Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Macon, Ga. -- ETSU freshman Jarrod Burton has been tabbed the Atlantic Sun Athlete of the Week after breaking two school records at the Niswonger Invitational on Friday and Saturday, league officials announced today.

The Bastian, Va., native bested his own record on Friday in the weight throw with his seventh-place toss of 54-2 1/2 (16.52m). His toss added 2 1/2 inches onto the previous record.

On Saturday the math major returned to the ring where he recorded a second place finish in the shot put with a distance of 52-8 3/4. His distance in the event broke a nine-year-old mark established by Curtis Eason (50-6) in 1998.

Burton's second place finish in the shot put marked his highest finish to date in the event.

The award is Burton's first and only the second time a student athlete from ETSU has been recognized (James Rainer - Jan. 25, 2006).

The Atlantic Sun Athlete of the Week is announced every Wednesday during the 2007 indoor track season.

The 12-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, UNF and Stetson with Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate beginning competition in 2007-08.

• Dobson Collins, Gardner-Webb
[So. -- Stone Mountain, Ga. -- Undecided]
Collins broke his own school record twice over the weekend. During prelims he finished the 60-meter hurdles in 8.38 to best his record set last season. During the finals he shaved .10 off of his time and finished third overall in the event with a time of 8.28, breaking his school record again. Collins' time of 8.28 ranks him third in the conference to date.

• Fredrick Johansson, North Florida
[Fr. -- Oja, Sweden -- Engineering]
Finished 19th in the mile out of a field of 39 at the Diet Pepsi Invitational with his time of 4:22.46 in the event. His time is tops in the A-Sun to date.

• Harold Sims, Campbell
[Fr. -- Oxford, N.C. -- Biological Science]
Sims broke the school record in the 60-meter hurdles with a first-place time of 8.27. His time is the event ranks him second in the A-Sun. Sims also completed in the 400-meter dash where he finished fifth with a personal-best time of 51.65. In a tight group, Sims ranks third in the 400-meter dash among A-Sun competitors with three runners within .27 of the leader, Chris Harrison (ETSU; 51.57).