BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – McNeese's Jaslyn Russell made school history on Thursday during the final day of the 2026 Southland Conference Indoor

Championships when she became the first Cowgirl ever to win a gold medal and be crowed the conference champion in the women's shot put event.
 
Russell, who won a silver medal in the weight throw on Wednesday, threw 49-11.75, beating out the league's No. 1 ranked thrower in A&M-Corpus Christi's Natalia Rankin-Chitar by a half an inch. Russell completed the two-day meet accounting for 18 of the Cowgirls' 31 total points which placed them eighth in the team standings.
 
Jeny Barcenas placed fifth in the mile run to score five points for McNeese. Barcenas set a new personal record with a time of 4:48.74.
 
On the men's side, the Cowboys saw two athletes reach the medal stand. Omer El-Fadl finished third in the 3000-meter run, posting a personal record time of 8:16.06 in the process. Ryan McCarthy finished seventh in the event to give the Cowboys two more points, clocking a PR time of 8:20.66.
 
Amire Ledet saved the best triple jump of his career for the championships where
he finished third to win a bronze medal after leaping 49-9.75.

 
Others to post personal records on the day include: Edyn Hill (3000m, 10:56.81), Adriana Chavarria (pentathlon, 2844 points), Kennah Bent (pentathlon, 2839 points), and Sarah Davidson (pentathlon, 2625 points).
 
UTRGV won the women's team title while Stephen F. Austin captured the men's championship.
 
Women's Team Scores: 1, UTRGV 128; 2, Stephen F. Austin 106; 3, Northwestern State 99.5; 4, East Texas A&M 79; 5, A&M-Corpus Christi 78; 6, Lamar 53; 7, UIW 39.5; 8, McNeese 31; 9, Southeastern 21; 10, HCU 17; 11, Nicholls 8; 12, New Orleans 3
 
Men's Team Scores: 1, Stephen F. Austin 157; 2, Northwestern State 123; 3, UIW 96.5; 4, UTRGV 61; 5, A&M-Corpus Christi 60; 6, Lamar 49; 7, East Texas A&M 45.5; 8, McNeese 28; 9, HCU 22; 10, Southeastern 14; 11, New Orleans 6; 12, Nicholls 0

 
Cowgirl Results:
1 Mile – 5, Jeny Barcenas 4:48.74 PR
3000m – 9, Jeny Barcenas 10:00.23; 24, Uxue Castro-Martin 10:19.60; 31, Danielle Salinas 10:35.50; 37, Edyn Hill 10:56.81 PR
Shot Put – 1, Jaslyn Russell 49-11.75; 15, Leah Guy 39-4.50; 23, Isabella Punchard 35-4.75; 24, Mya Charles 31-9.50; 25, Ta'Khara Johnson 30-3.75
4x400 Relay – 5, 3:50.49 (Stewart, Dotson, Dorsey, Thomas)
Pentathlon – 15, Adriana Chavarria 2844 PR; 16, Kennah Bent 2839 PR; 17, Sarah Davidson 2625 PR
 
Cowboy Results:
1 Mile – 10, Gregory Martin 5:01.06
3000m – 3, Omer El-Fadl 8:16.06 PR; 7, Ryan McCarthy 8:20.66 PR
Triple Jump – 3, Amire Ledet 49-7.25 PR; 16, Javonte Taylor 44-0.75
Shot Put – 22, Reginald Burks 40-8.75
4x400 Relay – 10, 3:23.67 (Hay, Elkhair, Moron, Trahan)