University of Georgia Athletics
Track & Field Earns Three SEC Indoor Athlete Of The Year Honors
March 08, 2023 | Track & Field
ATHENS, Ga. --- Three of Georgia's team members have been voted Southeastern Conference indoor track and field award winners, according to a league announcement on Wednesday.
Senior Elija Godwin was named the league's Men's Co-Runner of the Year, first-year middle distance runner Will Sumner was named the Men's Freshman Runner of the Year and first-year sprinter Kaila Jackson was named the Women's Freshman Runner of the Year.
While Garland (Men's Field Athlete of the Year) and Elena Kulichenko (Women's Freshman Field Athlete of the Year) earned honors for the Bulldogs last indoor season, this marks the first Men's Runner of the Year for UGA since 2007 (Ian Burrell), first Men's Freshman Runner of the Year since 2020 (Matthew Boling) and first Women's Freshman Runner of the Year since 2013 (two-time Olympic gold medalist Shaunae Miller). The Bulldogs have only had three SEC indoor award winners in the same year two other times (2018, 2020).
Godwin, a native of Covington, Ga., won his first SEC 400-meter dash title and Georgia's fourth all-time (first since 2012). He clocked a meet/school record 44.75 in the final to become the No. 5 all-time collegiate performer. Godwin has won three of five 400m races this season and sits No. 1 on the current 2023 world list. He returned to post the meet's fastest anchor leg (44.83) as the Bulldogs took second in the 4x400m relay with a 3:03.32. Earlier this year, Godwin was part of a Georgia relay that currently stands third nationally with a 3:02.90 from the Tiger Paw Invitational.
Sumner, a native of Canton, Ga., won Georgia's third SEC 800 meters title (first since 2012) after sprinting to a 1:48.28 finish. He also ran a leg on the Bulldog 4x400m relay that finished second at SECs with a 3:03.32. Sumner was part of the Georgia foursome that clocked the country's third fastest 4x400m relay this year. He set a school 800m record at the Music City Challenge with a 1:47.28 (No. 16 nationally) to take second. In addition, Sumner won the 600m at the Dr. MLK Jr. Invitational thanks to a 1:15.32, which is a school record and puts him No. 8 on the all-time collegiate performer list.
Jackson, a native of Redford, Mich., scored 13 points at the SEC Championships, taking second in the 60m 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. Jackson improved her career best to 22.97 in the 200m (No. 13 nationally) to finish fourth.
Both Georgia competitors left on Wednesday en route for the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. Garland and Johannes Erm are slated to knock out their first four events of the heptathlon to start the meet for the Bulldogs on Friday beginning at 12 p.m. ET.
Where To Find Bulldog News: Results and recaps from the NCAA Indoor Championships will be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on Twitter/Instagram at @UGATrack.
Senior Elija Godwin was named the league's Men's Co-Runner of the Year, first-year middle distance runner Will Sumner was named the Men's Freshman Runner of the Year and first-year sprinter Kaila Jackson was named the Women's Freshman Runner of the Year.
While Garland (Men's Field Athlete of the Year) and Elena Kulichenko (Women's Freshman Field Athlete of the Year) earned honors for the Bulldogs last indoor season, this marks the first Men's Runner of the Year for UGA since 2007 (Ian Burrell), first Men's Freshman Runner of the Year since 2020 (Matthew Boling) and first Women's Freshman Runner of the Year since 2013 (two-time Olympic gold medalist Shaunae Miller). The Bulldogs have only had three SEC indoor award winners in the same year two other times (2018, 2020).
Godwin, a native of Covington, Ga., won his first SEC 400-meter dash title and Georgia's fourth all-time (first since 2012). He clocked a meet/school record 44.75 in the final to become the No. 5 all-time collegiate performer. Godwin has won three of five 400m races this season and sits No. 1 on the current 2023 world list. He returned to post the meet's fastest anchor leg (44.83) as the Bulldogs took second in the 4x400m relay with a 3:03.32. Earlier this year, Godwin was part of a Georgia relay that currently stands third nationally with a 3:02.90 from the Tiger Paw Invitational.
Sumner, a native of Canton, Ga., won Georgia's third SEC 800 meters title (first since 2012) after sprinting to a 1:48.28 finish. He also ran a leg on the Bulldog 4x400m relay that finished second at SECs with a 3:03.32. Sumner was part of the Georgia foursome that clocked the country's third fastest 4x400m relay this year. He set a school 800m record at the Music City Challenge with a 1:47.28 (No. 16 nationally) to take second. In addition, Sumner won the 600m at the Dr. MLK Jr. Invitational thanks to a 1:15.32, which is a school record and puts him No. 8 on the all-time collegiate performer list.
Jackson, a native of Redford, Mich., scored 13 points at the SEC Championships, taking second in the 60m 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. Jackson improved her career best to 22.97 in the 200m (No. 13 nationally) to finish fourth.
Both Georgia competitors left on Wednesday en route for the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. Garland and Johannes Erm are slated to knock out their first four events of the heptathlon to start the meet for the Bulldogs on Friday beginning at 12 p.m. ET.
Where To Find Bulldog News: Results and recaps from the NCAA Indoor Championships will be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on Twitter/Instagram at @UGATrack.
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