By: by Scott Lipsky
Macon, Ga. - Junior Mackenzie Howe and sophomore Suzzette Van-Lare put the versatility of Kennesaw State women’s track field on full display this week, as they were named the Atlantic Sun Conference women’s Runner of the Week and Field Athlete of the Week, respectively, the conference announced on Wednesday.
Howe, who was named the A-Sun Women’s Runner of the Week in Cross Country five times this past fall, and is the reigning A-Sun indoor champion in the 3000 Meter Run, picked right up where she left off in both respects. She won the 3000 Meters at the Gene Anderson UNC Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C. on February 12, with a time of 10:03.98, winning the race by 13.82 seconds over runner-up and conference rival Jemeli Sang of USC-Upstate in her first appearance of the indoor season.
Van-Lare was honored after solid performances in the Long Jump and Triple Jump in Chapel Hill, finishing second and third in those respective events with jumps measuring 5.82 meters (19-1.25) and 12.08 meters (39-7.75). Her Long Jump leap broke her own record of 5.75 meters (18-10.25), which she had set last season at the A-Sun Indoor Championships.
“My teammate [senior] Jill Arthur and I really push each other to bring out the best in ourselves, so I owe a lot of this award to her,” said Van-Lare, who whose Field Athlete of the Week award is the first of her career. “My coach [Mike Goss] did a lot to help me increase my speed on the approach to my jumps, and that has done a lot to improve my distances. Overall, I’m very pleased, and know that I’m just starting to get to where I can go.”
Howe, a Watkninsville, Ga. native, and Van-Lare, who hails from nearby Marietta, bring the women’s total Athlete of the Week awards to four this indoor season. Sprinter Victoria Jackson and Pole Vaulter Michelle Quimby both received Athlete of the Week honors in prior weeks.
"The indoor track and field performances by student-athletes within the Atlantic Sun Conference have greatly improved year after year," said head Coach Don Mcgarey. "In order to keep up with the competition, our student-athletes have responded well to the challenge. Suzzette and Mackenzie are well deserving of the Athlete of the Week awards. Both have an excellent work ethic, discipline and focus as reflected by both their excellent athletic and academic accomplishments."
Howe, Van-Lare and the entire Owls squad is looking to February 26, when they travel to East Tennessee State to try and capture their first Atlantic Sun Conference Indoor Track and Field title. They do not compete this week.
