LAKE CHARLES – McNeese Cowboys senior thrower Marcus Francis has been named the 2025 Southland Conference Men's Outdoor Field Performer of the Year, the league announced on Thursday in conjunction with the releasing of the outdoor track and field specialty award winners.
 
In addition, Francis, along with hurdler Jaden Powell, have qualified for the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East First Round meet to be held May 28-31 in Jacksonville, Florida.
 
Francis scored 24 points at last week's SLC championships, winning gold in both the shot put and discus while placing fifth in the hammer throw event. He missed out on earning the high-point scorer by one point.
 
His school-record mark of 61-9.75 in the shot put is ranked 17^th in the NCAA East Region. That broke a 34-year-old record that was set by McNeese Hall of Fame inductee and Olympian Kevin Toth. He became the first McNeese men's thrower to win gold in both the shot put and discus events, is the first Cowboy to ever win gold in the discus, and is one of three Cowboys to win a gold in the shot put.
 
His season-best throw in the discus of 176-2 ranked him 41^st in the region.
 
Powell won a silver medal at the SLC Championships in the 400-meter hurdles with a personal record time of 50.71, ranking as the second-fastest time in school history and the fastest since the school record of 50.10 was set in 1978.
 
Powell ranked 28^th in the East Region with his time to qualify to the first round.
 
Schedule:
• Francis will throw the shot put at 5 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, May 28 and the discus at noon on Friday, May 30.
• Powell will compete in the 400m hurdles first round on Wednesday at 7:20 CT on Wednesday, May 28, and if qualify, the quarterfinals at 6:25 CT on Friday, May 30.
 
Broadcasting:
• All four days of the meet will air live on ESPN+.