Riebold, Edwards Win OVC Yearly Track Awards
Thursday, May 2 2013 - OVC Championships (Outdoors)
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – As Eastern Illinois track and field prepares to host this year's Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships, two athletes have been selected as conference award winners for the outdoor season. Jade Riebold was named the OVC Female Field Athlete of the Year. Calvin Edwards was named the OVC Male Freshman of the Year.
Riebold earns her second straight OVC Outdoor Female Field Athlete of the Year award after collecting the honor following the 2012 season as well. Riebold becomes the first OVC Athlete to win the award in back-to-back years since Southeast Missouri's Heather Jenkins did so in 2003 and 2004. Riebold is currently ranked fourth in the nation in the pole vault having cleared 14'3.25” earlier this season. She was named the OVC Athlete of the Week on two occasions. She is the fourth EIU athlete to win an award for the women. Kandace Arnold (2010) and Ronesha Franklin (2005) are previous OVC Field Athlete of the Year winners while Megan Gingerich was the OVC Track Athlete of the Year in 2010.
Edwards competes in all three sprint events as he earned OVC Male Freshman of the Year. Edwards is currently in the top three in the OVC in the 100m, 200m and 400m as schools get set for this weekend's OVC Championships. His season best time of 10.59 in the 100m ranks tenth on EIU's career list. Edwards becomes the fourth EIU athlete to win Male Freshman of the Year honors joining Mick Viken (2011), DeMarcus Brooks (2009) and Tristan McKinnis (2005).
The OVC Championships began at 12 p.m. on Friday at O'Brien Field in Charleston. Saturday's schedule will begin at 10 a.m.
Riebold earns her second straight OVC Outdoor Female Field Athlete of the Year award after collecting the honor following the 2012 season as well. Riebold becomes the first OVC Athlete to win the award in back-to-back years since Southeast Missouri's Heather Jenkins did so in 2003 and 2004. Riebold is currently ranked fourth in the nation in the pole vault having cleared 14'3.25” earlier this season. She was named the OVC Athlete of the Week on two occasions. She is the fourth EIU athlete to win an award for the women. Kandace Arnold (2010) and Ronesha Franklin (2005) are previous OVC Field Athlete of the Year winners while Megan Gingerich was the OVC Track Athlete of the Year in 2010.
Edwards competes in all three sprint events as he earned OVC Male Freshman of the Year. Edwards is currently in the top three in the OVC in the 100m, 200m and 400m as schools get set for this weekend's OVC Championships. His season best time of 10.59 in the 100m ranks tenth on EIU's career list. Edwards becomes the fourth EIU athlete to win Male Freshman of the Year honors joining Mick Viken (2011), DeMarcus Brooks (2009) and Tristan McKinnis (2005).
The OVC Championships began at 12 p.m. on Friday at O'Brien Field in Charleston. Saturday's schedule will begin at 10 a.m.