McLaughlin, St. Hillaire Named SEC Freshmen Runners of the Year
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky Wildcats Sydney McLaughlin and Dwight St. Hillaire swept the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Freshman Runner of the Year awards for the 2018 season.
McLaughlin completed the indoor-outdoor sweep of the SEC Women’s Runner of the Year award having picked up the honor for the first time earlier this year. She was also SEC Indoor Runner of the Year.
The McLaughlin capsule
McLaughlin was a double-SEC outdoor gold medalist at the Outdoor Championships in May.
She won the SEC 400-meter hurdles in a collegiate record 52.75, breaking Kori Carter’s record by nearly a half-second. She also ran the third leg on UK’s SEC 4x400m relay champion team running a 49.83 third leg on the nation leading and NCAA No. 11 all-time time of 3:25.99.
She’s also ranked No. 2 in the nation in the 400m, having run 50.07 in her only quarter mile of the year in the rain at Florida Relays in early-April. That time ranks No. 3 on the collegiate all-time list.
She was the top 400m hurdles qualifier out of the NCAA East Preliminary Championships.
The St. Hillaire capsule
St. Hillaire has had a breakout freshman campaign, soaring to new heights outdoors en route to becoming SEC bronze medalist in the 400m.
He is the top-ranked freshman 400m runner in the NCAA this season, having smashed his school record, lowering it to 44.55 to finish as top qualifier out of the NCAA East Preliminary Championships. That time ranks No. 19 on the NCAA all-time list and was second fastest ever by a freshman.
He also ran the second leg on UK’s NCAA Championships-qualifying 4x100m relay.
He was named SEC Freshman of the Week on May 1.
All-SEC Wildcats
UK had 13 All-SEC selections, plus St. Hillaire and McLaughlin were named to the Conference All-Freshman Team by virtue of finishing as top rookie in their respective events.
First team selections took gold in their event, while the second team was made up of silver and bronze medalists.
UK’s SEC Champion women’s 4x400m relay of Faith Ross, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, McLaughlin and Kayelle Clarke picked up first team honors. Camacho-Quinn and McLaughlin were First-Team All-SEC in two events each.
Noah Castle, Tim Duckworth, Daniel Roberts, Dwight St. Hillaire and Jacob Thomson were the UK men’s team’s selections to the All-SEC second team.
Celera Barnes and Kianna Gray of UK’s 4x100m relay earned spots on the women’s second team. That relay also included Camacho-Quinn and Clarke, but they made the first team so they were not listed with the second team. Marie-Josee Ebwea-Bile (triple jump) and Katy Kunc (3k steeplechase) also earned spots on the second team.
UK will next compete at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will take place June 6-9 in Eugene, Oregon.
2018 SEC Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Awards
Runner of the Year: Grant Holloway, Florida
Field Athlete of the Year: Denzel Comenentia, Georgia
Freshman Runner of the Year: Dwight St. Hillaire, Kentucky
Freshman Field Athlete of the Year: Anderson Peters, Mississippi State
Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Anders Eriksson, Florida
Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Nicolas Quijera, Mississippi State
Coach of the Year: Mike Holloway, Florida
2018 SEC Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Awards
Runner of the Year: Karrisa Schweizer, Missouri
Field Athlete of the Year: Keturah Orji, Georgia
Freshman Runner of the Year: Sydney McLaughlin, Kentucky
Freshman Field Athlete of the Year: Tyra Gittens, Texas A&M
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Keturah Orji, Georgia
Coach of the Year: Mike Holloway, Florida
Men’s All-SEC Second Team
Noah Castle, discus
Tim Duckworth, long jump
Daniel Roberts, 110m hurdles
Dwight St. Hillaire, 400m
Jacob Thomson, 10k
Women’s First Team All-SEC
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, 100m hurdles, 4x400m relay
Kayelle Clarke, 4x400m relay
Sydney McLaughlin, 400m hurdles, 4x400m relay
Faith Ross, 4x400m relay
Women’s Second Team All-SEC
Celera Barnes, 4x100m relay
Marie-Josee Ebwea-Bile, triple jump
Kianna Gray, 4x100m relay
Katy Kunc, 3k steeplechase
Men’s Freshman All-SEC Team
400m: Dwight St. Hillaire
Women’s Freshman All-SEC Team
400m Hurdles: Sydney McLaughlin
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