SAVANNAH, Ga. (May 1, 2023) – The 2023 Sun Conference Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Award Winners were announced on Monday afternoon.
Three awards (Most Outstanding Performer, Coach of the Year, Champion of Character) were voted on by the league’s nine head coaches at the conclusion of the 2023 Sun Conference Championship. All other awards were announced during the final day of the 2023 Championship.
2023 Sun Conference Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Award Winners
2023 Team Champion
Southeastern Fire
Team Runner-Up
Florida Memorial Lions
Most Outstanding Performer
Mariam Davis, Southeastern
Scoring 26 points at the Sun Conference Championship, Davis led her team to its fourth-consecutive title. She won the Heptathlon in a new Sun Conference Record and school record 4743 points. She is currently No. 4 in the NAIA in the event. In the Heptathlon long jump, Davis broke the school record in 5.81m which is "A" standard for the NAIA National Championships and she is currently No. 11 nationally in the event. Davis also took second overall in the individual long jump with a mark of 5.50m and second in the high jump with a mark of 1.57m.
High Point Scorer
Mariam Davis, Southeastern (announced on site)
Freshmen of the Year
Emma Taylor, Southeastern (announced on site)
Taylor threw in every event for the Fire scroing in the javelin (2nd) and placing top five in teh javelin and hammer throws.
Coach of the Year
Christopher McComb, Florida Memorial
Coach McComb led the Lions to a second place finish
Champion of Character
Anitira Sangster, Florida Memorial
Sangster was born and raised in Broward County, Fla. and is currently a psychology major in her junior year at Florida Memorial University. She is a hard-working individual who overextends herself to others who are in dire need.
Before attending Florida Memorial, she attended Barton Community College in 2018-19. In her freshman year, she maintained a 3.5 GPA and scored points for both indoor regionals and nationals contributing to the team winning the regional and national 2019 champion titles for indoor.
Sangster is an active member in Project L.I.V.E which is an organization of the psychology department that goes around campus helping the students become mentally aware of their mental health and finding healthier coping mechanisms when they are feeling depressed. She also volunteers in the weight room by maintaining it, enforcing the rules when needed and she also assists as the team manager for the track team by fulfilling any task given by Coach McComb.
Sangster motivates her teams to do their best and helps them look at the brighter side of negative situations. Being very trusting and genuine, her teammates appreciate her presence as she is a light for many on the team. Dedication and ambition are things she takes with her to the classroom, track practice, track meets, and even when she is being a daughter, sister, auntie, teammate, or assistant. After graduation, Sangster plans on working in a counseling position for family and kids, attending graduate school to obtain her master's in psychology and she plans on giving back to Florida Memorial University's track team as an assistant coach.
ABOUT THE SUN CONFERENCE
Now in its 33rd year, The Sun Conference, a 501c3 organization, continues to be one of the most successful intercollegiate athletic conferences in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Under the guidance of Commissioner Dustin Wilke, the league sponsors championships in 22 NAIA sports: Baseball, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Flag Football, Men’s and Women’s Golf, Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field, Women’s Lacrosse, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Softball, Men’s and Women’s Swimming, Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field and Women’s Volleyball. Learn more @thesunconference.com
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