Feb. 7, 2002
Cullowhee, N.C. - Three Western Carolina track and field athletes - Michelle Velez, Virginia LaCombe and Darus Cofield - were recognized for the outstanding performances this week.
Velez (Asheville, N.C./T.C Roberson HS) was named the Southern Conference Female Athlete of the Week after pole vaulting 13 feet this past weekend at VMI. The height is a provisional qualifying mark for the NCAA Indoor Championships, as well as being a WCU record a VMI track record. The sophomore's effort in the best in the SoCon this year, while WCU freshman Laura Tieszen is second with a vault of 12 feet. Velez also ran a personal best in winning the 55-meter hurdles, while running the second leg on WCU's winning 4X400-meter relay team.
Velez becomes the fourth Catamount to earn SoCon Athlete of the Week honors, joining LaCombe, Cofield and Rosalyn Hood.
LaCombe (Granite Falls, N.C./South Caldwell HS) and Cofield (Raleigh, N.C./Milbrook HS) were selected as the Arby's/Catamount Student-Athlete of the Month for January. LaCombe set a WCU record and posted an NCAA provisional qualifying mark by clearing 5'10" in the high jump at the UNC Blue Heaven Rumble. The previous week in Chapel Hill, she won the high jump at the Carolina Elite meet. LaCombe currently heads the SoCon performance list in the high jump, while ranking fourth in the triple jump, ninth in the 60-meter hurdles, 10th in the 55-meter hurdles and 12th in the long jump.
Cofield won the 200 and 400 meters at the Ohio State Invitational. He additionally anchored the wining the 4x400-meter relay at the meet. In that race, he received the baton approximately 30 meters behind the Ohio State and Indiana State anchors and proceeded to run them down to give the Catamounts the win. Cofield's time in the 400 meters (48.62) leads the SoCon, as does his winning 4x400 relay team's time at Ohio State. He additionally ranks sixth in the 200 meters.
|
|
 |
