Southeastern’s track and field team kicked off their 2025 indoor season in Baton Rouge with a strong showing at the LSU Purple Tiger meet on Friday, January 17.

The Lions set an impressive 18 personal records during the meet with standout performances from senior sprinter Javon-Taye Williams and senior thrower Terrell Webb, who each won gold. Furthermore, sophomore Marvellous Asemota climbed to #91 on the 2025 NCAA D1 college indoor rankings for the women’s 60-meter dash. 

Track and field head coach Michael Rheams said he considers the season opener a great indication of what has been successful and what areas need further improvement. 

“The performance at the meet was very good for some athletes and I’m very proud of those who had the opportunity to showcase their skills. There were also some performances where opportunities were missed, which is to be expected for a first meet. I’m excited to get back to practice and look forward to the next competition,” Coach Rheams said. 

The day began at 9 a.m. with women’s weight throws, where freshman Alba Hansson and sophomore Jayden Jackson represented Southeastern; both athletes also participated in the shot put later in the day. 

The strong start carried through the men’s events as Webb secured first place in men’s weight throw with an impressive 20.50 meters, which made him Southland Conference men’s field athlete of the week and moved him up to 36th place on the national list. Despite winning gold, Webb is focused on improving and exceeding his limits this season. 

“I really expected to throw a personal best and cement my place in the top ten of the NCAA for the remainder of the season. I was four centimeters off my official personal best but had some foul throws that were clearly over it,” Webb said. 

In men’s shot put, Southeastern placed four athletes in the top ten. Senior Donroy Brown led the way with a second-place throw of 16.47 meters, followed by Josh-Ty Brown in fourth, Porter Gibson in fifth, and Micah Miller in eighth place. 

On the track, Williams dominated the men’s 600-meter race while setting a personal best of 1:19.33. His teammates, Josh Anding and Daniel Atinaya, also finished in the top 10, demonstrating a strong finish for the Lions. 

Among women, sophomore sprinter Asemota delivered a standout performance in the women’s 60-meter dash, achieving a personal best of 7.52. Meanwhile, sophomore Onya Favour broke her previous record and completed the women’s 600 meters in 1:38.45.

In the men’s mile, senior distance runner Euan Lagan won the second heat and finished tenth overall with a time of 4:28.22. 

“I was hoping to get into the first heat but I made the most out of it by winning the second heat. 

Coming to this event, I wanted to win and that’s what I did,” Lagan said. 

For the remaining season, Coach Rheams emphasized that they are preparing for all upcoming challenges in every area of life while prioritizing the athletes’ overall well-being and mental and physical health.

“We need to remain mentally prepared for all adversities. The upcoming storm and classes require us to continue eating right, sleeping well and maintaining the mental fortitude necessary to perform in all areas,” Rheams said. 

With the snow storm now passed, the Lions will return to action on Friday, Feb. 7, when they travel to Birmingham, Alabama, for the Vulcan Invitational hosted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham. 

Fans can look forward to Southeastern’s first home meet, the Sean Brady Season Opener, on Saturday, March 15 in Hammond. 

For more updates and coverage, stay tuned to The Lion’s Roar.