HAMMOND, La. - A dozen Lamar track and field athletes qualified for finals in their respective events, but senior Louise Webb stole the show with her conference championship in the 3000-meter steeplechase on Saturday at the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships hosted at the Southeastern Track and Field Complex by Southeastern Louisiana.

Both the men's and women's teams held their fifth place standings after Saturday's events. The Lady Cardinals have 32 points, trailing Sam Houston State (72), Northwestern State (59), Stephen F. Austin (56) and McNeese State (36). The men are behind host Southeastern Louisiana (81), SFA (67), McNeese State (41) and SHSU (32).

"We did just about everything we could do today," said LU track and field head coach Trey Clark. "We had several people who were able to claim lifetime bests and more who were able to move on to the finals."

Webb started her day out strong with a fifth place heat finish- ranked 10th overall- in the women's 1500-meter run to move on the finals, but capped her day with a 10:42.01 time in the 3000m steeplechase that gave her the league championship.

"Last year Louise was second in the event, and for her to come back and get the gold was great," said Clark. "The double (3000m steeple/1500m) she pulled today is just part of the process. She did what she needed to and pulled out a win."

Her win gave the Lamar women's team 10 points, and her qualifying time in the 1500m was 4:47.21. In the steeplechase, she finished ahead of SFA's Brittany Innis (10:43.02).

Verity Ockenden joined Webb with a top time of 4:44.49 in the women's 1500 before she also moved on in the 800-meter run. Her mark in the 800m was 2:13.78, which placed second in her heat and eighth overall. Ockenden finished just ahead of teammate Alexandra Sokolova in the 800m, who also qualified for the finals on a 2:13.84 time (3rd in the heat).

Jan Lukas Becker was the runner-up in the men's 3000m steeplechase on a time of 9:17.66, behind McNeese State's Brock Moreaux (9:09.52). The freshman's finish gave the men's team eight points. Tye Norman set a new personal best in the event with his 9:46.84 time.

"I though Jan got started a little too early and spent energy before he had to, and that is just a part of his inexperience," said Clark. "For him to be able to hold on to second place as a freshman in his first outdoor meet was big."

Brian O'Bonna earned the Cardinals five more points with his fourth place 48-9.50 mark (personal best) in the triple jump. Michael Lester set a new personal record in the event with a jump of 45-1.50, good for 12th place. In the women's triple jump, freshman Deja Phillips notched the women four points on her fifth place, personal best leap of 39-1.75, and Carissa Hill placed 10th with a jump of 38.4.75- also a personal record.

"Our young jumpers did a great job today in the triple jumps," said Clark. "They competed and all of them set lifetime bests."

Sam Stabler grabbed the top spot in the 1500 and joined Matt Jackson and Federico Gasbarri to advance to the finals in the event. Stabler put up a mark of 3:55.79, Jackson timed in at 3:57.45 and Gasbarri at 3:57.66. Jackson and Gasbarri finished sixth and seventh overall, respectively, and first and second in their heat.

Both Sarah Shim and Trey Davis moved on in their respective 400-meter dashes. Shim timed in at 55.64 (1st in heat) in the women's race, and Davis at 48.14 (2nd) in the men's 400.

Chanissey Fowler and Brendan Langley each set personal records in their 100-meter dashes, both qualified for the finals. Fowler set her best on a heat second-place time of 11.81 and Langley on a 10.57 mark.

Trey Burton claimed his spot in the finals of the 110-meter hurdles with a run of 14.69, which was good enough for third place in his heat. In the women's 100-meter hurdles, Dominique Taylor fell one spot shot of the finals, but still set a new personal best of 14.10.

TaMar Hicks placed 12th overall in the men's 800-meter run, which was his lifetime best.

All finals are on Sunday, starting with the 1500m meter event at 12:20. Before it gets started, the 4x100m relays for the men and women. The day gets kicked off with the discus at 10 o'clock.

Team Standings