KANSAS CITY – The NAIA this week named a pair of graduate students in St. Mary’s Luke Skinner and Southeastern’s Zach Nichols as its National Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week.

Skinner’s 1000m time is the No. 1 NAIA mark this year as well as a school record. His 800m time is the No. 3 NAIA mark this year as well as a school record. He won both events.

Nichols posted a career-best in the Weight Throw and the No. 3 mark nationally this season with a 19.93 to win The Sun Conference title. He also hit the B qualifying standard in the Shot Put to win the event and post a 20-point day and help the Fire win their second consecutive Sun Conference Indoor championship.

The post Nichols, Skinner named National Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week appeared first on Southeast Sports Net.

The Bainbridge, Ga. hurdler became the first FAMU men’s track & field student-athlete to reach the outdoor track and field championships since Dennis Pugh in 2015.  

Scott clocked a personal and school record 50.36 to finish seventh overall and qualify for next week’s NCAA championships. 

“I honestly didn’t even know that I broke the school record,” Scott said. “That’s definitely something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a freshman, just leave a legacy with FAMU and be remembered forever.” 

Scott’s previous school record in the 400m hurdles was set on May 16 at the Aggie Classic Twilight, breaking Pugh’s mark of 50.97, which was set in April 2015. 

On the first day of the preliminaries, Scott chalked up a time of 51.20 and qualified for the quarterfinals as he finished 13th overall, with the top 24 advancing to the quarterfinals. 

“I feel like my performance at the East Preliminary was pretty good,” Scott said. “Anytime I run, I always feel like there is room for improvement, and I’m probably my hardest critic because of that mindset.” 

FAMU head men’s track & field coach Skye Dawson knew Scott had the potential to be great.  

“When he came in as a freshman, I knew this was bound to happen,” Dawson said. “I’m extremely proud of him and the times he’s hitting now are phenomenal. He hasn’t even reached his max potential.”  

Scott, who has five 400m hurdles wins in his career, joined an elite group of sprinters over the past eight years who have qualified for the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Pugh represented the Rattlers in 2015 in the 400m hurdles, while the women’s 4×100 relay team of Nakia Linson, Jasmine Smith, Ashley Ivey and Dynasty jones participated in the 2013 meet. 

The men’s 400m hurdlers semifinals are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 9 at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon. Fans will have the opportunity to watch the event on ESPN2 and ESPNU. 

The post FAMU hurdler Jaylyn Scott breaks school record and advances to NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship appeared first on Southeast Sports Net.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.| The Florida A&M University Department of Athletics has announced its decision to opt out of the 2021 spring seasons for football, indoor track & field and volleyball.
 
“Florida A&M Athletics’ decision to opt-out and forgo the 2021 spring football, indoor track & field and volleyball season was made with the health and safety of our student-athletes as our top priority. This was a collective decision with our coaches and staff, given the varying circumstances that COVID-19 has created for our program.” said Florida A&M VP/Director of Athletics Kortne Gosha. “We are certainly disappointed that some of our student-athletes will not be able to compete this year; however, we will shift our focus to achieving our academic priorities while planning a safe return to play in fall 2021, our inaugural season in the Southwest Athletic Conference.”

The post FAMU opts out of football, volleyball, indoor track and field for Spring 2021 appeared first on Southeast Sports Net.

LAKELAND, Fla. – Southeastern University Track and Field Head Coach Nick Dodson was selected to serve as Team USA’s liaison during the 2021 FISU World University Games Summer in Chengdu, China in the summer of 2021.

As the team liaison, Dodson will handle logistics and scheduling for all Team USA athletes at the games and will be handling visas for the team. The games will take place in August of 2021, and Dodson will arrive in China a few days ahead of the team.

“It’s pretty cool just to be able to be selected to wear the colors,” Dodson said. “It’s something I dreamed of when running. To be part of a team that involves Team USA and wear the colors for international competition is special.”

The Summer and Winter World University Games are the largest global sports events for student-athletes. Held every two years in different cities around the world, they bring together thousands of athletes from over 150 countries and have a program that includes more than 25 sports.

Characterized by a special atmosphere, an extensive sports program, diversity, gender equality, and high level of competition, FISU sports events are recognized stepping-stones for other major events at international and continental level.

