Sam Houston sweeps Southland weekly awards
1/18/2017 2:19:00 PM | Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The goal for Sam Houston State track & field entering last Friday's indoor opener was to open the season on good footing. They managed to do that – and more.
On Wednesday, the Southland Conference announced that the Bearkats swept all four weekly awards, following a pair of first-place team finishers at the Aggie Team Invitational in College Station, Texas.
Chris Jefferson was named men's track athlete of the week; Tyler Adams earned men's field athlete of the week; Camry Grigsby was honored as women's track athlete and Kristine Hanks was bestowed field athlete of the week.
Sam Houston enters its indoor season as the defending Southland Conference champions on both the men's and women's sides. Last year, the squads took home eight indoor athlete of the week honors.
THE WINNING PERFORMANCES
Jefferson began his 2017 sophomore campaign in style, running 6.79 to claim the 60-meters title and 21.35 in the 200-meter dash for his second top spot.
On the field side, Adams, the Southland's runner-up in the high jump a season ago, continued his dominance in the event. His leap of 6 feet, 10 ¼ inches was good enough for first place and followed up his first-place, meet-record height a season ago.
Grigsby notched a pair of top spots including a mark of 2:17.49 to pace action in the 800-meter finals. The junior also anchored the 4x400-meter championship squad, alongside Kodii Church, Briana McCall and Jasmine Lewis with a time of 3:52.30.
Hanks also began her junior campaign on a strong foot, capturing first-place in the shot put at 49 feet, ¼ inches while setting a personal-best in a ninth-place finisher in the weight throw (51 feet, 8 ¼ inches).
QUOTABLES:
Head coach David Self on the athletes honored…
“It's about what you do out on the track or at your events that day. All four of those kids really work hard. They have come a long way and really made huge improvements; especially a guy like Chris, who doesn't say a word. He leads by example in the truest sense of word. The one's that mimic him will be successful.”
Head coach David Self on the start to the season…
“Always with the first meet there are ups and downs. We had some good performances. We had a lot of freshmen who were very wide-eyed. I am hoping this is the start of how it was last year where we made it a weekly thing in our performers of the week. I hope this sets the tone.”
