Thursday, April 15, 2010

MACON, Ga. – Winning performances from UNF’s Elise Trexler and Kennesaw State’s Mackenzie Howe earned the pair the Atlantic Sun’s Women’s Field athlete and Track Athlete of the Week awards, the conference announced Thursday.

Trexler, a senior, set UNF’s school record in the high jump at the Florida State Relays for a first-place finish. Her mark, 1.78 meters tops the Atlantic Sun this season, ranks ninth in the east region and 18th in the country. The psychology major from Lynn Haven, Fla. broke Amy Stroder’s record height of 1.77 meters, set back in 2007.

Howe re-affirmed her prowess in distance running, winning the 10,000 Meters at the Sea Ray Relays at the University of Tennessee Saturday. The junior health and exercise science major from Watkinsville, Ga. completed the race in a time of 36:03.05. Her winning mark represented an improvement of more than 40 seconds of her time of 36:44.06 that won her the 2009 A-Sun Outdoor Championship in the event.

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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
Jill Arthur, Kennesaw State (Jr. - Jumps - Gainesville, Ga. - Finance) – Arthur finished sixth in the triple jump at the Sea Ray Relays, with a top leap of 11.96 meters. She rated as the lone field athlete to finish in the Top 10 in an event among Owls competitors.

LaTerrica Blocker, USC Upstate (Jr. - Sprints - Stone Mountain, Ga. - Physical Education) – Blocker claimed the top spot in the 100-meter dash the Furman Invitational. She set a new school-record with a time of 12.79, which surpasses the old mark of 12.87, set by teammate Gabrielle Walker. Blocker also competed in the shot put, where she recorded mark of 10.72m en route to a second-place finish.

Laura Phillips, Jacksonville (Jr. - Throws - St. Augustine, Fla. - Physical Education) – Phillips won the hammer throw at the Seminole Invitational Saturday with a toss of 149-8. She also placed fourth in the shot put with a throw of 41-2.25.

Gabrielle Walker, USC Upstate (Jr. - Throws - Chattanooga, Tenn. - Sociology) – Walker competed in the hammer and the shot put at Saturday’s Furman Invitational. In the hammer throw, Walker recorded a mark of 29.91-meters to claim the victory. In the shot put, she recorded a toss of 10.30m and finished third.