Five Owls Earn Weekly LEC Awards

N. DARTMOUTH, Mass. 12/6/10 – Five Keene State College student athletes were honored for their efforts this past week.

Track Athlete of the Week
Eric MacKnight (Newtown, Conn.), Senior, Keene State College
At the Smith Winter Classic, MacKnight won multiple events, taking the top spot in the mile run (4:25.00) and 800 meter race (2:01.39).

Field Athlete of the Week
Bryan Kolacz, (Brentwood, N.H.), Senior, Keene State College
Kolacz posted an NCAA automatic qualifying mark and set a pair of program records this past weekend at Smith College. The Brentwood, N.H. product qualified for the national championship in the 35-pound weight throw with a toss of 65'-9''. He also set a new school record in the shot put with a toss  49'-0.75'.

Rookie Track Athlete of the Week
Christopher Chapman (Groton, Conn.), Freshman, Keene State College
Chapman raced to a pair of fifth place finishes at the Smith Winter Classic this past weekend. The native of Groton, Conn. covered the mile in four minutes, 51.41 seconds and the 800-meter in two minutes, 14.38 seconds.

Field Athlete of the Week
Janel Haggerty (Guilford, Conn.), Sophomore,  Keene State College
At the Smith Winter Classic, Haggerty won the high jump with a mark of 4'-11.75"

Women’s Swimmer of the Week
Kaila Umbarger (Chelmsford, Mass.), Sophomore, Keene State College
Umbarger set a NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time in the 50-yard freestyle and won two individual events at the Little East Championships this past weekend. The Chelmsford, Mass. Native touched the wall at 23.63 seconds to set a new championship meet standard. Umbarger also captured the 100-yeard freestyle event with a meet record of 52.76 seconds. She also anchored the victorious 200 yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relay teams. Keene State wore the conference crown for the fifth straight season and eighth overall.