Wednesday, January 27, 2010

MACON, Ga. - ETSU sprinter Jasmine Ingram stayed perfect, picking up her third consecutive A-Sun track athlete of the week award, while thrower Zachlynn Blackburn earned field athlete honors for the Lady Bucs.

Ingram becomes the first female athlete to earn the conference honor for three consecutive weeks. The honor also placed Ingram one award shy of the record for conference weekly honors in a season. A season ago, ETSU’s Hedi Dahl picked up the weekly honor four times. (Prior to the 2009-10 indoor season the Atlantic Sun honored only one athlete a week)

Ingram highlighted the ETSU track and field team on Saturday, as the junior runner gave the Buccaneer faithful a lot to cheer about on the second and final day of the 32nd Niswonger Invitational. Ingram, who all ready set a new school record in the 400m last weekend at Virginia Tech, shaved some additional time off that mark in the finals on Saturday. The Frederick, Md. native flew her way to gold with a top time of 55.86. Ingram’s time, which beat out a field of 125 competitors, also ranks as the fastest amongst A-Sun competitors.

Blackburn made the most of her final Niswonger Invitational, as the standout thrower set a new ETSU record in the weight throw on Friday afternoon inside the ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center. Overall, the Bucs came away with a strong showing on day one of the meet. Blackburn, who previously owned the record prior to the meet, finished third (36 throwers) in the event with her heave of 55-07.75 (16.96m). The Tazewell, Va. native added over four inches to her previous lifetime best at 55-03.50.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Other Top Performers
Courtney Kinlaw, Campbell (So. - Sprints and Jumps - Conway, S.C. - Kinesiology) – Kinlaw posted the top finish for any Camel on the day at the UNC Classic, finishing third in the women's long jump with a mark of 5.67 meters. Kinlaw also finished ninth in the women's 60 meter dash with a time of 7.86 in the finals.

Victoria Jackson, Kennesaw State (So. - Sprinter - College Park, Ga. - Undeclared) – Broke KSU Indoor records in the 60 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash, both originally held by Shantela Davis. Jackson’s 60 Meter time of 7.86 beat out Davis' mark of 7.98, and 200 Meter time of 25.26 was more than a half second better than Davis' standard (25.77).

Suzzette Van-Lare, Kennesaw State (So. - Jumps - Marietta, Ga. - Health and Exercise Science) – Van Kare finished in sixth place in the high jump and ninth in the triple jump, as a follow-up to her solid season debut at the Appalachian State Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 5, when she finished fourth and sixth in those events, respectively.

Caroylne Chelulei, USC Upstate (So. - Distance - Eldoret, Kenya - Nursing) – Chelulei became just the second Spartan in school history to post a time of 17:40 or better in the 5000-meter run. Chelulei's time of 17:37.15 at the Niswonger Invitational earned her a second-place finish and places her second all-time in school history (less than five seconds behind the record of 17:32.95). It was the first time the sophomore had ever competed in the indoor 5000-meter run.

Gabrielle Walker, USC Upstate (Jr. - Throw - Chattanooga, Tenn. - Sociology) – Walker had a career day in both the shot put and the weight throw. In the shot put, Walker finished 27th overall with a school-record throw of 36-11.75 (surpassing the old mark of 36-11.00). In the weight throw, the Chattanooga, Tenn., native set a personal-best with a throw of 36-02.00, which places her third on the school’s all-time list.