University of Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Sweeps SEC Indoor Track Awards
May 16, 2002 | Men's Track
May 16, 2002
After wrapping up another championship effort last weekend in the SEC Outdoor meet, three members of Tennessee's track and field program earned nods as best in the conference for the 2002 indoor season. Tennesseans Bill Webb, Justin Gatlin and Marc Sylvester swept the three SEC Indoor awards as selected by the conference track and field coaches.
Webb won Coach of the Year honors. The Vol mentor also won Indoor National Coach of the Year honors, as announced by the U.S. Track Coaches Association in March. Webb won both the SEC and national coaches awards following the 2001 outdoor season. Webb captained the Vols to their first NCAA Indoor title in Fayetteville in March. Additionally, Tennessee took second in a tight SEC Indoor battle.
Gatlin was awarded the SEC Indoor Athlete of the Year award. The sophomore from Pensacola, Fla., notched high-scorer honors with 22 points to lead Tennessee to its first NCAA Indoor championship. Gatlin's 60M and 200M dash wins marked his fourth NCAA title in his short career. Additionally at the SEC Indoor Championships, Gatlin tied for the Commissioner's Trophy with a 22-point effort in winning the 60M and 200M dash.
Sylvester made the most of his rookie campaign, as evidenced by his selection as SEC Indoor Freshman of the Year. The 800M man took second at the NCAA Indoor meet to contribute crucial points to Tennessee's title run. Sylvester broke the school's indoor 600M and 800M records in his first season wearing orange.
