SoCon Announces OTF Athletes of the Week

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford’s Zephaniah Carico-McLennan and Carter Ellis have been named the Southern Conference men’s outdoor track and field athletes of the week, respectively. Additionally, Samford’s Grace Lueders and ETSU’s Tya Blake claimed women’s outdoor track and field athletes 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 April 2-8. 

Samford continued its outdoor season at Ole Miss, competing in the Joe Walker Classic on April 4-5. 

Carico-McLennan won the 800m with a time of 1:47.56. The Bulldogs sophomore now leads the SoCon in this event.  

Ellis cleared 5.18m in the pole vault, taking the league-leading spot by .8m. The Hoover, Alabama, native is ranked 26^th in the East Region. 

Lueders claimed second place in the women’s 800m, finishing in 2:08.18. With this performance, the junior from Rogers, Arkansas, extended her conference lead by over four seconds. Lueders competed in the 800m for just the second time ever at the Ole Miss meet.  

ETSU competed at the VertKlasse Meeting on April 4-5 in High Point, North Carolina.  

Blake claimed first place in the triple jump with a mark of 12.40m. The mark is a personal best for the Bucs senior and leads the conference by nearly one meter. The Lynchburg, Virginia, native ranks 38^th in the East Region. 

ETSU heads to Asheville on April 11-12 for the Asheville Bulldog Invitational, while Samford will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to compete in the Alabama Invite on April 11-12.  

Also nominated (Men): Jason Bowers (ETSU – Track), Grant Fraser (VMI – Field), CJ McFerrin (Western Carolina - Track)  

Also nominated (Women): Ryleigh Simmons (Chattanooga – Track), Eleyah Armstrong (VMI – Track), Erin Long (Samford – Field), Stella Henry (Chattanooga – Field), Ericka Jackson (Western Carolina- Field)  

2024-25 Southern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week   

Men’s track   

March 26 Jason Bowers, ETSU 

April 2 Matthew Smith, Furman 

April 9 Zephaniah Carico-McLennan, Samford 

Women’s track  

March 26 Micailah Cook, ETSU  

April 2 Carly Wilkes, Furman 

April 9 Grace Lueders, Samford 

Men’s field  

March 26 Brent Bell, ETSU 

April 2 Arthur Parham, The Citadel 

April 9 Carter Ellis, Samford   

Women’s field 

March 26 Ali Wilson-Ruffin, The Citadel 

April 2 Ali Wilson-Ruffin, The Citadel 

April 9 Tya Blake, ETSU