THE ACCOLADES just keep piling up for Akela Jones.
Fresh on the heels of winning the heptathlon title at the NCAA Division One Track and Field Championships last weekend in Eugene, Oregon, Jones has been named a finalist for the Honda Sports Award for track and field.
According to the office of the Collegiate Women Sports Award 9CWSA), “The Honda Sports Award is presented annually by the CWSA to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and signifies ‘the best of the best in collegiate athletics’. The winner of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2015 Honda Cup. The nominees were chosen by a panel of experts and coaches representing the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).”
For the past 39 years, the CWSA has honoured the top NCAA women’s athletes and Honda has provided more than $3 million in grants to the universities of the winners and nominees to support programmes at their schools.
Jones faces a tough field of pole vaulter Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin, hurdler Kendra Harrison of Kentucky, and sprinter Jenna Prandini who led Oregon to the national title.
In addition to the heptathlon title, the 6 371 points being fourth best in collegiate history, she also earned First Team Honours in the high jump where she placed fourth.
Administrators from more than 1 000 schools will vote and the track and field award will be announced later this week.
Jones has stacked up an impressive list of accomplishments since she transferred to Kansas State from Oklahoma Baptist.
According to the school’s website, the following is the just some of the achievements by the 20-year-old former Springer Memorial student.
* Five All-American honours – four first team and one second team.
* The indoor long jump conference title.
* High-point scorer at both Big 12 Indoors and Outdoor Nationals.
* Big 12 Outstanding Performer of the Year Indoors.
* Midwest Region Field Athlete of the Year.
* School records in the 60-metre hurdles and long jump Indoors.
* School records in the 100m hurdles, long jump and heptathlon. (SAT)