Posted: May 22, 2018
WESTFIELD, Mass. - Five Westfield State University women's track and field athletes were recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as they announced the All-Region honorees for the 2018 NCAA Division III indoor track & field season.
Senior Jessie Cardin (Sutton, Mass.), senior Ashley Craig (Groton, Mass. / Westford Academy), senior Sabrina Pray (Mansfield, Mass.), junior Lexi Popp (Westford, Mass.), and sophomore Lauren Gilderdale (Great Barrington, Mass. / Housatonic Valley Regional) were all honored.
Cardin claimed three MASCAC titles at the MASCAC/Alliance Championships in February, winning the 800 meters, the mile and the 3000 meters. She also ran a leg of the Owls winning 4x800 relay team.
Craig claimed the title in the pole vault, with a conference record clearance of 3.60 meters.
Popp won the 400 meters in a MASCAC record time of 58.58 seconds, and also won the 200 meters in 26.44. Popp was also a runner in the Owls champion 4x200 and 4x800 relay teams.
Pray placed 10th in the nation in the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III women's indoor track and field championships on March 9-10.
Gilderdale placed first in the discus at the 2018 MASCAC outdoor track and field championship to help claim the 2018 MASCAC outdoor track and field title on April 29 and finished 17th in the shot put at the NEICAAA Track and Field Championships on May 12.
The top five individuals in each event from each region earned All-Region distinction, in addition to each of the members of the region's top three relay teams.
The regions used for this award include the Atlantic, Central, Great Lakes, Mideast, Midwest, New England, South/Southeast, and West.
On the women's side, a total of 667 athletes from 184 programs earned 940 All-Region honors.
After being ranked 14th in last week's US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division III Women's Outdoor Track & Field National Team Rankings, the Owls sit in the 15th spot this week.
Cardin, Craig, Pray, and Popp will be competing at the 2018 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships set to take place this weekend in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
The NCAA will provide live video and scoring from the meet at NCAA.com, and the host site, the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse has a myriad of information available at http://www.uwlathletics.com//sports/2017/12/7/TRACK_0423131617.aspx?id=379.
Full list of honorees can be found here
Full USTFCCCA release here