SPARTANBURG, S.C. – VMI’s Greg Henderson and Samford’s Tray Oates have been named the Southern Conference men’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the week, respectively, while VMI’s Kerisha Goode and Western Carolina’s Tiffani Lewis claimed honors on the women’s side, the conference office announced Wednesday. Selections were made a group of the league’s track and field coaches and included competition held Jan. 25-31.
Henderson won the men’s 60m and 200m races at the Keydets’ first meet inside VMI’s new Corps Physical Training Facility, which opened on Saturday. The redshirt-junior set facility records in both events at the dual meet against The Citadel with a time of 6.83 seconds in the 60m and 21.78 seconds in the 200m. With a pair of first-place finishes, Henderson scored 10 of VMI’s 78 points, which proved to be the difference in the Keydets’ 78-68 win over the Bulldogs. His times in both events against The Citadel are SoCon season-bests. The Woodbridge, Va., native also hit the IC4A qualifying standard in both events for the second straight meet.
Oates won the men’s pole vault at the Kevin Stephen Invite in Birmingham, Ala., on Sunday with a mark of 17-4.5. The redshirt-junior currently holds the top mark in the SoCon and is ranked No. 19 among Division I competitors.
Goode won the 60m and 200m races on the women’s side for the Keydets in the dual meet against The Citadel. She set a program record in the 60m dash with a time of 7.69 seconds, which is the third best time in the SoCon this season. In the 200m, Goode crossed the finish line in 25.04 seconds, which puts her second in the conference.
Lewis, a senior, placed third for the Catamounts in the women’s long jump at Marshall’s Thundering Herd Invitational on Saturday with a leap of 19-0. The Raleigh, N.C., native currently holds the top jump in the SoCon (19-4), which she set at the JDL College Kick-off Classic on Dec. 3.
Also nominated for women’s track athlete of the week: Kaitlyn Stone (UNCG, 3,000m).
Also nominated for women’s field athlete of the week: Courtney Prengaman (Samford, high jump).
SoCon Men’s Indoor Track Athletes of the Week
Jan. 19: No Nominees
Jan. 25: Emanuel Tait, Samford, 60mH
Feb. 1: Greg Henderson, VMI, 60m and 200m
SoCon Men’s Indoor Field Athletes of the Week
Jan. 19: Scott Peretin, Western Carolina, shot put
Jan. 25: Jay Vines, Samford, heptathlon
Feb. 1: Tray Oates, Samford, pole vault
SoCon Women’s Indoor Track Athletes of the Week
Jan. 19: Kyrah Atkins, ETSU, 60mH
Jan. 25: Allie Buchalski, Furman, 3,000m
Feb. 1: Kerisha Goode, VMI, 60m and 200m
SoCon Women’s Indoor Field Athletes of the Week
Jan. 19: Hailey Cook, Western Carolina, shot put
Jan. 25: Selena Popp, Samford, long jump
Feb. 1: Tiffani Lewis, Western Carolina, long jump
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