SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman’s Cameron Ponder and Emma Kuntz were named the male and female Southern Conference indoor track athletes of the week, respectively, both winning for the second time this season. The weekly awards are the final ones of the indoor season.
 
Selections were made by panels of the league’s track and field coaches and included all competition from Feb. 17-23. No field athletes competed this week as the regular season came to a close.
 
Ponder finished seventh in the 3,000-meter elite race at the Camel City Invitational at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Saturday. The junior, racing in his hometown, turned in a time of 7:56.36. His converted time of 7:50.89 paces the SoCon this season by nearly 14 seconds and is good for eighth on the NCAA Division I Indoor Qualifying List.
 
Also running at the Camel City Invitational, Kuntz claimed eighth place in the 800-meter elite run with a time of 2:10.94. The league leader in the event from her performance at the South Carolina Invitational on Feb. 5, Kuntz’s 2:07.91 ranks 35^th on the NCAA Division I Indoor Qualifying List. The senior from Louisville, Kentucky, is the defending SoCon champion in the event.
 
The Paladins and the rest of the league return to action at the SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships at the VMI Corps Physical Training Facility in Lexington, Virginia, on Saturday and Sunday.
 
2020-21 Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week
Men’s track
Jan. 27    Cameron Ponder, Furman
Feb. 3      Johnnie Walker, VMI
Feb. 10    José Peñalver, Samford
Feb. 17    José Peñalver, Samford
Feb. 24    Cameron Ponder, Furman
 
Men’s field
Jan. 27    Jed Sisco, Samford
Feb. 3      Tanner Henry, Wofford
Feb. 10    Justin Stuckey, Samford
Feb. 17    Justin Stuckey, Samford
Feb. 24    None
 
Women’s track
Jan. 27    Megan Marvin, Furman
Feb. 3      Ariana Ruffin, VMI
Feb. 10    Emma Kuntz, Furman
Feb. 17    Madelynne Cadeau, Furman
Feb. 24    Emma Kuntz, Furman
 
Women’s field
Jan. 27    Madeline McNinch, Wofford
Feb. 3      Megan Dunn, Wofford
Feb. 10    Morayo Bhadmos, Samford
Feb. 17    Hannah Daffin, Samford
Feb. 24    None