Harter, Weeks Pull In SEC Recognition
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Following the completion of the 2017 SEC Outdoor Championships the league office has selected Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter as the Coach of the Year and sophomore pole vaulter Lexi Weeks as the Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Most Successful Coach in SEC History
The honor marks the 30th-time in his tenure at the helm of the women’s program that Harter has been selected as the top coach in the conference. At the SEC championships in South Carolina, Harter guided the Razorbacks to their 10th consecutive league title off a dominant, 28-point margin victory. His team produced four individual conference champions including Taliyah Brooks (heptathlon), Daina Harper (400), Nikki Hiltz (1,500) and Weeks (pole vault). With the outdoor title in hand, Harter’s team completed its third consecutive SEC Triple Crown, holding tight to their stronghold over their conference rivals.
Excellence in Athletics and Academics
One of the most talented vaulters among the NCAA and world ranks, Weeks has mastered the art of balancing her classroom work with her rigorous training and competition schedule. She contributed 10 points to Arkansas SEC outdoor victory as the pole vault champion and completed her sophomore semester at the University of Arkansas with a 4.00 grade point average in chemistry. Recently selected to the Academic All-District recognition team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) she is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration. A national qualifier in the pole vault, Weeks will attempt to defend her outdoor national title next week in Eugene, Oregon at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field.
2016-17 SEC Outdoor Awards
Women’s Runner of the Year: Aleia Hobbs, LSU
Women’s Field Athlete of the Year: Keturah Orji, Georgia
Women’s Co-Freshman Runner of the Year: Jaevin Reed, Texas A&M
Women’s Co-Freshman Runner of the Year: Ruby Stauber, LSU
Women’s Freshman Field Athlete of the Year: Beatrice Llano, Georgia
Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Lexi Weeks, Arkansas
Women’s Coach of the Year: Lance Harter, Arkansas
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
