NEW ORLEANS – UTA’S Justin Domangue and Troy’s Michael Alvernaz claimed weekly honors after earning a first-place finish in the 5k and the hammer throw. The Trojans’ Gemma Finch and Arkansas State’s Babette Vandeput also collected weekly accolades as each registered a PR and a first-place finish in the 800m and the discus throw.
Outdoor Track & Field: Men's Track Athlete of the Week
Week 2 – Justin Domangue, UTA
(Sr. Alvarado, Texas)
Justin Domangue completed an impressive double this weekend at the UTA Invitational as he won the 5k race on Friday night, the final event of the day, and came back and won the 1500m race, the first distance race of the day on Saturday. He clocked the 5th-best time in program history in the 5k of 14:27.64 to win by 14 seconds over his closest competitor. He posted a time of 3:56.41 in the 1500m. The senior now owns two of the top-5 times in the program's 5000m history.
Outdoor Track & Field: Men's Field Athlete of the Week
Michael Alvernaz, Troy
(Sr. Barrington, R.I.)
Redshirt senior Michael Alvernaz had another big weekend for the Trojans last weekend at the USF Invite. The hammer specialist won the hammer event, turning in a school record score of 66.13m. That score is the 11th best mark in the Eastern Region and the top score in the Sun Belt Conference this season. The victory was Alvernaz's third victory of the season in the four meets he's competed in. The Rhode Island native finished second in the lone meet he didn't win the hammer competition.
Outdoor Track & Field: Women's Track Athlete of the Week
Gemma Finch, Troy
(Sr. Newbury, U.K)
Senior mid-distance runner Gemma Finch continued to cement her claim as the best runner in the Sun Belt Conference Saturday. The United Kingdom native, smoked her personal-best time in the 800m, shaving nearly four seconds off her already school record time. Her time of 2:06.71 was the fastest time in the Sun Belt Conference this season, and nearly 10 seconds quicker than the best non-Troy time. The Trojans have recorded the three fastest times in the 800m this season, led by Finch. After not running competitively for nearly 14 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the grad student has now won the 800m in all three meets she's competed in this season and has also posted a win in the 1500m. On Saturday, Finch also helped the Trojans to a second-place finish in the 4x400 relay.
Outdoor Track & Field: Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Babette Vandeput, Arkansas State
(Sr. Genk, Belgium)
Arkansas State’s Babette Vandeput notched a huge PR in the women’s discus throw on Saturday at the UAB Spring Invite, winning the event with a throw of 53.75m (176-4.0) that moved her up to first in the Sun Belt Conference this season. Her mark moved her up to third in program history in the event and surpassed her previous best, set at the 2019 Sun Belt Outdoor Championships, by nearly 2 meters. In addition to leading the league, Vandeput ranks 15th in the NCAA West Region and 22nd in the NCAA. She has placed inside the top 5 in the discus throw in nine of her last 10 meets.
Outdoor Track & Field: Men's Track Athlete of the Week
Week 1 - Spencer Cardinal, Little Rock (Fr., The Woodlands, Texas)
Week 2 – Justin Domangue, UTA (Sr., Alvarado, Texas)
Week 3 – Justin Domangue, UTA (Sr., Alvarado, Texas)
Outdoor Track & Field: Men's Field Athlete of the Week
Week 1 - Arthur Petersen, UTA (Fr., Hellerup, Denmark)
Week 2 – Francois Prinsloo, South Alabama (Fr., Worcester, South Africa)
Week 3 - Michael Alvernaz, Troy (Sr., Barrington, R.I.)
Outdoor Track & Field: Women's Track Athlete of the Week
Week 1 - Ka'Neisha Jackson, Little Rock (Jr., Elk City, Okla.)
Week 2 - Carolien Millenaar, South Alabama (Sr., Sorvad, Denmark)
Week 3 - Gemma Finch, Troy (Sr., Newbury, U.K)
Outdoor Track & Field: Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Week 1 - Autavia Fluker, South Alabama (Sr., Bessemer, Alabama)
Week 2 – Claire Meyers, Louisiana (Sr., Maurice, La.)
Week 3 - Babette Vandeput, Arkansas State (Sr., Genk, Belgium)