NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Jaheene Bell (men's track) and Mansur Ali (field) were selected Red River Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week for March 17-23.
        The RRAC announced the awards Tuesday.
        Bell — a sophomore from Old Harbour, Jamaica, and a graduate of Saint Catherine School — won the 400-meter dash Saturday at the Louisiana Classics meet in Lafayette with an NAIA nationals B-qualifying time of 47.60 seconds. Bell finished ahead of 19 runners from NCAA Division I.
        Ali — a freshman from Pike Road, Ala., and a graduate of Pike Road High School — threw the discus 48.01 meters/157 feet, 6 inches Friday at the Louisiana Classics to finish third and break an 87-year-old men's school record. Louis Williams set the previous mark of 45.56 meters/149 feet, 6 inches at the inaugural Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships in Atlanta on April 23, 1938.
        Next for XULA's men and women will be the Southern Miss Invitational Saturday at Hattiesburg.



photo of Jaheene Bell by Jake Paige; photo of Mansur Ali by Yamlak Tsega