SPARTANBURG, S.C. – College of Charleston sophomore Dena O’Brien and Appalachian State junior Gayshawna Watkins have been have been named the Southern Conference’s Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for meets over the weekend. The selections are made by the league’s track and field coaches.
O’Brien ran the 5,000-meter race at the New Balance Invitational in a time of 16:40.39. She won her heat and placed six seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. With her performance in New York, the Pelham, Ala., native broke her previous school record which she set at last year’s Southern Conference Indoor Championship.
Watkins, a junior from Forest City, N.C., competed in her first meet of the year, placing sixth in the weight throw with a mark of 56’ 2.5” at the Penn State meet over the weekend. She is now the conference leader in this event.
The College of Charleston will compete in the Tiger Paw Invitational this weekend in Clemson, S.C. This will be the last meet for the Cougars before they travel to Birmingham for the 2012 Southern Conference Indoor Championship. Appalachian State has two more meets beginning with the Birmingham Invitation this weekend before the conference championship.
Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Jan. 19 – Ashley Schnell, UNCG
Jan. 25 – Shaina Sumney, UNCG
Feb. 1 – Amanda Sumner, Chattanooga
Feb. 7 – Dena O’Brien, College of Charleston
Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
Jan. 19 – Claire Goodson, Samford
Jan. 25 – Emily Allen, Samford
Feb. 1 – Taylor Wade, Georgia Southern
Feb. 7 – Gayshawna Watkins, Appalachian State