By: by Scott Lipsky
MACON, Ga. – Kennesaw State track and field’s versatility was on full display this weekend, as distance runner Piotr Witczak and thrower Josh McNair were named the Atlantic Sun Conference Men’s Runner and Field Athlete of the Week, respectively, on Wednesday.
McNair, a senior who hails from Hinesville, Ga., and has won a total of four A-Sun indoor and outdoor titles in the Shot Put, Discus, and Weight Throw, earned the honor after finishing in the top-six in three events at the Asics Coastal Carolina Invitational in Conway, S.C., this past week.
He finished sixth in the Hammer Throw on Friday, his first time in competition in that event in 2010, with a top heave of 178'7" (54.44 meters). On Saturday, he finished third in the Discus Throw, also the first time he had been in that event in 2010, with a top throw of 156'2" (47.60 meters), followed by a runner-up finish in the Shot Put with a top toss of 49'6.25" (15.09 meters).
This is the second time in 2010 that McNair has earned Athlete of the Week recognition. He took home the honor on January 27 after posting back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Shot Put and Weight Throw at the Niswonger Invitational. It is the third overall award of his career.
Witczak, a native of Warsaw, Poland, finished second in the 1500 Meter Run with a time of 3:59.86 to be one of just two runners to break four minutes in the 63-runner event. He finished third in the 1500 Meter Run at the 2009 A-Sun Outdoor Championship with a time of 3:59.04.
He also was a part of the winning 4x800 Meter Relay team, which also featured Michael Guntner, Daniel Grass, and Gianni Catalano, that set a meet record with a time of 7:42.43. Witczak’s split of 1:54.10 as the second leg of the relay team was the fastest of the four.
This is the first A-Sun Runner of the Week award in the sophomore’s career.
The Owls have their next full meet on March 26 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C., in the Beynon Sports Surfaces Catamount Classic.
