SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina’s Henry Kiedy and Tayla Carter have earned Southern Conference Track Athlete of the Week honors for the men and women, respectively, while Samford claimed a sweep of the field awards behind Tray Oates and Tatiana Taylor, the league office announced Wednesday. Selections were made by a group of the league’s track and field coaches and included competition held April 13-19.
Kiedy, from Knightdale, N.C., won the 400-meter dash with a time of 47.40 seconds and finished second in the 200-meter dash with a 21.62-second effort at the Beynon Sports Catamount Classic. Both times lead the SoCon, and Kiedy’s performance in the 200-meter dash marked a personal best. He also ran the last leg of WCU’s first-place 4x400 relay squad, which posted a SoCon-leading time of 3:15.15 at the meet. This is Kiedy’s second weekly track award of the outdoor season.
Oates placed second in the pole vault at the South Alabama Invitational in Mobile, Ala., by recording conference-best mark of 5.32 meters (17' 5.5"). His effort is tops in the SoCon by more than a foot.
Carter took titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at the Beynon Sports Catamount Classic, recording times of 11.69 and 24.24 seconds, respectively. The senior from Marietta, Ga., was also a member of WCU’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams. The Catamounts’ 4x100 team clocked a league-leading time of 45.56 seconds for a first-place finish at the meet.
Taylor, a freshman, put forth strong efforts in the shot put and hammer throw at the South Alabama Invitational. She recorded a 51.60-meter (169' 3") mark in the hammer throw, which earned her a fifth-place finish and ranks first in the SoCon. In the shot put, the Kennesaw, Ga., product offered up a toss of 12.31 meters (40' 4.75”) to put her fourth in the conference rankings.
Samford and WCU have garnered six weekly awards each during the outdoor season. Four of the Bulldogs’ honors have come on the women’s side, while the Catamounts have accumulated four on the men’s side.
Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week
March 23 – Henry Kiedy, Western Carolina, So.
March 30 – Troy Reeder, Furman, Jr.
April 6 – Mike Williams, ETSU, Jr.
April 13 – Caleb Albrecht, Western Carolina, Fr.
April 20 – Henry Kiedy, Western Carolina, So.
Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week
March 23 – Capers Williamson, The Citadel, Gr.
March 30 – Javion Lee, Samford, Jr.
April 6 – Jamie Brown, Western Carolina, Fr.
April 13 – Capers Williamson, The Citadel, Gr.
April 20 – Tray Oates, Samford, R-So.
Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week
March 23 – LeAndrea Combo, Wofford, Fr.
March 30 – Allie Buchalski, Furman, Jr.
April 6 – Karisa Nelson, Samford, So.
April 13 – Sarah Sanford, Samford, So.
April 20 – Tayla Carter, Western Carolina, Sr.
Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week
March 23 – Ashley Kessler, ETSU, Sr.
March 30 – Kyra Atkins, ETSU, Fr.
April 6 – Hailey Cook, Western Carolina, Jr.
April 13 – Selena Popp, Samford, Fr.
April 20 – Tatiana Taylor, Samford, Fr.
-www.SoConSports.com-