GSC Announces 2018 Women's Track and Field Yearly Awards
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Gulf South Conference has announced the 2018 women’s track and field yearly awards, as voted on by the league’s coaches. Lee’s
Audrey Smith has been named the GSC Track Athlete of the Year, while Montevallo’s
Hunter Chavarry and Mississippi College’s
Andrea McDonald are named GSC Co-Field Athletes of the Year.
Emma Montoya has been named Freshman of the Year from Christian Brothers, and Lee’s Caleb Morgan receives GSC Coach of the Year honors.
Smith earns the Track Athlete of the Year award after leading the Lady Flames to their second straight GSC title. She took gold in the 3,000m steeplechase, 10,000 meters, and the 5,000 meters, setting conference meet records in all three categories. She is now a seven-time all-conference selection in track and field, and she was named the Most Outstanding Track Perfomer and Most Outstanding Overall Performer at the 2018 GSC Championship. Smith currently ranks 24th in the country in Division II in the 10,000 meters and 16th in the 3,000m steeplechase.
Co-Field Athletes of the Year Chavarry and McDonald were selected after tremendous GSC performances on the year. Chavarry took home gold in the heptathlon and 100m hurdles for the Falcons at the conference championship, setting meet records in each. The junior currently ranks 17th nationally in the 100m hurdles and 14th in the heptathlon. McDonald garners this award after taking home silver in the Javelin and gold in the Triple Jump and High Jump. McDonald also has impressive national rankings, coming in 11th in the high jump and 12th in the triple jump.
Montoya is the GSC Freshman of the Year after being named the Most Outstanding Freshman at the GSC Championship. She placed third in the high jump and finished first in the 400 meters and 200 meters at the conference meet. She currently ranks 14th nationally in the 200 meters and 15th in the 400 meters.
Morgan garners GSC Coach of the Year accolades for the second straight season after winning his second straight conference championship. He helped 13 Lady Flames take home medals at the conference meet, and he has coached four athletes to NCAA provisional marks so far this season.