Women's Cross Country Sweeps SEC Weekly Awards
9/30/2008 12:00:00 AM
Sept. 30, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Southeastern Conference released its SEC Athlete of the Week and Freshman of the Week honors today for the fourth week of the cross country season. Freshman Sara Vaughn earned her second straight SEC Athlete of the Week honor while Kelsey Johnson attained her first honor at Alabama earning SEC Freshman of the Week.
Vaughn became the first University of Alabama female cross country runner to earn SEC cross country Athlete of the Week honors twice.
Vaughn ran 17:37 over the course of 5,000 meters at the 36th Annual Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational and led the Crimson Tide to a fourth place finish. She won the meet running the sixth fastest time in the SEC this year while beating 329 other athletes. The closest competitor was six seconds behind Vaughn. She has now won two straight meets while finishing in the top two in all three races this year.
Johnson becomes the third female freshman at Alabama in two years to earn SEC Freshman cross country Athlete of the Week honors. Haley Moody earned SEC Freshman cross country Athlete of the Week honors last fall and Vaughn achieved the award last week.
Johnson finished third in a field of 330 runners running a time of 17:49. This is the second straight week she has turned in a third place finish behind teammate Vaughn with both running under 18 minutes for the 5k. Johnson's time this weekend ranks her seventh in the SEC at the distance and is only two seconds off her personal best.