The games are open to all student-athletes that have not been out of university or an equivalent institution for more than one year and are between the ages of 17 and 25.

“I’m excited to watch Team USA and see if we can finish toward the top of medal count and see how we fair in all the sports,” Dodson said.

The post Southeastern’s Dodson selected as Team USA World University Games liaison appeared first on Southeast Sports Net.

NORFOLK, Va. — The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has named Alelee Figueroa from Florida A&M University as the 2020 Woman of the Year, the conference office announced today.

The award, selected annually by the MEAC Senior Woman Administrators, celebrates the achievements of senior female student-athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

“Congratulations to Alelee Figueroa for having a spectacular career, not only in track & field, but in her academic pursuits as well,” MEAC Commissioner Dennis E. Thomas said. “In addition, her service to the community is truly exceptional. I would like to thank the Florida A&M University athletic staff, coaches, academic support personnel and Alelee’s family, who all had an influential part in her success. I wish her continued success in her future endeavors.”

Figueroa, from Orlando, Fla., won the MEAC championship in the hammer throw at the 2019 MEAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (50.42 meters; 165 feet, five inches), and she also won that event this past indoor season at the KMS Invitational. She was part of a Rattlers squad that won the 2018 MEAC women’s outdoor track & field championship, edging North Carolina A&T State by half a point.

Graduating this past May with a 3.90 GPA in Criminal Justice (concentration in Pre-Law Studies), Figueroa had the highest GPA in both the MS3 and MS4 classes of the Florida A&M Army ROTC Rattler Battalion. She was a Distinguished Scholar awardee in 2016, and Figueroa was named both a National Society of Collegiate Scholars inductee and a Nutrition L.E.A.D.S. Scholar in 2017.

In 2019, Figueroa was an IFPO Protection Officer Certification Awardee from the International Organization of Black Security Executives (IOBSE) and a recipient of the FAMU Army ROTC Rattler Battalion’s Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Award.

In addition to serving in the Army ROTC Rattler Battalion all four years, Figueroa was busy in the community. In 2017, she volunteered at the Wakulla County Community Center, tending to the community garden, cleaning and preparing harvested fruits and vegetables and promoting nutrition at community events. From 2018-20, she was a volunteer lead and pageant candidate with the Big Bend Filipino-American Association; not only did she coordinate all community outreach events and fundraise for the Bantay Bata charity, she also represented Tallahassee, Fla. in the annual national pageant.

Figueroa was an S-2 Expansion and security officer for the National Society of Pershing Angels Sorority, Inc. in 2019, managing security clearance issues and providing both intelligence oversight and physical security. She was an S-3 Operations and Training Officer this year, on top of serving as Vice President of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International, FAMU Pre-Law Chapter (which she helped re-charter), and HBCU for Life Committee Co-Chair for the Beta Alpha Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Figueroa will represent the MEAC as its nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. The NCAA established this award in 1991 to celebrate the achievements of women in intercollegiate athletics. Now in its 29^th year, the award is unique because it recognizes not only the athletic achievements of outstanding young women, but also their academic achievements, community service and leadership.

The NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 1 at the awards dinner in Indianapolis, Ind.

Delaware State’s Alexis Neuer (bowling) was the 2020 MEAC Woman of the Year runner-up. She graduated with a degree in Physics and Electrical Engineering with a 3.97 GPA.

MEAC Woman of the Year Honorees

2006       Renecia Lovelace, North Carolina A&T State (Softball)
2007       Courtney Smiley, Howard (Basketball)
2008       Jessica Worsley, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2009       Loreal Smith, North Carolina A&T State (Track and Field)
2010       Kalyn Washburn, Delaware State (Bowling)
2011       Kristina Frahm, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2012       Jazmyne Hefflefinger, Delaware State (Bowling)
2013       T’nia Falbo, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2014       Christina Epps, Coppin State (Track and Field)
2015       Mariana Alvarado Nava, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2016       Jenny Tracy, North Carolina Central (Softball)
2017       Thashaina Seraus, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2018       Lyndsey Edwards, Bethune-Cookman (Basketball)
2019       Damali Young, Morgan State (Softball)
2020       Alelee Figueroa, Florida A&M (Track and Field)

The post MEAC names Alelee Figueroa 2020 Woman of the Year appeared first on Southeast Sports Net.