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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Shocker men's team placed third, including two individual champions and a total of nine student-athletes earned all-conference honors at The American Athletic Conference Championships. Meghan Holmes earned all-conference honors and Kelsey Slawson set a school record, while the women's team finished 12th.
 
Zack Penrod won the men's mile with a time of 4:11.90 to become the second Shocker to win an individual title at the conference championships, Jared Belardo won the long jump on day one to become the first to do so. Hunter Veith and Ben Johnson earned all-conference to bring the Shockers total of nine athletes to do so.
 
Veith ran 8.03 in the 60m hurdles to finish in third place and earn all-conference, while Johnson placed in the top five in two of the three events in day two of the heptathlon to place second with a score of 5,527 and earn all-conference.
 
The men's team finished in third place with 103 points, Houston finished with 139 points to win the indoor championship for a fourth consecutive year and Memphis placed second with 107 points.
 
"I'm really proud of our entire track and field organization," head track and field director Steve Rainbolt said. "Our men's team battled so hard, it was fun and a great effort to try to finish second but we came just short. To score over 100 points in this conference and in our first go-around was terrific, I'm really proud of our team and we're all excited for our future in this conference."
 
On the women's side, Holmes earned all-conference finishing third in the triple jump with a mark of 12.31m/40-4.75. The senior qualified for the finals with a jump of 12.01m/39-4.5, in the finals she fouled on her first attempt, recorded an 11.92m/39-1.25 on her second attempt and bettered that on her third attempt with her all-conference mark of 12.31m40-4.75. Slawson bettered her school record finishing fourth in the shot put with a mark of 15.48m/50-9.5.
 
Next Up
Veith's qualifying score of 6,023# in the heptathlon moves him on to the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 9-10 in College Station, Texas. The rest of the team will begin the outdoor track and field season on March 16 in Emporia, Kan., at the ESU Spring Twilight meet.
 

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Men
1.) Houston - 139
2.) Memphis - 107
3.) Wichita State - 103
4.) UConn - 93.5
5.) Cincinnati - 82
6.) Tulsa - 65
7.) USF - 36
8.) ECU - 35.5

Women
1.) Cincinnati - 147
2.) SMU - 85
3.) UConn - 74
4.) ECU - 72.83
5.) Houston - 64
6.) Temple - 51
7.) Tulane - 41
8.) UCF - 33
9.) USF - 32.83
10.) Memphis - 27
11.) Tulsa - 18
12.) Wichita State - 16.33
 

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Men
Zack Penrod - Mile, 4:11.90 (Champion)
Jared Belardo - Long Jump, 7.70m/25-3.25 (Champion)
Isaac Poe - DMR, 10:01.18 (Second)
Stan Skwarlo, III - DMR, 10:01.18 (Second)
Austin Sturdy - DMR, 10:01.18 (Second)
Nathan Wickoren - DMR, 10:01.18 (Second)
Ben Johnson - Heptathlon, 5,527 (Second)
Hunter Veith - 60m Hurdles, 8.03 (Third)
Rayvon Allen - Long Jump, 7.47m/24-6.25 (Third)
Hayden Bugner - Pole Vault, 5.09m/16-8.25 (Third)

Women
Meghan Holmes - Triple Jump, 12.31m/40-4.75 (Third)