Contact: Matt Hebert
 
MIAMI, Fla. – The Ragin’ Cajuns track and field team saw a pair of athletes position themselves to take medalist honors on the first day of the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships on the campus of FIU.
 
“Having a young team we knew we didn’t have a lot points out on the field today,” head coach Lon Badeaux said. “It was a good day overall and I think on the girls side we are going to get better as the day goes on tomorrow. Our multis athletes had a strong day and really set themselves up for a chance to score high for us tomorrow.  I’m also happy with the five points we picked up on the women’s side.”
 
After four events in the women’s heptathlon, sophomore Jasmin Fusilier finds herself in fourth place with 2,950 points. Fusilier led off the heptathlon with the best time in the 100-meter hurdles clocking a time of 14.45. The New Iberia native also finished second in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.36.
 
“For Jasmin to pick up the event only four weeks ago, she has done a great job,” Badeaux noted. “She has her best event in the morning so she should be able to make up some ground.”
 
Chelsea Hermes of North Texas leads the heptathlon with a score of 3,158.
 
In the pole vault, Meredith Driskell secured the first points of the meet on the women’s side finishing fourth with a jump of 3.61m/11-10.
 
“We knew what Meredith was capable of coming into this meet and she performed well today,” Badeaux stated.
 
On the men’s side, Westmoreland Gonzales is 368 points back of Arkansas State’s Ethan Turpen in the decathlon sitting in fifth place with 3,470 points. Turpen leads the decathlon with 3,838.
 
“Wes has the ability to pick a couple people off and move onto the podium in the decathlon,” Badeaux added. “He was in the position last year and I think he has learned from it.”
 
The Cajuns return to action tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. ET with the decathlon. Live results and start lists can be found on sunbeltsports.org.