SPARTANBURG, S.C. – VMI's Greg Henderson and Furman's Jaylan Reid have been named the Southern Conference Men's Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, while Samford's Karisa Nelson and Maggie Johnston swept honors for the Bulldogs on the women's side, the conference office announced Thursday. Selections are made by a group of the league's track and field coaches and included competition held April 19-25.
Henderson, a junior, posted the third-best time among SoCon outdoor competitors in the 100-meter dash at the Duke Invitational on Friday with a time of 10.62 seconds. His effort was good for 10th place in the preliminary and qualified him for the IC4A championships. Henderson also competed in the 200-meter dash and achieved a personal-best time of 21.61 seconds to move into No. 1 on the men's SoCon outdoor performance list. His time of 21.61 seconds in the 200-meter dash earned him a 12th-place finish at Duke as he also qualified for the IC4A championships in the event.
Reid earned a third-place finish for the Paladins in the shot put at the USC Open in Columbia, South Carolina, on Saturday. The sophomore recorded a best throw of 15.94 meters (52-4.75) in event, moving himself to No. 1 in the SoCon among outdoor competitors.
Nelson won the 1,500-meter run at the War Eagle Invitational, which was hosted by Auburn University, with a time of 4:17.20. Nelson, who became Samford's first Division I national champion earlier this year in the mile at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship, shattered a nine-year track by nearly two seconds, which was set by Tennessee's Sarah Bowman in 2008 at Auburn's Hutsell-Rosen Track. Nelson's time of 4:17.20 is currently the top time in the 1,500-meter run on the SoCon performance list this outdoor season and currently ranks 24th in country and ninth on the NCAA East Regional list.
Johnston, a freshman, garners her third and second consecutive women's weekly field honor after earning a fourth-place finish in the discus throw on Saturday at the War Eagle Invitational. Johnston achieved a best-throw of 49.33 meters (161-10), setting a new SoCon top mark in the event by nearly six meters. Her mark at Auburn currently ranks 46th in the east regional.
Also nominated for men's track athlete of the week: Malik Diggs (The Citadel, 400mH) and Hanner Tinkle (Furman, 5,000m).
Also nominated for men's field athlete of the week: Tray Oates (Samford, pole vault).
Also nominated for women's track athlete of the week: Katrina Semour (ETSU, 400mH and 3x100m relay), Savannah Carnahan (Furman, 5,000m), Taylor Delaney (UNCG, 1,500m) and Amber Lust (Wofford, 100mH, 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m relays).
SoCon Men's Outdoor Track Athletes of the Week
March 22: Matthew Moore (ETSU, 100m)
March 29: Malik Diggs (The Citadel, 400mH)
April 5: Brandon Hazouri (Samford, 800m)
April 12: Ryan Adams (Furman, 800m)
April 19: Emmanuel Tait (Samford, 100m and 100mH)
April 27: Greg Henderson (VMI, 100m and 200m)
SoCon Men's Outdoor Field Athletes of the Week
March 22: Brett Squibbs (ETSU, pole vault)
March 29: Tray Oates (Samford, pole vault)
April 5: Scott Peretin (Western Carolina, hammer throw)
April 12: Kevin Hires (Western Carolina, long jump and triple jump)
April 19: Scott Peretin (Western Carolina, shot put, hammer throw and discus)
April 27: Jaylan Reid (Furman, shot put)
SoCon Women's Outdoor Track Athletes of the Week
March 22: Kyrah Atkins (ETSU, 100mH)
March 29: Allie Buchalski (Furman, 5,000m)
April 5: Katrina Seymour (ETSU, 400mH)
April 12: Gabrielle Jennings (Furman, 1,500m)
April 19: Tonia McKinley (Samford, 100m and 200m)
April 27: Karisa Nelson (Samford, 1,500m)
SoCon Women's Outdoor Field Athletes of the Week
March 22: Kyrah Atkins (ETSU, long jump)
March 29: Maggie Johnston (Samford, discus)
April 5: Hailey Cook (Western Carolina, shot put, hammer and discus)
April 12: Tiffani Lewis (Western Carolina, long jump and triple jump)
April 19: Selena Popp (Samford, heptathlon)
April 27: Maggie Johnston (Samford, discus throw)
-www.SoConSports.com-