Six track and field student-athletes earned Lone Star Conference Athlete of the Week honors for their efforts, league officials announced today.
TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
CO-MEN’S TRACK
Sergio Rios, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, SO, Brownsville, Texas, James Pace HS
Rios put together a strong performance at the Texas Relays. First, he took second in the college 400-meter hurdles in a season best time of 52.12. That is the third best time in the nation this year. Then, he ran a leg on the team’s 4x400-meter relay team that took fourth in a season best time of 3:14.37, an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time.
Andrew McDowell, Abilene Christian University, SR, Kansas City, Mo., Raytown South HS
McDowell despite already having the nation’s second-fastest time in the 110-meter hurdles – finished second last Saturday in the event at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin. ... McDowell ran a 14.12 in the prelims and clocked in at 14.17 in the finals to finish second. ... McDowell is already a provisional qualifier for next month’s NCAA Division II outdoor championship meet with a time of 13.79.
CO-MEN’S FIELD
Tyler Orlando, Angelo State University, SR, Bangs, Texas, Baird HS
Orlando, who provisionally qualified with a 212’11” (64.91m) last week at the Texas Tech Invitational, launched his best throw of the season in the javelin with a toss of 217’8” (66.36m) and joined Wade Goode (discus) as Rams who are guaranteed a spot at the 2011 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Orlando hit the automatic mark, which leads the Lone Star Conference and is third-best in the nation this season, on his second of three throws Friday and just missed qualifying for the finals at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.
Ramon Sparks, Abilene Christian University, SR, Kansas City, Mo., Raytown South HS
Sparks finished fourth in the “A” section of the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays last Saturday in Austin with a wind-aided triple jump of 52’10.75”. ... Sparks, however, posted the nation’s second-best mark and an automatic qualifying mark for next month’s NCAA Division II outdoor championship meet earlier in the competition with his mark of 52’1.25” earlier in Saturday’s competition.
WOMEN’S TRACK
Derekia Coleman, Tarleton State University, FR, Fairfield, Texas, Fairfield HS
Coleman had already qualified for nationals, but went even further on Friday when she set a personal record in the 100-meter dash at the Texas Relays. Her time of 11.87 moved her up to 10th on the national list, as she ran against Division I competition. The Fairfield native also was a part of the 4 x 100-meter relay team that also set a personal record in Austin with a time of 48.62.
WOMEN’S FIELD
Kati Holly, Angelo State University, FR, Monahans, Texas, Monahans HS
Holly logged another high jump that would rank among the top-five marks in the Lone Star Conference when she hit 5’5” (1.65m) to finish tied for third at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. The freshman has already hit an outdoor season-best 5’7” (1.70m) - the third-best jump in the LSC a NCAA Division II provisional qualifying mark.