SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina’s CJ McFerrin and Samford’s Brenden Vanderpool have been named the Southern Conference men’s indoor track and field athletes of the week, respectively, while Wofford’s Ella Tennant and Samford’s Hannah Daffin claimed women’s track and field athlete of the week honors, respectively, the conference office announced Wednesday.
Selections were made by panels of the league’s track and field coaches and included all competition from Jan. 12-16.
McFerrin opened his junior campaign at the Clemson Invitational in Clemson, South Carolina, on Friday. The Alpharetta, Georgia, native finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.95. His mark places him second in the SoCon so far this season and is the second fastest time for the event in Western Carolina history.
Competing at the UAB Blazer Invitational on Sunday, Vanderpool won the pole vault with a jump of 5.10m. The Smyrna, Georgia, product’s performance puts him at the top of the SoCon and set a record for freshmen pole vaulters. He currently ranks sixth in the country this season and fourth all-time at Samford.
Wofford’s Tennant competed in the JDL Mondo College Invitational on Saturday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The sophomore from New Port Richey, Florida, ran the second fastest time of the day in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.47, the fastest in the SoCon this season. She then ran a 7.58 in the finals to place fifth.
Samford’s Daffin competed at the UAB Blazer Invite on Sunday, placing fourth in the weight throw with a 16.72m throw. The Mobile, Alabama, product also placed eighth in the shot put with a throw of 12.88m. She now owns the league’s best weight throw, which she leads by two meters, and shotput this season.
The weekly awards are the first career indoor honors for McFerrin, Vanderpool, and Tennant. Daffin’s award is the third indoor citation of her career.
2022-23 Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week
Men’s track
Jan. 17 CJ McFerrin, Western Carolina
Men’s field
Jan. 17 Brenden Vanderpool, Samford
Women’s track
Jan. 17 Ella Tennant, Wofford
Women’s field
Jan. 17 Hannah Daffin, Samford