This week Indiana State takes home three Athlete of the Week awards. Carmelia Stewart receives this week’s Women’s Track Athlete of the Week recognition on behalf of the Sycamores, while teammates Major Clay and Felisha Johnson are named this week’s MVC Field Athletes of the week, respectively. Lawson Montogmery of Wichita State has been selected as this week’s Men’s Track Athlete of the Week.

Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Track Athlete of the Week

Lawson Montgomery, Wichita State, Sr., Bennington, Kan.

Montgomery picked up his fourth individual win of the season in the 60-meter hurdles Friday, Feb. 17 at the Kansas State Open. Montgomery won the men's 60-meter hurdles in 7.89, just one-hundredth of a second off his season best time (7.88). He edged out Shocker teammate Todd McKown, who finished second in the race with a time of 7.95. McKown’s time Friday ranks tied for third in the Valley this season.

Other Notable Performances:

Greggmar Swift, Indiana State

Dominic Williams, Southern Illinois

Kendric Smith, Illinois State

Jarred Herring, Northern Iowa

Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Track Athlete of the Week

Carmelia Stewart, Indiana State, Fr., Apopka, Fla.

Indiana State freshman Carmelia Stewart just missed breaking a 16-year-old Sycamore record at the EIU Friday Night Special as she finished as the top Division I athlete and third overall in the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 8.20 seconds. That was just two-hundredths off the ISU record of Dierdra Woodley who ran 8.18 in 1996. Her converted time of 8.77 seconds is the fourth best in school history. Tamika Robinson, running unattached, won the event in 7.68 while Vincennes freshman Kenrisha Brathwaite was second in 7.82.

Other Notable Performances:

Desiree White, Southern Illinois 

Kyela Specht, Bradley

Olimpia Nowak, Northern Iowa

Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Field Athlete of the Week

Major Clay, Indiana State, Sr., Springfield, Ill.

Indiana State senior Major Clay surpassed the automatic qualifying mark for the second time this season and established a new Indiana State high jump record by clearing 7-feet-5-inches (2.26 meters) at the EIU Friday Night Special. Clay was tied with former ISU All-American Steve Smith at 7-feet-4½-inches which Clay cleared in 2011 and Smith accomplished in 1991.  The height also broke the meet record set by Clay in 2010 of 7-feet-2½-inches (2.20 meters) and the EIU Lantz Gymnasium record of 7-feet-3¼-inches (2.21 meters) set by Donald Thomas of Lindenwood in 2006. Clay moved to third in the national performance rankings for the event and leads the Missouri Valley Conference by more than six inches.

Other Notable Performances:

J.C. Lambert, Southern Illinois

Tanner Hurt, Northern Iowa

Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Field Athlete of the Week

Felisha Johnson, Indiana State, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind.

Junior Felisha Johnson won the women’s weight throw at the EIU Friday Night Special and finished second in the shot put as she continued to tune-up for the upcoming MVC Indoor Championships. Johnson went 69-feet-10¼-inches to win the weight throw over Kim Fortney of Southern Illinois (64-feet-4½-inches) and SIU’s DeAnna Price (62-feet-2¼-inches). The sophomore had a throw of 51-feet-11¼-inches to finish second in the shot put behind Sycamore teammate Mary Theisen who won with a personal best throw of 52-feet-3¼-inches. SIU’s Fortney was third at 51-feet-7¾-inches. Johnson currently ranks second nationally in the weight throw and 11th in the shot put. The sophomore is also second in the Valley in the weight throw and third in the shot put.

Other Notable Performances:

Kim Fortney, Southern Illinois

Jenna Wexter, Northern Iowa