LEXINGTON, Ky. ? A dozen athletes from the University of Kentucky track and field team were recognized by the Southeastern Conference as the All-SEC Outdoor Track Teams were announced by the league office in Birmingham, Ala., Monday.
The Wildcats earned six first team honors, two second team selections and six freshman team nods. Freshmen Grant Lindsey and Danielle Sampley each earned dual recognition by being named to multiple teams.
The UK men’s 4×400 meter relay team of senior Nathan Browning, senior Justin Harrison, sophomore Kwasi Obeng and junior Jose Acevedo earned All-SEC First Team recognition by winning the SEC Outdoor Championship?s final event. The Cats posted a season-best time of 3:04.57 which currently ranks fourth in the nation.
Junior Chase Madison was named to the conference?s First Team after winning the men’s discus competition with a throw of 198-1. With his throw of 202-9 earlier this season in Columbus, Ohio, Madison is ranked fourth nationally and is tops the Mideast Region and the SEC.
Lindsey won the men’s high jump competition clearing 7-0.50 to place on the league?s First Team and the men?s Freshman Team. The rookie currently is the top-ranked freshman in the nation in the event and ranks fifth overall in the nation after a jump of 7-3.25 earlier this year. Lindsey goes into the Mideast Regional as the top-ranked athlete in the high jump and also leads the conference in the event.
Junior Emilee Strot threw 173-2 in the women?s discus to finish second and earn a spot on the All-SEC Second Team. Her personal-best mark of 174-7 earlier this year ranks 21st nationally, fifth regionally and second in the conference.
Freshman Danielle Sampley earned Second and Freshman Team accolades as the runner-up in the women?s heptathlon. The Wildcat set new varsity and freshman records in the event after amassing 5377 points. Sampley stands 26th nationally in the event as the third-ranked freshman. She ranks fifth in the Mideast Region and second in the SEC.
First-year Victoria Dunlap was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team after her third-place finish in the women?s high jump by clearing 5-8.75. Dunlap ranks in a tie for 23rd nationally in the high jump with a season-best height of 5-10 cleared in mid-April. She is the third-ranked freshman nationally in the event. Dunlap goes into next week’s Mideast Regional ranked seventh and as the top freshman in the region.
Freshman Derrick Locke also made the All-SEC Freshman Team by finishing fifth in the men?s long jump with a leap of 24-11. Locke ranks 29th nationally in the long jump after his UK varsity and freshman record jump of 25-3.25 earlier this season. The dual-sport star stands 13th in the Mideast Region as the top-ranked freshman while ranking sixth overall in the SEC.
UK rookie Colin Boevers was the top rookie finisher in the men?s shot put and earned Freshman Team results. The Cat placed tenth in the event and after throwing a personal-best mark of 55-2. Boevers is the fifth-ranked freshman in the Mideast Region in the shot put.
In the men?s steeplechase, freshman Zac Noel ran a personal-best time of 9:28.40 to earn his spot on the All-SEC Freshman Team. Noel placed 13th in the event.
Performances by the aforementioned Wildcats led to impressive results for UK at this year?s SEC Outdoor Championships in Auburn, Ala. The UK women?s squad placed fifth overall with 83.50 points, just three points out of third, the most since the Cats posted 150 points in 1981 at the first SEC women?s outdoor championship. The men?s squad notched 72 points in sixth place, the most since 1996 for the Blue and White.
Thirty-one Cats earned regional marks this season and will compete at the NCAA Mideast Regional hosted by the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend.
A full recap of the Cats? performances will be available after competition both Friday and Saturday on UKathletics.com.
Kentucky?s 2008 SEC Outdoor Track All-SEC Team Members
Men’s First Team
Jose Acevedo ? 4x400m Relay
Nathan Browning ? 4x400m Relay
Grant Lindsey ? High Jump
Justin Harrison ? 4x400m Relay
Chase Madison – Discus
Kwasi Obeng ? 4x400m Relay
Women’s Second Team
Danielle Sampley – Heptathlon
Emilee Strot – Discus
Men’s Freshman Team
Zac Noel – Steeplechase
Grant Lindsey – High Jump
Derrick Locke – Long Jump
Colin Boevers – Shot Put
Women’s Freshman Team
Victoria Dunlap – High Jump
Danielle Sampley ? Heptathlon
