silver, a single-B standard mark and add eight more points to Life U's tally. The depth continued as Kamarra Trisch placed fifth in 58.67, and Laisha Hernandez added a seventh-place finish in 1:00.19, giving the Running Eagles four scorers in the event and firmly establishing control on the scoreboard.
Later in the day, Thomas would go on to pull off the 200/400 double as she set another single-A standard mark with a time of 24.38. Emeline Delaville continued her dominant indoor season on day one as well, running a single-A standard mark of 2:11.96 and winning the women's 800-meter event.
In the women's long jump, junior Zaria Bonafede led the way with a strong leap of 5.36 meters to finish fifth overall and score four team points. Freshman Essence Sands also reached the podium scoring column, placing eighth with a mark of 5.10 meters.
The Running Eagles' throwers made a major impact in the weight throw, stacking points in a competitive field. Sophomore Annalise Leitner produced a season-best 15.20 meters to earn runner-up honors and eight crucial points. Junior Katelyn Mendoza followed with a 13.52-meter effort to finish third, while Ava Falite added four more points with a fifth-place mark of 12.83 meters. The trio's combined performance provided one of Life's strongest event totals of the day and showcased the program's depth in the throws.
DAY 2
The second day of The Sun Conference and Southern States Conference Indoor Championships started off exactly how the Running Eagles wanted it to. The women came out hot, running to a first-place finish and another single-A standard time of 9:21.96 in the 4x800 meter relay led by Najah Gibson, Maelle Spiegel, Emeline Delaville and Kyja Williams.
Delaville would again take the track and absolutely dominate her fellow competitors, winning the women's 1000-meter event setting yet another single-A standard time of 2:45.54. Her teammates Kyja Wiliams and Sky Jones would round out the top-five finishers, finishing in times of 3:06.99 (4th) and 3:16.18 (5th).
In the 60-meter hurdles, Essence Sands finished third overall in a time of 9.12. Gibson became an individual conference champion and set a single-B standard mark with a time of 1:34.29 in the 600-meter dash. The depth continued as Laisha Hernandez added a third-place finish in 1:39.30, Maelle Spiegel placed sixth in 1:43.33 and Carmen Crawford finished seventh in a time of 1:43.88 giving the Running Eagles four scorers in the event.
In the women's shot put, Katelyn Mendoza and Ava Falite added 14 more points to the teams total after finishing second and third; the ladies threw 12.12 meters and 11.73 meters respectively.
The Running Eagles ended the day with a bang and took home first place in the 4x400 meter relay. The relay team of Gibson, Kamarra Trisch, Delaville and Thomas set another single-A standard time of 3:44.45.
UP NEXT:
--The Running Eagles prepare to send all qualified athletes back to Gainesville for the 2026 Indoor National Championship, beginning on Thursday, March 5.
