NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference on Thursday announced its Outdoor Track & Field awards, recognizing standout performances from the 2025 season. The awards were voted on by the head coaches within the league for both men’s and women’s.
The Sun Belt also announced the All-Sun Belt Conference honorees from the 2025 Sun Belt Outdoor Championships.
The student-athletes recognized include:
• Men’s Outdoor Track Performer of the Year: Jacob Pyeatt, Arkansas State
• Men’s Outdoor Field Performer of the Year: Aiden Hayes, Texas State
• Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Newcomer of the Year: Drew Donley, Texas State
• Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year: Lawson Jacobs, Louisiana
• Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year: John Frazier, Texas State
• Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Elite Award Winner: Jacob Pyeatt, Arkansas State
• Women’s Outdoor Track Performer of the Year: Abigail Parra, Texas State
• Women’s Outdoor Field Performer of the Year: Imani Moore, Georgia Southern
• Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Newcomer of the Year: Emma Russum, App State
• Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year: Charlize Goody, Texas State
• Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year: John Frazier, Texas State
• Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Elite Award Winner: Lara Roberts, Texas State
Jacobs also won the Indoor Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Cajun to sweep the award in a single season, and is just the second athlete in the last 10 seasons to win both awards.
Jacobs won two events at the SBC Outdoor Championships and was a finalist in another. The freshman won the 400m, breaking the school record with a time of 45.57, taking down Pat Gullet's time of 45.73 set in 1973. Jacobs was just 0.06 seconds off the SBC record.
The Spring, Texas native also ran the final leg of the men's 4x100m relay, which Louisiana claimed gold. The team finished the race in 39.55, 0.1 seconds off last year's SBC Championship meet record time. Jacobs also competed in the 200m finals, placing seventh at 21.72.
Jacobs has qualified for the NCAA East Regional in Jacksonville, where he is scheduled to compete in the 400m, 4x100m relay, and 4x400m relay. Individually, in the 400m, Jacobs is 10th in the region, 25th nationally, and fifth-best among freshmen.
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