INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Cameron LaCour, West Texas A&M University, JR, Dayton, Texas, Dayton
LaCour made a mark on the New Mexico Invite this past weekend as he took the title in the 60m Hurdles with a time of 7.90 which ranks second in all of Division II this season. The mark puts the junior into the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships. LaCour registered an original time of 7.88, the fastest in DII this season, but an adjustment of 0.02 seconds due to altitude gave him the event title and the second fastest time in the country.
MEN’S FIELD
Baptiste Kerjean, Abilene Christian University, SR, St. Brieuc, France
Baptiste Kerjean recorded a personal best in the weight throw of 58-07.25 (17.86m) to place fifth overall at the Air Force Invitational. His effort moved him up from 15th to 12th in the national rankings and is the fourth best in ACU history behind Glenn Griffin (65-0), Cliff Felkins (63-4) and Tyler Fleet (60-5.75).
WOMEN’S TRACK
Elea Diarra, Abilene Christian University, FR, Lyon, France
Diarra – a 2012 London Olympian with France – won the 400m title at the Albuquerque Convention Center Saturday afternoon with a season-best and NCAA automatic qualifying time of 55.05 (converted from 54.94 for altitude) seconds. She beat New Mexico State’s Brianna Cromartie was a close second with a time of 55.07. Diarra also won the 400m last week at Texas Tech’s Masked Rider Open, and her time Saturday was the sixth fastest ever recorded in ACU’s history, placing her in between Yolande Straughn’s 54.48 and Keva Wilkins’ 55.14. Samantha Edwards of Virginia State has the best 400m time this season among all NCAA D-II athletes with a mark of 54.58 seconds. Diarra is currently in second, just .05 seconds ahead of third-ranked Michelle Cumberbatch of Lincoln (Mo.). Diarra this weekend also improved her national ranking in the 200m to No. 20 after finishing 10th in New Mexico in 24.85.
WOMEN’S FIELD
Amanda Ouedraogo, Abilene Christian University, SR, Hauts de Seine, France
Ouedraogo recorded her second NCAA automatic qualifying triple jump in as many weeks, this time producing a season-best effort of 41 feet-6.5 inches (12.66 meters) to place second at the New Mexico Invitational. However, she still remains second to Angelo State’s Kearah Danville in the D-II rankings. Danville started her indoor season at Texas Tech with a leap of 41-11.25 (12.75m). Ouedraogo’s personal best of 42-4.75 was recorded last February at the New Balance Invitational in New York City.