Lone Star Conference Indoor Track & Field athletes have recorded one NCAA Division II Automatic qualifying mark and 15 provisional efforts.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Arnau Erta, West Texas A&M University, JR, Lleida, Spain, I.E.S. Marius Torres De Lleida
Erta had an outstanding start to the 2014 campaign for the Buffs on the track at the annual Texas Tech Open. The junior from Lleida, Spain competed in the 55m hurdles and pulled out his best performance when it counted. After finishing fifth in the preliminaries and the semi-finals, Erta ran for third in the finals with a provisional time of 7.60. He finished only behind Tramaine Maloney and Shujaa Benson, both of host Texas Tech.
MEN’S FIELD
Paul Alongo, West Texas A&M University, SO, Arras, France, Baudimont St. Charles
Alongo got things going early for the Buffs in the field events at the Texas Tech Open last weekend. The sophomore finished second in the long jump on Friday as he leaped to 23-7.25 (7.19m), finishing only behind Shujaa Benson of Texas Tech.
WOMEN’S TRACK
Aly Coughlin, Tarleton State University, JR, Rockwall, Texas, Rockwall Heath HS
Coughlin shined for the TexAnn runners in Tarleton’s first NCAA Indoor Track and Field competition last weekend. The junior distance runner won the Mile Run with a time of 5:07.68 and lifted the Distance Medley Relay team to a second-place finish in a time of 12:35.67. Coughlin led off the DMR team by running the 1200m leg of the race.
WOMEN’S FIELD
Danyelle Dillard, Tarleton State University, SR, Eden, Texas, Loraine HS
Tarleton’s reigning NCAA Outdoor National Qualifier picked up where she left off last spring by reaching the NCAA provisional mark in the shot put in her first indoor meet of the season. Danyelle Dillard launched the shot put 44-2.75 (13.48m) en route to a second place finish at the event at Texas Tech last weekend to earn a national mark. Dillard also finished 11th in the weight throw last Saturday with a launch of 39-1 (11.91m).