GSC Announces 2019 Women's Track & Field Annual Awards
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Gulf South Conference has announced the 2019 women's track & field annual awards, as voted on by the league's coaches. Chloe Flora from Lee and Chelsea Walker from Christian Brothers were named the GSC Co-Track Athletes of the Year, while Alabama Huntsville's Erin Jewell earned Field Athlete of the Year honors. Jewell's teammate, Jade Johnson, was named the GSC Freshman of the Year and Caleb Morgan from Lee picked up Coach of the Year accolades.
Flora had an outstanding season on the track for the Lady Flames in distance events, coming off first place finishes in the 5000m and 10000m at the GSC Championships last weekend. She achieved NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks in the 5000m and 1500m in 2019, with her personal best 5000m time of 16:49.73 leading the South Region. This marks the third straight season that Lee has garnered Track Athlete of the Year honors.
Walker dominated the hurdle discipline this season, as she holds the top marks in the South Region for both the 100m and 400m distances. She became the first athlete in GSC Championship history to sweep both hurdle events, doing so in conference record fashion. This is the second major track & field award for Christian Brothers, after Emma Montoya was named the Freshman of the Year in 2018.
Jewell won the discus throw for the second year in a row at the GSC Track & Field Championships in Rome, Ga, and also finished first in the shot put. She holds NCAA provisional qualifying marks in both of those events, with her season best discus throw of 46.00m ranking first in the entire South Region.
Johnson competed in multiple events during her inaugural collegiate season with the Chargers. She made a statement at her first GSC Championships, winning the triple jump with a conference leading mark of 12.40m. She added two more medals to her haul in Rome, finishing second in the high jump and third in the 100m hurdles.
Caleb Morgan has been named the GSC Women's Coach of the Year for the third straight time, winning the GSC Championship in each of those seasons. He becomes the first coach in GSC track & field history to sweep the annual awards, as he was also named the Men's Coach of the Year.