Indoor track & field specialty awards announced

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford earned two women’s honors, while VMI and Western Carolina claimed two women’s awards. On the men’s side, Samford claimed two honors, while The Citadel and Western Carolina claimed two awards as the Southern Conference indoor track and field men’s and women’s specialty awards were announced Wednesday. 
 
The awards were voted on by the league’s nine indoor coaches. 
 
The Citadel’s Bradlee Jones, was voted the men’s Most Outstanding Track Performer. The Greenwood, South Carolina native medaled in two events on the track, placing first in the 60-meter dash and followed that up with a second-place finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.65 

VMI’s Eleyah Armstrong was named the women’s Most Outstanding Track Performer after posting a pair of wins on the track. The senior from Hampton, Virginia, claimed the 60m title and the 200m title, securing 20 points for the Keydets. She ran a personal best in the 60m with a time of 7.42, before running a season best 24.33 in the 200m.  
 
Wofford’s Sherika Christie, the tournament MVP on the women’s side, earned Most Outstanding Field Performer for the second year in a row. The St. Catherine, Jamaica, product took the triple and long jump crowns, with leaps of 12.41m and 6.03m, respectively. The Terriers’ sophomore also competed in the women’s high jump and women’s shot put, coming in second and eighth, respectively.  

Western Carolina newcomer Kwan Oates was voted the Male Most Outstanding Field Performer after finishing second and third in the long jump and triple jump, respectively. The freshman from Hickory, North Carolina, recorded a 6.64m long jump and a 13.95m triple jump to help lift the Catamounts to a second-place team finish on the men’s side.  

Another Catamount earned specialty honors, as Lexie Durban threw her way into second place in the women’s shot put. With a heave of 12.67m, the Ball Ground, Georgia native collected eight points for her team. Durban also recorded a personal best weight throw stat, with a mark of 15.17m. The Western Carolina freshman was voted women’s Freshman of the Year.  
  

Samford Bulldog Bradley Franklin was named the men’s Freshman of the Year after breaking the facility and meet record in the 60-meter hurdles. The freshman finished the race in 7.60 seconds. 
  
For the sixth straight season, Samford’s Rod Tiffin was awarded Men’s Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to their sixth consecutive Indoor Track and Field Championship. On the Women’s side, Wofford’s Johnny Bomar was honored as Coach of the Year after leading his Terriers to a second-place finish.  

 
Male Most Outstanding Track Performer 
Bradlee Jones, The Citadel  
  
Female Most Outstanding Track Performer 
Eleyah Armstrong, VMI 
  
Male Most Outstanding Field Performer 
Kwan Oates, Western Carolina 
  
Female Most Outstanding Field Performer 
Sherika Christie, Wofford 
  
Male Freshman of the Year 
Bradley Franklin, Samford 
  
Female Freshman of the Year 
Lexie Durban, Western Carolina 
  
Men’s Coach of the Year 
Rod Tiffin, Samford  
  
Women’s Coach of the Year 
Johnny Bomar, Wofford