May 2, 2002

NACOGDOCHES - The Stephen F. Austin men's and women's track and field teams host the annual SFA Invitational Saturday at the Fletcher Garner Track at Homer Bryce Stadium. The invitational will be the squads final test before the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships. SFA will be competing against athletes from Northwestern State and Sam Houston State. The field events are scheduled to get underway at 2:30 p.m. with the men's pole vault. The track events are slated to begin at 5 p.m., with the women's 4X100-meter relay.

SFA enters the invitational with several athletes sitting atop the Southland Conference in their respective events. For the Ladyjacks, senior pole vaulter Misty Ballard-Swan (Carlsbad, N.M.) leads the league with her vault of 13-1.50. Classmate Destine Rawls (Houston, Texas) leads the SLC with her mark of 154-02 in the discus and is second in the shot put with her toss of 50-1.75. On the men's side, senior Adam Keul (Tyler, Texas) is tops in the SLC, and second in the nation, with a height of 18-2.50 in the pole vault. Sophomore Nathan Flores (Kingwood, Texas) is the league leader in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with his time of 9:06:56. Flores is also tops in the league in the 5,000 meters (14:33.39) and the 10,000 meters (29:27.29).

SFA returns to action Friday May 10, at the SLC Outdoor Championships. The meet is slated to begin at 11 a.m., with the decathlon.

-SFA-