SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman’s Aaron Templeton and Gabbi Jennings were named the Southern Conference men’s and women’s outdoor track athletes of the week, respectively, while The Citadel’s Sam Blumer and ETSU’s Khiara White were named the men’s and women’s field athlete of the week, respectively, the conference office announced Wednesday.
Selections were made by panels of the league’s track and field coaches.
Furman’s Templeton demolished the school record in the 5,000-meter run at Stanford’s Cardinal Classic in Stanford, California, on Friday. The senior from Knoxville, Tennessee, finished seventh in the event in 13:39.39, taking more than 20 seconds off the old school standard of 13:59.86, set by Troy Reeder in 2016. Templeton’s time leads the SoCon by more than 23 seconds and ranks second in the NCAA East Region and 13th on the NCAA Division I performance list.
The Citadel’s Blumer tied for first in the pole vault at the USC Outdoor Open in Columbia, South Carolina over the weekend, turning in a personal-record vault of 4.80 meters (15 feet, 9 inches). That jump was the second-best in school history and ranks second in the SoCon this season.
Furman’s Jennings led a 1-2 Paladin finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Cardinal Classic on Saturday. The junior from Slidell, Louisiana, posted a season-best time of 9:57.41 to edge teammate Krissy Gear, who finished second in 9:57.85, and best an event field that featured eight student-athletes from Power 5 conferences. Jennings’ time is second in the SoCon this season, third in the NCAA East Region and fifth on the overall NCAA Division I performance list.
ETSU’s White earned a podium finish by taking third out of 19 competitors in the long jump at the USC Outdoor Open, turning in a leap of 5.56 meters (18 feet, 3 inches). The freshman from Stone Mountain, Georgia, currently ranks sixth on the SoCon performance list.
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
April 24 Aaron Templeton, Furman
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
April 24 Sam Blumer, The Citadel
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
April 24 Gabbi Jennings, Furman
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 17 Morayo Bhadmos, Samford
April 24 Khiara White, ETSU
-www.SoConSports.com-