PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly outdoor track and field honors for the week ending April 28.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Kahmari Montgomery * Jr. * Houston * Plainfield, Ill.
Montgomery earns his second straight American Track Athlete of the Week nod on the heels of a first-place performance at the historic Penn Relays last weekend. The junior sprinter anchored his 4x400-meter relay team to a first-place finish, breaking the school’s record with a time of 3:01.82. Montgomery was named Penn Relays Athlete of the Meet for Relay Events following the carry, as his team’s time is the second-fastest in the nation. His split time of 43.38 seconds is the 11th-fastest 4x400-meter relay split in track and field history.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FEMALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Chelsea Francis * So. * SMU * Carrollton, Texas
Francis picks up her second Track Athlete of the Week honor of the year and first outdoor award after a strong outing at the Bobcat Classic. She won the 100-meter dash in 11:22 seconds, good for No. 17 in the nation and No. 1 in The American this year. She returned to the track to place second in the 200-meter dash after clocking 23.04 seconds, which is the second-fastest time in the league behind teammate Latessa Johnson.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MALE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Rafael Vallery * Sr. * Memphis * Bonn, Germany
Vallery earns the fifth Male Field Athlete of the Week outdoor award for Memphis, following his performance at the Memphis Invitational this weekend. The senior thrower set a pair of personal records in the discus and shot put to catapult into the No. 2 spot in both events on The American’s performance list. His discus distance of 58.30 meters (191-3) is No. 14 in the NCAA this season, while his shot put distance of 18.47 meters (60-7.25) ranks 35th. He bested his PR in the discus by nearly five feet.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FEMALE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Nora Monie * Jr. * Houston * Mission, Texas
Monie launched the second-furthest shot put in school history to place second among collegiate competitors in a tough field at the LSU Relays. Her distance of 16.14 meters (52-11.5) moves her to No. 32 in the nation this season and No. 2 in The American. She also won the discus to open competition in the morning. Monie’s best throw of the day went for 168-2 (51.26m) to give her the invitational gold.