Jan. 19, 2008

Baton Rouge, LA - McNeese State's Jimmie Heath made his indoor debut a successful one on Saturday when he won the pole vault event at the LSU Purple Relays track and field meet.

The Cowboy standout, who cleared 18 feet two seasons ago, won the event with a vault of 16-6 3/4. He later failed on three tries at 17-1 1/4.

His performance was one of several good ones for McNeese in the day long meet.

John Jamail failed in his attempt to remain undefeated in the shot put but he was beaten by Cowboy assistant coach Erik Whitsitt. Jamail went 50-10 to finish sixth while Whitsitt, competing unattached, took the title with a throw of 56-2 1/2.

Jamail also came up with a sixth place in the weight throw at 49-9.

The Cowboy distance medley team of Johnathan Koenck, Sean Brinson, Kenneth Pierce and Michael Washington finished third with a 109:57.5 clocking while Pierce also came back to run fourth in the 3000 meters at 9:10.64.

Cowgirls' Julie Buller and Emily Lewis finished four and five in the women's pole vault both both had the same 10-6 height and Amy Aguillard placed 12th at 10-0.

No other Cowgirl placed in the meet but Erin Huckabay ran 10.07 in the hurdles and LaDonna Carroll went 8.35 in the 60 meter dash and 27.96 in the 200 meters.

For the men, Marcus Brown finished sixth in the long jump at 23-5 1/4 and Matt Fontenot posted a 4:50.08 clocking in the mile run for fifth place.

Darrick Brown, a conference medalist in year's past, was slated to compete in the long jump but did not make the trip to Baton Rouge.

McNeese will next compete in its own meet on January 25 in the rec-complex on campus.