MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – WKU started the final day of the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Track and Field Championships with a sweep of the relays and finished the  day by taking home both the men’s and women’s conference championship titles.

WKU jumped on the board early in the running events by taking the 4x100 meter men’s and women’s relays.  The Hilltopper men’s relay team finished with the 16th fastest time in the NCAA this season.

In the women’s 1500 meter relay Middle Tennessee’s Zamzam Sangau outkicked WKU’s Janet Jesang over the last 200 meters in winning by two seconds. 

North Texas’ Lauren Wiggins top time of 13.40 in the 100 meter hurdles set a new conference championship record and Troy’s Leander McKenzie posted the top time in the Sun Belt Conference on the 2009 season in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 14.06.

Arkansas State’s Charmisha Morrow won the women’s 400 meters in a time of 53.92 and ULM’s Mychal Word captured the men’s event with a time of 46.68.  The top three finishers in the men’s 400 meters all posted NCAA regional qualifying marks.

WKU’s Miaie Williams ran a 2009 Sun Belt season best in the 100 meters with a NCAA regional qualifying time of 11.57.  In the men’s 100 meters Gavin Smellie posted a time of 10.29 seconds to win the event – all four of the top finishers posted NCAA regional qualifying times.  Smellie’s time was the 12th best in the nation this season.

MT’s Sangau won her second event of the evening when she outlasted the field in the 800 meters; teammate Festus Chemaio also took his second championship of the night when he outran the competition in the men’s 800 meters with a time of 1:51.66. 

FIU’s Naim Yisrael set a new conference championship record in the women’s 400 meter hurdles and MT’s Roscoe Payne won the men’s event.

In the women’s 200 meter dash WKU’s Miaie Williams won her second event of the night as did teammate Gavin Smellie in the men’s 200 meter dash.

Defending women’s triple jump champion Sarah Nambawa recaptured her title with a Sun Belt Conference record jump of 13.71 meters.  Nambawa, who also won the long jump yesterday, moved up to first place in the national rankings with her jump.

In Sunday’s first event, the men’s hammer throw, UALR’s Kirby Atkins recorded the top throw in the Sun Belt Conference this season with a toss of 56.27 meters.

Louisiana-Lafayette’s Chris Roy (Pole Vault), Troy’s Tiphanie Baker (Hammer), ULM’s Marcie Baker (Javelin), MT’s Carl Morgan (Triple Jump), and North Texas’ Jermaine Jamison (High Jump) each won championships in other field events on Sunday.

Men’s Outstanding Track Performer

Gavin Smellie, WKU

Men’s Outstanding Field Performer

Carl Morgan, Middle Tennessee

Mandhla Mgjimima, WKU

Men’s Outstanding Freshman

Roscoe Payne, Middle Tennessee

Kythe Talley, North Texas

Men’s Top Meet Scorer

Gavin Smellie, WKU – 25 points

Men’s Coach of the Year

Erik Jenkins, WKU

Women’s Outstanding Track Performer

Zamzam Sangau, Middle Tennessee

Women’s Outstanding Field Performer

Sarah Nambawa, Middle Tennessee

Women’s Outstanding Freshman

Charmisha Morrow, Arkansas State

Women’s Top Meet Scorer

Zamzam Sangau, Middle Tennessee – 26 points

Tiphanie Baker, Troy – 26 points

Paola Reategui, FIU – 26 points

Women’s Coach of the Year

Erik Jenkins, WKU

Eric Campbell, FIU

Men’s Standings

1) WKU - 161

2) Middle Tennessee - 130  

3) ULM - 121       

4) North Texas - 91.50

5) UALR – 74

6) Arkansas State - 72.50

7) Troy – 65

8) South Alabama - 48  

9) Louisiana-Lafayette - 35      

10) FIU - 21  

Women’s Standings

1) WKU - 153       

2) FIU - 115.60

3) Middle Tennessee - 108.60

4) North Texas - 97  

5) ULM - 90.20

6) Arkansas State - 82  

7) Troy - 65.60

8) Louisiana-Lafayette - 35  

9) South Alabama - 29       

9) Florida Atlantic - 29  

11) UALR - 13