Two Gators won SEC Women’s Outdoor Track and Field awards Wednesday.
Hurdler Grace Stark was named SEC Women’s Co-Newcomer Runner of the Year and jumper Claire Bryant received the SEC Women’s Freshman Field Athlete of the Year award, the conference announced. Both earned spots at nationals in their respective events, the 100-meter hurdles and the long jump.
Stark collected a silver medal in the hurdles at the SEC Outdoor Championship in May after she finished with a 12.74 second time. The redshirt freshman qualified for nationals at the NCAA East Preliminary with a 12.88 time, placing her No. 4 on the Gator Women’s Outdoor All-Time Top 10 list.
Bryant soared to second place in the long jump at SEC Outdoors. The freshman landed with a 6.71 meter (22 ¼) mark. The Houston, Texas, native launched herself 6.64 meters (21-9½) in Jacksonville for regional competition, and she notched a spot in the top three in school history when she jumped 6.68 meters (21-11) at the Pepsi Florida Relays April 2. Bryant also holds the eighth-best mark in Gator history in the women’s high jump with a 1.75 meter (5-8 ¾) leap.
The pair will compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, scheduled for June 9 to June 12.
Contact Kaitlyn Wadulack at kwadulack@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @kwadulack
