Miruna Mataoanu Named SEC Field Athlete of the Week
2/6/2007 12:00:00 AM
Birmingham, Ala. ?? The Southeastern Conference announced today that Alabama senior Miruna Mataoanu has been named the SEC Field Athlete of the Week.
Mataoanu, a senior jumper from Bucharest, Romania, competed this past weekend at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York, where she won both the triple jump and the high jump in her first action of the season. She missed the Tide’s first two meets in 2007 with a knee injury.
“I am really happy for Miruna, she deserves this recognition,” coach Sandy Fowler said. “For her to get this honor the first week she competes really tells me what she is capable of this season. She may even surprise herself with the heights she jumps this year.”
Mataoanu reached a distance of 41’1” in the triple jump, just inches off a NCAA provisional mark.
In the high jump, she reached an NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 1.84m (6’1/2”), which guarantees her a spot to compete for the high jump national championship. Mataoanu also competed last year at the NCAA national championship in the high jump.
In the high jump, she currently ranks third in the Trackwire.com Dandy Dozen, tied for first in the SEC and is tied for fifth on the national performance list. Her mark in the triple jump ranks seventh best in the SEC this season.
The Tide will compete this weekend at the Iowa State Invitational in Ames, Iowa.
