LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Two University of Kentucky track and field throwers claimed weekly honors from the Southeastern Conference this week as Chase Madison was named the SEC Track and Field Male Field Athlete of the Week, while Jennifer Svoboda was tabbed SEC Track and Field Female Freshman of the Week the league office in Birmingham, Ala., announced Tuesday.
Madison earned two regional-qualifying marks in the discus and shot put at Ohio State?s Jesse Owens Track Classic over the weekend. The junior won the competition after throwing the discus over 200 feet for the third-straight meet. The Wildcat?s discus measurement of 202-9 ranks third nationally, is tops in the Mideast region and is best in the SEC by over two feet. Madison is just the second Wildcat to throw the discus over 200 feet in school history; the other is two-time Olympian in discus, Mike Buncic.
The Newton, Iowa, native heaved the shot put 58-7.50, his personal-best distance as a Wildcat. The shot put mark ranks ninth in UK history. Madison?s shot put mark ranks 29th nationally, 10th in the region and seventh in the SEC.
Svoboda placed fifth overall and third collegiately in the women?s shot put at the Classic. Her throw of 51-11.75 is third in the SEC, 10th in the Mideast Region and 22nd nationally. As a result, Svoboda is the country?s second-ranked freshman in the shot put. Her personal-best mark ranks fourth all-time at UK.
The Howells, Neb., native also finished as the 11th collegian in the discus at Columbus. Overall on the year in discus, Svoboda ranks seventh in the SEC, 24th in the region and 66th nationally.
This is the first such honor for both Svoboda and Madison. The Wildcats have now collected four weekly awards during the outdoor season. Last week, Grant Lindsey won the SEC Male Freshman of the Week. Earlier this season, freshman Danielle Sampley was recognized as the SEC Female Freshman of the Week. During the indoor season, the Cats won five weekly honors from the conference and the SEC Freshman Field Athlete of the Year award.
The Wildcats have a week off from competition to prepare for the SEC Outdoor Championships hosted by Auburn May 14-18. A full recap will be available after competition each day on UKathletics.com.
