BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Gulf South Conference announced its annual individual major award winners following the 2024 women's outdoor track & field season, as determined by the conference's head coaches. 
 
West Alabama graduate student Balikis Yakubu was named GSC Track Athlete of the Year, while West Georgia junior T'oni Birden garnered GSC Field Athlete of the Year honors. Montevallo rookie Emily Wolf received Freshman of the Year accolades, while Lee's Caleb Morgan was voted GSC Coach of Year.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
 
Yakubu was unanimous pick and is the first Tiger to earn top track honors since Cecelia David in 2016. At the GSC Championships, the Nigerian-born sprinter won gold in the 100 and 200-meter races. In the 100, she rewrote the GSC record coming in at 11.27 surpassing the previous mark of 11.57, while smashing the conference's 200 record 23.70, as she crossed in a time 23.16. She also helped the UWA 4x400 relay team place third. Balikis was a podium finisher 17 times while participating in 11 meets during the 2024 season.
 
Birden is UWG's third recipient of the GSC Field Athlete of the Year honors, joining Andrea Foster (2016) and Brandi Boddy (2022). A native of Conyers, Ga., Birden celebrated a pair of gold medals at the GSC Championships winning the long jump with a leap of 6.07m (19' 11") while posting a distance of 12.18m (39' 11.5") in the triple jump. During the spring season, she claimed a spot on the podium seven times including six first-place finishes.  
 
Wolf is the first women for Montevallo to receive individual accolades in track & field. The rookie had a solid debut season earning 12 podium finishes with four event wins, while competing in the shot put, discus, hammer throw and javelin. At the GSC Championships, she took second in the in the hammer with a toss of 49.41m (162' 1"), while throwing 41.02m (134' 7") for third in the discus. 
 
Morgan collected his seventh consecutive GSC Coach of the Year award after steering the Lady Flames to their seventh-straight conference title and they amassed 244 points. 
 
2024 GSC Women's Track & Field Yearly Awards 
Track Athlete of the Year: Balikis Yakubu, West Alabama^
Field Athlete of the Year: T'oni Birden, West Georgia
Freshman of the Year: Emily Wolf, Montevallo
Coach of the Year: Caleb Morgan, Lee
^ unanimous selection