GREENWOOD, Ind. – Five Oklahoma Baptist men and five Bison women were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Track & Field/Cross Country Teams on Wednesday.
Among those honored were
Parker Ables,
Blake Cope,
Carson Kardokus,
Caden Martin and
Jentezen Smith. On the women's side,
Jade Byrd,
Anisha Henderson,
Kaylen King,
Sophia Strange and
Zoee Weaver were recognized.
To qualify, a student-athlete must have been of sophomore standing, possess at minimum a 3.50 grade point average, competed in at least half of the team's events and have legitimate playing credentials. The CSC also capped its nomination totals to no more than five student-athletes per squad.
Here's a look at each of these award-winners.
Ables: Philosophy – Posted an eighth-place finish in the 800 at the GAC Outdoor Championship while also running a personal-best and third-place mark in the 5000 during the John Jacobs Invitational on April 22.
Cope: Accounting – A staple in the 3,000 steeplechase event, he took 7th in the race at the GAC Championships while also posting a personal-best time of 9:47.90 during Wichita State's KT Woodman Classic on April 8.
Kardokus: Exercise Science – Was an All-GAC Second Team selection after the GAC Cross Country Championships this past November.
Martin: Biology – Took fifth place in the Decathlon during the GAC Outdoor Championships on May 6. He had the best time in the 400 as well with a personal-best mark of 50.95.
Smith: Journalism – Won the 400 hurdles event at the conference's outdoor championship and helped the 4x100 team to a third-place mark (42.14).
Byrd: Psychology – Claimed third in the discus throw at the GAC Outdoor Championships and qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Nationals. Also broke the previous OBU record in the discus (49.93m) during the John Jacobs Invitational on April 22.
Henderson: Exercise Science – Was a part of two 1st-place finishes during the conference outdoor championships at Harding: the 4x100 relay team (46.57) and long jump (5.96m). Like Byrd, also qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Nationals.
King: Graphic Design – Took third in the 800 during the GAC Outdoor T&F Championships with a personal-best time of 2:17.58.
Strange: Nursing – Won the 5,000 and 10,000 at the outdoor championships while also claiming first place during the GAC Cross Country Championships back on Nov. 5.
Weaver: Exercise Science – Had the best time in the 800 during the outdoor track and field championships. Her mark of 2:16.25 was a personal-best too.
All 10 of these Bison student-athletes will move on to All-America consideration with those awards being announced in late June.
