SPARTANBURG, S.C. – ETSU’s Mike Williams and Samford’s Marquis Barnes have earned Southern Conference Track and Field Athlete of the Week accolades on the men’s side, respectively, while Furman’s Allie Buchalski and ETSU’s Ashley Kessler claimed the same awards for the women, the league office announced Wednesday. Selections were made by a group of the league’s track and field coaches and included competition held April 20-26.
Williams, a junior, notched a personal-best time of 51.27 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles at the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Invitational on the way to men’s track honors. The time, which earned Williams a fifth-place finish at the meet, is tops in the SoCon. The Mt. Laurel, N.J., native also contributed to the Bucs’ fourth-place 4x100 relay team.
Barnes claimed the men’s field award by recording a conference-best long jump of 7.53 meters (24’ 8.5”) at the War Eagle Invitational. The sophomore’s leap edged out Western Carolina’s Jamie Brown by a little more than an inch in the league standings and was good enough for second place at the meet.
Buchalski collected her second women’s track honor of the outdoor season with her league-leading performance of 10:13.28 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Virginia Challenge, a meet that featured more than 80 All-Americans. The junior from Johns Creek, Ga., finished seventh in the event, and her time ranks ninth in the NCAA East Region.
Kessler also earned her second weekly accolade of the outdoor season, claiming the pole-vault title at the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Invitational with a SoCon-best mark of 3.90 meters (12’ 9.5”). The performance marked her second pole-vault win of the season.
SoCon track and field squads continue to count down to the 2016 SoCon Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will be contested May 12-13 at Western Carolina in Cullowhee, N.C.
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.
April 27 – Mike Williams, ETSU, Jr.
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.
April 27 – Marquis Barnes, Samford, 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.
April 27 – Allie Buchalski, Furman, Jr.
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.
April 27 – Ashley Kessler, ETSU, Sr.
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