DENVER - Louisiana Tech's Chelsea Hayes and Tiana Davis have been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Women's Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for the week of Feb. 7-13.
Hayes, a senior from New Orleans, La. (Butler County CC), had a great showing against top collegiate competition at the Tyson Invitational Feb. 11-12 in Fayetteville, Ark. Hayes took 18th-palce in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.39 seconds as she competed against athletes from conferences such as the SEC, ACC, Pac-10, Big 12 and Big Ten. Hayes' time of 7.39 is a new school record and was only five-hundredths of a second away from breaking the WAC all-time record of 7.34, held by Monica Twam of TCU, set in 2001. Her time in the 60m is the best in the WAC this season and is also the 29th best time in the nation. Hayes also ran in the 200-meters where she finished 38th with a time of 24.47, which was .17 off her WAC-leading time of 24.30 this season.
Davis, a senior from Kansas City, Mo. (Barton County CC), set a personal-best record in the long jump over the weekend at the Tyson Invitational. Davis finished in second-place in the event against some of the top collegiate competition in the country with a leap of 20 ft., 2.5 in. (6.16m). Her mark is nearly six inches better than any other WAC jumper has posted this season. Davis now ranks second all-time in Louisiana Tech history in the event and currently holds the 23rd-best leap in the nation. Her 23rd overall ranking is the highest ranking any WAC female athlete holds in any event this season on the national list.
Other track nominees included: Mackenzie Flannigan, Boise State; Breeaunna Thompson, Fresno State; Ashley Aitken, Hawai'i; Hannah Kiser, Idaho; Samantha Diaz, Nevada; Camille Schultz, New Mexico State; Ruth Hilton, Utah State.
Other field nominees included: Mele Vaisima, Boise State; Meagan Mckee, Fresno State; Madara Apine, Hawai'i; Gabby Midles, Idaho; Cortney Beasley, Nevada; Jndia Cleveland, New Mexico State; Sonia Grabowska, Utah State.