Murray State University Athletics
Track and Field Announces Postseason Awards
5/19/2008 5:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Coming off arguably one of the best seasons in school history, the
As voted on by the players and coaching staff, senior Emi Yamamuro was named Most Valuable Field Athlete of the Year, freshman Katelyn Jones was named Most Valuable Track Athlete of the Year, and freshman Audris Williams was named Rookie of the Year.
In 2008, Yamamuro was named OVC Field Athlete of the Year and was honored as OVC Field Athlete of the Week for three consecutive weeks (April 1, April 8, April 15), marking the first time in school history that a MSU track or field athlete had ever been honored by the conference for three weeks in a row. The senior from
Individually, Jones' 2008 season was one of the best performances in MSU track and field history. Jones, freshman from Rockport, Ind., was part of six broken school records this season, and still is the record-setter for three events: indoor 3000 meter run (9:56 at the Indiana Relays on Feb. 2), indoor distance medley relay (backleg 1600 meters, 12:08.11 at the OVC Indoor Championships on Feb. 29), and the outdoor 3000 meter steeplechase (10:57.92 at the OVC Outdoor Championships on May 2). Jones was named OVC Freshman of the Year for the indoor season, and was also honored as OVC Track Athlete of the Week twice this season, for the weeks of Feb. 3 and April 1. During the 2008 indoor season, Jones posted the best time in the OVC in the 3000 meters with a time of 9:56.01, while posting the third best time in the mile run (5:00.90). Jones also finished the outdoor season with three top-5 times in the OVC: 10:59.14 in the 3000 meter steeplechase (best in OVC), 17:40.03 in the 5000 meters (3rd best), and 4:42.24 in the 1500 meters (5th best). Jones' 3000 meter steeplechase performance at the OVC Outdoors won her the event.
Williams established herself as one of the most consistent sprint runners in the OVC, competing in nine events for the Racers in 2008. The freshman from
The Racers broke a total of 12 school records in 2008, including two Ohio Valley Conference records. Eight indoor records were shattered, including the weight throw being bested four times, the distance medley three times, and the 3000 meter run. The javelin throw record and the 3000 meter steeplechase record were broken twice during the outdoor portion of the season.
The OVC records were broken in the indoor distance medley relay and the outdoor javelin throw. In the distance medley relay, the team of Asenath NaAman (1200 meters), Sydney Gholston (400m), Meagan Richeson (800m), and Jones (1600m) put up a time of 12:08.11 at the OVC Indoor Championships on Feb. 29 in Nashville, Tenn. The same four held the previous record of 12:11.08, which was set just two weeks earlier at the Hoosier Hills Invitational in Bloomington, Ind. Yamamuro's javelin toss of 158'11.00" at the SEMOtion Invitational in Cape Girardeau, Mo. on April 5. Yamamuro was the previous record holder with a 150'00.00" throw just one week earlier at the Bulldog Invitational at
Of the 12 broken school records, four were shattered at the Indiana Relays on Feb. 1-2, two each at the OVC Indoors (Feb. 29) and the Bulldog Invitational (March 29), and one apiece at the Hoosier Hills Invitational (Feb. 15), Broadway Invitational (Feb. 22), SEMOtion Invitational (April 5), and the OVC Outdoors (May 2).
