TRACK: Muraskaite, Arnold earn major Southland awards
Published 4:52 pm Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Southland Conference heptathlon runner-up Migle Muraskaite was named the league’s women’s freshman of the year in track and field Tuesday.
The Lithuanian earned one of two major conference honors for Lamar. English junior Matthew Arnold was named men’s newcomer of the year.
Muraskaite broke her own school record in the heptathlon at the Southland Championships with 5,437 points. That was second to McNeese State’s Grace McKenzie, but she also earned silver in the women’s javelin with a Lamar-record 148 feet, 9 inches. Muraskaite was named second-team All-Southland in both events.
McKenzie first set the LU record in the heptathlon at the Texas Relays with 5,306 points. The old record of 4,695 was set in 1985.
Arnold finished second in the Southland 5,000 meters and earned bronze in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, earning All-Southland in those disciplines. He is a junior transfer.
Other Lamar All-Southland selections include:
- First team: Jamie Crowe, men’s 10,000 meters;
- Second team: Brian O’Bonna, men’s triple jump; Thai Williams, women’s 100 meters;
- Third team: Women’s 4×100 team of Williams, Deja Phillips, Dominique Taylor and TraShauna Hardy.