By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech freshman sprinter Na'Asha Robinson has been selected the Ohio Valley Conference Female Track Athlete of the Week after another record-setting performance over the weekend at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational in California.
It was the second weekly honor from the OVC for Robinson, after earning the Female Track Athlete of the Week once during the indoor season, following the Vanderbilt Invitational.
Running against some impressive competition, Robinson set a school-record and posted the fastest time in the OVC this year in winning the 200-meter dash in 23.2 seconds. She also won the 400-meter race in 53.23 seconds, the second-best time in the conference in 2016. It is the 41st best time in the nation and 27th in the East region this year.
The Huntsville, Ala., native wrapped up the day by covering her portion of the 4x400m relay as the team smashed another school record with a time of 3:41.15, which is the second-fastest this year in the OVC.
Robinson was crowned the OVC Indoor 400-meter champion and was named the OVC Indoor Freshman of the Year.
FEMALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Na’Asha Robinson, Fr., Huntsville, Ala. – Tennessee Tech
Robinson recorded a pair of first-place finishes at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational at Cal-Berkeley. She took first in 200 meters in a school record time of 23.2 which ranks first in the OVC this year. She also won the 400 meters with a time of 53.23. Her 400 meter time ranks second in the OVC while also ranking 27th in the NCAA East Region and 41st in the nation. She was also part of the winning 4x400-meter relay team.
Other nominated: Hannah Denton, Belmont; Terri Morris, Austin Peay; Ivy Handley, Eastern Illinois; Charlotte Imer, Eastern Kentucky; Whitley Towns, Jacksonville State Vallery Korir, Murray State; Cheyanne Tunti, Southeast Missouri
MALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Jakob Abrahamsen, So., Aarhus, Denmark – Eastern Kentucky
Abrahamsen took second out of 57 competitors in the 5,000 meters at the Virginia Classic last week. He was the top collegiate finisher. His time of 13:52.29 is the fastest in the OVC this year and ranks ninth NCAA East Region and 19th in the nation.
Others nominated: Ben Weisel, Belmont; Paxson Mendard, Eastern Illinois; Matt O’Connor, SIUE; Jason Griffin, Tennessee State
FEMALE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Haleigh Knapp, So, Morris, Ill. – Eastern Illinois
Knapp picked up a win in the women’s high jump at the Illinois Twilight as she increased her school record in the event by a quarter inch. Knapp cleared 5’10.75” inches to win the event by more than four inches. Knapp currently ranks 12th in the nation in the high jump and sixth in the NCAA West Region.
Others nominated: Savannah Amato, Austin Peay, Josie Hardin, Belmont, Alena Galertova, Eastern Kentucky; Jabruena Brimlett, Murray State, Taylor Coffelt, Southeast Missouri; Brittney Gibbs, SIUE; Angel Davis, Tennessee State
MALE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Tequan Claitt, Fr., Lexington, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky
Claitt took second in the high jump at the Louisville’s Lenny Lyles/Clark Wood Invitational with a leap of 7’1. His mark is the third best in EKU history and ranks second in the OVC. The mark is also 11th in the East Region and 24th in the nation.
Other nominated: Del McSpadden, Belmont; Eric Gordon, Eastern Illinois; Kyle Washington, Tennessee State
2016 adidas® OVC Athletes of the Week
Male Track Athletes of the Week
March 16 – Evan Childers, Morehead State
March 23 – Quamel Prince, Tennessee State
March 30 – Ambrose Maritim, Eastern Kentucky
April 6 – Jakob Abrahamsen, Eastern Kentucky
April 12 – Jordan Barber, Southeast Missouri
April 19 – Isaac Lee, Eastern Kentucky
April 27 – Jackob Abrahamsen, Eastern Kentucky
Female Track Athletes of the Week
March 16 – Kayla Thompson, Jacksonville State
March 23 – Hannah Wittman, Belmont; Amber Hughes, Tennessee State
March 30 – Hannah Wittman, Belmont; D’Airren Jackson, Tennessee Tech
April 6 – Vallery Korir, Murray State; Amber Hughes, Tennessee State
April 12 – Whitley Towns, Jacksonville State
April 19 – Hannah Wittman, Belmont
April 27 – Na’Asha Robinson, Tennessee Tech
Male Field Athletes of the Week
March 16 – None
Mach 23 – Kareem Nicholas, Tennessee State
March 30 – Julian Harvey, SIUE
April 6 - Kevin Farley, Southeast Missouri
April 12 – Chris Martin, Southeast Missouri
April 19 – Kareem Nicholas, Tennessee State
April 27 – Tequan Claitt, Eastern Kentucky
Female Field Athletes of the Week
March 16 – Courtney Bennett, Jacksonville State
March 23 – Karly Hibbard, Belmont; Courtney Bennett, Jacksonville State
March 30 – Clairwin Dameus, Tennessee State
April 6 – Clairwin Dameus, Tennessee State
April 12 – Clairwin Dameus, Tennessee State
April 19 – Haleigh Knapp, Eastern Illinois
April 27 – Haleigh Knapp, Eastern Illnois
