SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford’s Emmanuel Tait and ETSU’s Ben Johnson have been named the Southern Conference men’s outdoor track and field athletes of the week, respectively, while Wofford’s Hannah Steelman and Samford’s Morayo Bhadmos claimed the respective women’s awards, the conference office announced Wednesday.
Selections were made by panels of the league’s track and field coaches.
Samford’s Tait won a pair of events at the Bulldogs’ own Alabama Track Challenge on Friday. The junior from Alabaster, Alabama, claimed the 100-meter dash and the 110-meter hurdles, winning the former in 10.60 seconds and the latter in 14.02 seconds. His 100-meter dash time is good for third in the SoCon this season, while his time in the hurdles leads the SoCon and ranks 21st in the NCAA East Region and 38th on the NCAA Division I performance list. The weekly award is the fourth of his career.
ETSU’s Johnson earned his third award this outdoor season and the SoCon-record (men's) sixth of his outdoor career. The redshirt senior from Nashville, Tennessee, participated in a pair of meets, starting at the Tennessee Relays on Friday before throwing at Western Carolina’s Catamount Classic on Saturday. On Friday in Knoxville, Johnson finished 13th in both the hammer and the javelin, with throws of 58.12 meters and 57.68 meters, respectively. On Saturday in Cullowhee, North Carolina, Johnson earned three podium finishes, winning the hammer (59.49 meters) and discus (52.82 meters) and finishing second in the shot put (16.47 meters). His throws in the hammer and discus lead the SoCon, while his shot put effort is second in the league. His effort in the discus was good for 27th in the NCAA East Region and his hammer throw was good for 35th.
Wofford’s Steelman claimed her second straight honor and the third of her outdoor career after a dominant win in the 5,000-meter run at the Gamecock Invitational in Columbia, South Carolina, on Saturday. The sophomore from Orono, Maine, clocked a school-record 15:52.68 to finish nearly 2 minutes, 14 seconds ahead of the field, which included a combined eight runners from Clemson and South Carolina. Her time leads the SoCon this season by nearly 20 seconds and is good for third on the NCAA East Region performance list and 10th on the NCAA Division I qualifying list.
Samford’s Bhadmos won the triple jump at the Alabama Track Challenge on Friday. The sophomore from Powder Springs, Georgia, posted a school-record and personal-best mark of 12.65 meters (41 feet, 6 inches), which leads the SoCon this season and ranks 25th in the NCAA East Region and 51st on the NCAA DI qualifying list. The weekly award is the first of her career.
2019 Southern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week
Men’s track
March 20 Noah Charles, ETSU
March 27 Matt Scarr, ETSU
April 3 Aaron Templeton, Furman
April 10 Titus Moore, Samford
April 17 Emmanuel Tait, Samford
Men’s field
March 20 Ben Johnson, ETSU
March 27 Ben Johnson, ETSU
April 3 Solomon Ghosh, VMI
April 10 Keyth Fightmaster, Samford
April 17 Ben Johnson, ETSU
Women’s track
March 21 Lindsey Stallworth, ETSU
March 27 Kennedy Thomson, Chattanooga
April 3 Gabbi Jennings, Furman
April 10 Hannah Steelman, Wofford
April 17 Hannah Steelman, Wofford
Women’s field
March 21 Simone Williams, Western Carolina
March 27 Amber Lust, Wofford
April 3 Tiffany Quick, VMI
April 10 Maggie Johnston, Samford
April 10 Morayo Bhadmos, Samford
-www.SoConSports.com-