Track & Field Announces 2017-18 Award Winners

MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University men's and women's track and field programs have announced team award winners for the 2017-18 academic year. A total of 12 student-athletes were honored.
Adding to the successes of the past couple years, both teams had victorious campaigns throughout the season as the men's team won their second BIG EAST outdoor team championship, and the women's team posted a pair of top-three team finishes between indoor and outdoor competition, combined.

Team MVP on the men's side was awarded to sophomore Daniel Armstrong, while the women's distinction was shared by seniors Terica Harris and Maya Marion.

Armstrong, who swept BIG EAST high jump titles for the second-consecutive year, was the first track and field member since 2015 to qualify for NCAA indoor nationals. He also advanced to the NCAA West Prelims, where he finished 20th out of 48 competitors. The Michigan City, Indiana, native placed first or second in four of six meets in the outdoor season and won five of seven meets during indoor competition.

Armstrong's record of 2.20 meters (7 feet, 2.5 inches) is second all-time in Marquette history. He was the Freshman of the Year recipient for the 2016-17 season.

Harris ended her career at Marquette with a very impressive streak of BIG EAST success. The Savannah, Georgia, native completed the outdoor season with her second-straight outdoor triple jump title at the BIG EAST Championships after sweeping both long jump and triple titles at her previous two BIG EAST championship meets.

Harris holds a number of records at Marquette, including second all-time in both the triple jump and long jump (for indoor and outdoor) as well as ninth in the outdoor 100 meters, eighth in indoor 60 meters and fourth in the indoor 55 meters.

Marion also finished her career at Marquette with an impressive list of honors. The Aurora, Illinois, native qualified for the NCAA West Prelims after nearly completing a career sweep in the outdoor shot put, finishing in second place this season. She also placed fourth in the hammer throw. Marion holds the second all-time record in outdoor shot put and ranks third and sixth, respectively, in the indoor shot put and weight throw.

Most improved award was a shared honor on the men's side awarded to both junior Brendan McKinney and senior Mathew Peter. McKinney brought home a gold medal at the BIG EAST Championships in the hammer throw and finished second in the discus, while Peter earned the silver medal at the BIG EAST Championship in the 60-meter hurdles.

On the women's side, Waukesha native Madison Ricciardi was named most improved. Her season included an impressive indoor season, in which she finished sixth in both the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdle events at the BIG EAST Championships. She holds the 10th-fastest time 60 hurdles time in school history with a mark of 9.14 seconds.

Freshman of the Year honors went to a pair of BIG EAST champions, Marin McClowry and Samuel Johnson. McClowry won high jump at the BIG EAST indoor championships and just missed the podium at the BIG EAST outdoor championships.

Samuel Johnson moved quickly up the all-time ranks, holding the fifth-best indoor mark in school history in both the long jump and triple jump and sixth-best mark in the outdoor triple jump. Johnson secured an individual BIG EAST outdoor title in the triple jump.

The Senior Academic Award was given to Aric Miller on the men's side and share between Meghan Carroll, Cassy Goodrich and Jennifer Parker on the women's side.

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2017-18 Team award winners
Men
MVP: Daniel Armstrong
Most Improved: Brendan McKinney & Mathew Peter
Freshman of the Year: Samuel Johnson
Senior Academic Award: Aric Miller

Women
MVP: Terica Harris & Maya Marion
Most Improved: Madison Ricciardi
Freshman of the Year: Marin McClowry
Senior Academic Award: Meghan Carroll, Cassy Goodrich, Jennifer Parker