NEW ORLEANS – Deon Lendore, a Texas A&M sophomore sprinter, claimed another honor for his exploits this indoor track and field season. He was selected as the Men’s Track Athlete of the Year in the South Central region based on voting by coaches within that region.
Individually, Lendore has won three races over 400m this indoor campaign while also being part of an undefeated 4×400 relay, which has won seven races in 2013.
Lendore broke the Aggie school record with a world-leading time of 45.15 during the SEC prelims and won the SEC final in 45.23. It was the third conference title for Lendore, who swept the indoor and outdoor Big 12 400 titles last season. Lendore is fifth on the all-time collegiate list, 10th on the all-time world list and the national record holder for his native Trinidad & Tobago.
Anchoring the A&M 4×400 relay with a 44.50 split as the Aggies broke the SEC meet record with a winning time of 3:04.18, which also broke the A&M record of 3:04.24, Lendore moved the Aggies from third to first place to defeat Florida (3:04.31) and LSU (3:07.86). The time for the Aggies ranks fifth on the all-time collegiate list while Lendore’s split is the second fastest time ever recorded indoors.
Other athletes selected for the men’s track honor in various regions included Maverick Darling of Wisconsin (Great Lakes), Penn State’s Casimir Loxsom (Mid-Atlantic), Chris O’Hare of Tulsa (Midwest), Texas Tech’s Kennedy Kithunka (Mountain), Eric Jenkins of Northeastern (Northeast), Florida’s Eddie Lovett (South), Ryan Hill of North Carolina State (Southeast), and Arizona’s Lawi Lalang (West).
South Central honors in other categories went to Arkansas, who swept the men’s and women’s team titles. Tarik Batchelor was awarded the men’s field event honor, Regina George claimed the women’s track honor and the women’s field honor went to Makeba Alcide, who set a collegiate record in the pentathlon.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics