ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' women's track and field team won its second American Southwest Conference championship with a strong closing performance on Saturday.
After McMurry had taken the lead midway through the running events, HSU took advantage of strong performances in the 400 hurdles, 200 meters and finished second in the 4x400 relay to edge McMurry for the team title.
HSU had 224.83 points and McMurry was second with 206 points. LeTourneau finished third with 118.33 points and East Texas Baptist was fourth with 85.5. Concordia, Louisiana College, Ozarks and Belhaven rounded out the field.
On Saturday, the Cowgirls received solid efforts in the morning events to score enough points to keep pace with McMurry. Sydney Tencate started the day with the 5,000 win, her second event title of the meet and the sixth of her career. Alexandra Fulton added a seventh-place finish.
HSU dominated the triple jump and HSU's performance in the long and triple jumps were the difference in the meet. Samantha Pennese added the triple jump title to go along with her long jump win on Friday. Camryn Aldridge placed third, Alexi Bushong fourth and Johanna Jones fifth.
Sydney Cortes placed third in the shot put and Britni Starr and Laura Bennett finished fifth and sixth to give HSU 13 points in the event.
Destani Warner placed second in the 100 and Jessica Eastham finished seventh. In the 200, Kearra Greer was second, Eastham fifth, Warner seventh and Zada Washington eighth. Eastham also picked up a third place in the 400 and Baley Green placed sixth.
Tencate finished fourth in the 800 and the 1500 for the Cowgirls. Yadira Loera and Alexandra Fulton placed seventh and eighth in the 1500.
Lauren Franklin won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.56. Jamie Talley was fourth and Keely Eshelman placed eighth.
Baley Green won the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:07.40. Natasha Smith placed sixth for the Cowgirls.
HSU also placed second in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
Tencate was named the Outstanding Track Athlete of the Year and the High Point Award Winner. HSU's coaching staff was named the coaching staff of the year.
ASC Awards
Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year: Kylie Embry, East Texas Baptist
Outstanding Freshman Athlete: Georgianna Roeder, LeTourneau
High Point Athlete: Sydney Tencate, HSU
Outstanding Field Athlete: Savannah Freeman, McMurry
Outstanding Track Athlete: Sydney Tencate, HSU
Coaching Staff of the Year: Hardin-Simmons
Women's All-Conference Team
Camryn Aldridge
Jessica Eastham
Lauren Franklin
Baley Green
Kearra Greer
Johanna Jones
Samantha Pennese
Sydney Tencate
Destani Warner
Women's All-Conference Honorable Mentions
Sydney Cortes
Britni Starr
--- www.hsuathletics.com ---
