Sun Belt announces Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week (April 5)
Men’s Track Athlete of the Week
Craig Lautenslager, UTA, Senior, Nelson, New Zealand
UTA’s Craig Lautenslager set a new school record in the men’s 10,000 meters on Friday at the Stanford Invitational. His time of 29:00.59 smashed the school mark, which had been set earlier in the day, by 45 seconds. It is the top time in the Sun Belt Conference by 45 seconds and ranks No. 11 in the NCAA West Region and 22nd nationally. It was a personal best by 17 seconds. He finished fifth in the race, 14 seconds behind Oregon’s multi-time national champion Edward Cheserek.
Men’s Field Athlete of the Week
Sean Collins, Sophomore, South Alabama, Mobile, Ala.
Sean Collins now leads the league in the men's pole vault after finishing seventh in the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays clearing 5.35m this past weekend. The sophomore ranks 11th in the country with the mark.
Women’s Track Athlete of the Week
Kylah Smith, Texas State, Sophomore, Lancaster, Texas
Kylah Smith took home the heptathlon title at the Bobcat Invitational with 4,717 points, the second most this season in the Sun Belt Conference. She finished in the top three in five of the seven events and had the best mark in four. The sophomore set a personal best in the 100m hurdles (14.15), 200m (26.17), shot put (10.53m) and javelin (33.18m).
Women’s Field Athlete of the Week
Helen Falda, UTA, Freshman, Turin, Italy
UTA’s Helen Falda broke her own school record in the pole vault on Friday at the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. Falda cleared 14 feet 1 ¾ inches (4.31 meters), which is the No. 6 mark in the nation this season. She is one of just eight Division I athletes to surpass the 14-foot bar this season. She ranks first in the Sun Belt Conference by 10 inches and is No. 5 in the NCAA West Region. Her old school and personal record (13-7 3/4) was established at the season opener, while the school's best mark prior to this year was 13 feet, 1/4 inch. At the Texas Relays, she placed first among collegians and second among all competitors in her section.
Athlete of the Week Archive
Men's Track Athletes of the Week
March 22 - Jaylen Bacon, Arkansas State
March 29 - Ryan Hastings, Appalachian State
April 5 - Craig Lautenslager, UTA
Women's Track Athletes of the Week
March 22 - Zach Blahnik, South Alabama
March 29 - Tiaan Steenkamp, Arkansas State
April 5 - Sean Collins, South Alabama
Men's Field Athletes of the Week
March 22 - Alexis Baldwin, UTA
March 29 - Tristin Van Ord, Appalachian State
April 5 - Kylah Smith, Texas State
Women's Field Athletes of the Week
March 22 - Helen Falda, UTA
March 29 - LaPorscha Wells, Georgia State
April 5 - Helen Falda, UTA