Wildcats Sweep Women’s Track and Field Weekly Awards
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – Abilene Christian junior Alexandria Hackett was named the Southland Conference Women’s Track Athlete of the Week, while fellow Abilene Christian junior Taylor Yantis earned the Southland Conference Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors, the league announced Wednesday.
Women’s Track Athlete of the Week – Alexandria Hackett, Abilene Christian
Hackett claimed her first individual title at the prestigious Nike Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, completing the 5,000-meter run in a school-record time of 16:19.56. The West Cranston R.I (West Cranston H.S.), native was the fastest collegian by more than 20 seconds in a race that featured 23 women, including runner-up and former Dallas Baptist cross country All-America Kelsey Bruce (16:50.63). On Friday, Hackett ran the 1600-meter race and fourth leg of ACU’s distance medley relay that placed fourth with a time of 11:48.10.
Honorable Mention: Danielle Demas, Sam Houston State; Verity Ockenden, Lamar; Kierstin Santana, Houston Baptist.
Women’s Field Athlete of the Week – Taylor Yantis, Abilene Christian
Yantis won her second heptathlon crown of the season, defending her title at Texas State’s Bobcat Invitational with 4,632 points. Yantis trailed Texas State’s Abbi Hani after five events, but bested her by more than 24 feet in the javelin and finished third in the 800-meter race with a time of 2:33.86 to win the heptathlon by only 12 points. Yantis’ previous heptathlon title came at Angelo State in mid-March.
Honorable Mention: Rechelle Bessard, Northwestern State, Ashley Jenkins, Sam Houston State; Jermisha Frazier, Southeastern Louisiana; Myah Antwi, UIW.
Each school’s sports information director nominates and votes for the athletes of the week, though is not permitted to vote for his or her own student-athlete. To receive honorable mention, an athlete must receive votes from 25 percent of the Southland sports information directors
.