2023 SEC Indoor Track and Field awards announced

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (March 8, 2023)—–The Southeastern Conference on Wednesday announced its 2023 Indoor Track and Field Awards, recognizing outstanding performances during the indoor season, as voted on by the league’s 15 head coaches. The men’s award recipients include Jacory Patterson of Florida (Co-Runner of the Year); Elija Godwin of Georgia (Co-Runner of the Year); Cameron Crump of Mississippi State (Field Athlete of the Year); Will Sumner of Georgia (Freshman Runner of the Year); Jaydon Hibbert of Arkansas (Freshman Field Athlete of the Year); and Chris Bucknam of Arkansas (Coach of the Year).

The women’s award recipients include Florida’s Talitha Diggs (Runner of the Year); Florida’s Jasmine Moore (Field Athlete of the Year); Georgia’s Kaila Jackson (Freshman Runner of the Year); Florida’s Alida Van Daalen (Freshman Field Athlete of the Year); and Arkansas’ Lance Harter (Coach of the Year).

It was previously announced that Georgia’s Matthew Boling and Alabama’s Mercy Chelangat were voted the SEC Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Patterson was the men’s Cliff Harper Trophy winner as the individual high point scorer at the SEC Championships. He placed first in the 200m (20.29) and was a silver medalist in the 400m (45.05). Patterson’s 200m time is the third fastest in the world this year, and his 400m time was the second fastest in the world this year.

Godwin won his first SEC 400-meter dash title with a meet and school record 44.75 in the final to become the No. 5 all-time collegiate performer. He has won three of five 400m races this season and sits No. 1 on the current 2023 world list.

Crump is ranked No. 1 in the country and No. 2 in the world in the long jump. He claimed gold at the SEC Championships with his nation-leading mark of 8.39m, breaking the SEC Championships meet record and MSU school record.

Sumner won Georgia’s third SEC 800 meters title after sprinting to a 1:48.28 finish. He also ran a leg on the Bulldog 4x400m relay that finished second at the SEC Championships with a 3:03.32.

Hibbert claimed the SEC triple jump title as a freshman, producing an indoor best of 56-1.25 (17.10) to improve his collegiate leading mark. He ranks No. 3 on the world U20 all-time list and is the Jamaican world U20 indoor record holder.

Bucknam led Arkansas to its 26th SEC Indoor Championship and fourth in a row. The Razorbacks scored 100.25 total points. Diggs won gold in the 400m at the SEC Championships with a time of 50.15, setting a new American record, collegiate record, facility record, meet record and school record. She has established two other school records this season in the 200m and the 4x400m.

Moore placed first in the women’s long jump (6.91m/22’8″) and triple jump (14.09m/46’2.75″) at the SEC Indoor Championships, leading the nation in both. Her mark in the long jump is the second farthest jump in collegiate history.

Jackson scored 13 points at the SEC Championships, taking second in the 60-meter dash and fourth in the 200m. After running a school record 7.15 (No. 8 nationally) in the 60m prelims, she registered a 7.17 to finish second in the final.

Van Daalen finished first in the shot put at the SEC Championships with a mark of 18.66m/61’2.75″. This distance broke the 13-year-old school record, is the third farthest distance in the nation this year, first in the SEC, and ninth in the world.

Harter guided Arkansas to its 13th all-time SEC Indoor Championship and ninth in a row by scoring 120.5 total team points.

SEC teams will compete in the NCAA Championships Friday and Saturday in Albuquerque, N.M.

2023 SEC Indoor Track & Field Awards