AUBURN, Ala. – University of South Alabama freshman Shannen Weyer clocked a new school-record time in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, completing the course in 11:15.13 on Saturday to highlight Jaguar performances in the closing day of competition at the War Eagle Invitational.
 
The Biloxi, Miss., native cleared teammate Tori Lawson’s 2010 record by over 15 seconds in a fifth-place finish. As of press time Saturday night, the time stands as third best of the Sun Belt Conference season.
 
“The steeplechase is not an event that has been run consistently in this school’s history,” said head track and field coach Paul Brueske. “We want to emphasize it more and it was great to see Shannen run it so well today. She is one of several freshmen performing well leading up to the conference championships.”
 
Several other Jaguar freshmen competed well amongst fields littered with unattached and professional athletes, as newcomers recorded 10 of 17 total top-10 collegiate finishes on the day at the Tigers’ Hutsell-Rosen Complex.
 
Tevin Barnett finished highest amongst them when he took third collegiately in the men’s 400-meter hurdles in 53.74 seconds, just ahead of fellow Jags Tyler Agee (5^th coll., 53.98) and Spencer Anderson (11^th coll., 56.46).
 
Justin Housley ran 1:56.23 to take 10^th amongst collegians in the 800-meter run, followed by Alex Shields and Ronny Wilson, who took 11^th and 15^th, in times of 1:56.27 (a PR) and 1:57.02, respectively.
 
Shields also took fourth in the 1,500 meters in a personal-record 3:58.13. Wilson clocked a 4:00.80 to take eighth.
 
Daniel Cooper led USA in the men’s 5,000 meters, taking sixth collegiately (15:11.41), two spots ahead of Ian Bordelon (15:33.98). Kristin Parry, a freshman from Prattville, Ala., finished fourth in the women’ 5,000 meters in a time of 19:22.13.
 
Freshman Erikka Williams recorded her second personal-record in as many weeks when she placed sixth collegiately in the women’s long jump on a mark of 5.73m (18-09.75).
 
Briana Aiken took top-five spots in both the women’s pole vault (3^rd, 3.55m/11-07.75) and triple jump (5^th, 12.23m/40-01.50). Erika Saxton followed Aiken in the triple on a leap of 11.57m (37-11.50).
 
After finishing fourth collegiately and fifth overall in the women’s discus (45.13m/148-01) and eighth in the hammer throw (53.84m/177-00) on Friday, Bobbie Williamson took seventh in the shot put on a 13.79m (44-11.50) toss in her Saturday appearance.
 
Adam Patterson took sixth in the men’s shot, posting a personal-best 15.77m (51-09) measure – an improvement on his fifth-place all-time USA standing in the event – to follow his 12^th-place collegiate finish in the hammer on Friday.
 
Full meet results can be found here.
 
The Jags will travel to SBC foe Troy next weekend to compete in the Coach “O” Invitational, which will serve as a final tune-up for the conference championships on May 11-13.
 
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).