University of Tennessee Athletics
Alexander Nets Athlete of the Week Honors
January 15, 2008 | Women's Track
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ??? Freshman track & field student-athlete Annie Alexander, who just enrolled at the University of Tennessee the first week of January, has been named Lady Vol Athlete of the Week after her smashing debut performance at the Kentucky Invitational on Jan. 11-12.
Alexander, who hails from Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, introduced herself to her teammates and the collegiate track & field world by winning the shot put and indoor discus throw competitions in Lexington.?? She moved to number two and number one, respectively, on the school???s all-time performers lists in those events.
In the shot, Alexander stretched the tape to an indoor career best and an SEC-leading measurement of 53 feet, 9 1/2 inches to claim victory at Kentucky.?? Her mark, which easily met the NCAA provisional qualifying standard, was the farthest by a Lady Vol in 12 seasons and the seventh-longest ever achieved indoors by a UT woman.?? It would have been good enough to place her third at last year???s SEC Indoor Championship meet.
Her effort in the discus, 164-3, was more than enough for first-place honors in an event that is not usually contested indoors.?? Alexander???s mark was the best ever by a UT performer in that event.??
The rookie???s heroics helped Tennessee, ranked third nationally in the preseason United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Poll, begin its season with three event victories and a trio of NCAA provisional qualifying marks at the University of Kentucky???s Nutter Field House.
She and her teammates will return to action on Jan. 25 and 26, as they travel to University Park, Pa., to compete in the Penn State National meet at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.
