University of Memphis Athletics
Memphis Track and Field Holds Annual Awards Banquet
May 10, 2012 | Men's Track and Field
May 10, 2012
MEMPHIS, Tenn.- The annual Track and Field Awards Banquet was held by the University of Memphis track and field team on Wednesday evening at the Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway/ University of Memphis Hall of Fame and Museum. The Tiger coaches honored their departing senior athletes and awarded the team's MVP and Newcomer of the Year awards.
Senior Robert Jackson was named the team's Male Track MVP. During the indoor track and field season, Jackson tallied five top five finishes running in the 55m and 60m hurdles and won his second Conference USA Indoor Championship in the 60m hurdles. The Snellville, Ga., native was named First-Team All-C-USA Indoor; the seventh time he has been tabbed All-CUSA.
Jackson continued to excel during the outdoor season running in the 110m hurdles. In his best performance of the outdoor season at the Auburn War Eagle Invitational, the senior crossed the finish line at 13.98. Robert's mark at the War Eagle Invite ranks first in C-USA and is tied for 23rd in the NCAA East.
Sophomore Louisa Lingley took home Female Track MVP. During the indoor season she recorded a combined seven top 10 finishes with four in individual events and three in relay events. At the C-USA Indoor Championships, the sophomore re-wrote Tiger history breaking the school-record in the mile run with a time of 4:54.44 placing fourth.
During the outdoor season, the Amersham, England native took titles in 800m at the Mississippi Open and Memphis Invitational. Her time of 2:11.75 at the Mississippi Open ranks eight in C-USA and was just shy of the school-record of 2:11.73.
A pair of sophomores received the team's Male and Female Field MVP honors. Cyarra Wells took home the honor for her performance during indoor season. Wells was named C-USA Female Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week following her performance at the SEMO Redhawks Invite where she took two first place finishes in both and set two personal-records with a throw of 14.77m (48-05.50) in the shot put and a toss of 19.39m (63-07.50) in the weight throw. One week later the sophomore won her first C-USA Championship in the weight throw and snagged First-Team All-C-USA honors with a mark of 19.33m (63-05-00).
Darius Lynwood took home the men's honor for his performance in the high jump. During the indoor season Lynwood registered seven top five performances, and was named C-USA Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week following his first place finish at the Redhawks Invite where he took first place clearing 2.13m (6-11.75).The following week he won his first C-USA Indoor Championship clearing the bar at 2.17m (7-01.5) and was named First-Team All-C-USA.
Lynwood continued to push higher in the outdoor season recording six top five finishes in the high jump with four first place finishes. The sophomore was named C-USA Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week following his performance at the Vanderbilt Black and Gold Invite. At the Mississippi Open, he tied the school-record and took first place clearing 2.18m (7-01.75). The Jackson, Tenn., native's record tying mark ranks first in C-USA, is tied for 13th in the NCAA East and tied for 21st in NCAA Division I.
Kala Funderburk was named Female Newcomer of the Year for the Tigers. In her freshman season, Funderburk re-wrote the Memphis record book in the indoor and outdoor 400m dash. During the indoor season Kala set the school-record in the 400m dash with a time of 55.02 at the Vulcan Invitational. She broke her own record set in her first meet for Memphis of 56.09.
Funderburk's assault on the record books continued in the outdoor season. At the Sea Ray Relays she broke the outdoor school-record in the 400m dash with a time of 53.97, surpassing Wanda Hooker's time of 54.40 set in 1979. Funderburk later broke her own record in the 400m dash at the Memphis Invitational with a time of 53.76. The freshman has three first place finishes running in the 400m dash this outdoor season.
Fabian Fiege received the Male Newcomer of the Year honors. During the indoor season, Fiege racked up five top 10 finishes in the 800m. The young German took silver at the C-USA Indoor Championships with a time of 1:51.13 and was named Second-Team- All-C-USA.
Moving to the outdoor season the freshman continued to improve, with a combined three top 10 finishes in the 800m and 1500m. Fabian took the 800m title at the Mississippi Open crossing the line at 1:51.61. One week later at the prestigious Mount Sac Relays, Fiege set a new personal-best in the 800m with a time of 1:50.09, a mark that ranks first in C-USA.
For more information on the University of Memphis track and field program and all Tigers-athletics, please visit GoTigersGo.com.
Players Mentioned
