March 20, 2013

IRVING, Texas - Seniors Tynita Butts and Montrell Morrow garnered Conference USA Female and Male Field Athlete of the Year honors, respectively, it was announced Wednesday by the league office. The awards were voted on by the C-USA head coaches.

The duo collected the accolades after a pair of impressive indoor seasons in the field and were joined by Aurieyall Scott of UCF and Errol Nolan of Houston, who garnered the Female and Male C-USA Track Athlete of the Year awards. Butts became the first-ever field athlete in C-USA history to participate in four consecutive NCAA Championships, while Morrow appeared in back-to-back national meets.

"The team and coaching staff are extremely proud of Montrell Morrow and Tynita Butts for winning these prestigious awards," Head Coach Curt Kraft said. "I can't remember the last time an institution swept both Male and Female Conference USA Athlete of the Year awards. I can't think of two more deserving individuals to bring these awards home to Pirate Nation."

Butts earned her fifth All-America selection after finishing second in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships as she tied her career-best and school-record mark of 1.90m (6-02.75), which ranks fourth in the nation. She also won her third consecutive gold medal in the same event at the C-USA Indoor Championships as she notched a mark of 1.86m (6-00.00). Earlier this season, Butts established her career-high and school-record mark of 1.90m (6-02.75) at the Penn State National. At the time, her clearance was good for second in the nation en route to being named C-USA Co-Female Athlete of the Week.

Morrow appeared in his second consecutive NCAA Indoor Championship after winning his second C-USA men's weight throw title in as many years after recording a mark of 19.95m (65-05.50). He followed that performance with a season-best mark of 21.00m (68-10.75) in the same event at the Alex Wilson Invitational at Notre Dame for a first-place finish. Morrow currently ranks second on the East Carolina Indoor Top 10 list with a career-best mark of 21.15m (69-05.00) which he set last season.

"This is a credit to all of the hard work that both of them have put in over the last four years," Kraft stated. "We are very honored to have them represent East Carolina University track and field. Not only are these two great individuals and great athletes, but more importantly, they display great character and morality."

CONFERENCE USA TRACK ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Male
2013 Errol Nolan, Houston
2012 Chris O'Hare, Tulsa
2011 Chris O'Hare, Tulsa
2010 John Beattie, Tulsa
2009 Mark Davidson, Tulsa

Female
2013 Aurieyall Scott, UCF
2012 Octavious Freeman, UCF
2011 Jackie Coward, UCF
2010 Blessing Okagbare, UTEP
2009 Lennie Waite, Rice

CONFERENCE USA FIELD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Male
2013 Montrell Morrow, East Carolina
2012 Clayton Chaney, Rice
2011 Chris Carter, Houston
2010 Steffen Nerdal, Memphis
2009 Jason Colwick, Rice

Female
2013 Tynita Butts, East Carolina
2012 Tori Bowie, Southern Miss
2011 Tori Bowie, Southern Miss
2010 Blessing Okagbare, UTEP
2009 Dione Thomas, UCF

CONFERENCE USA MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
2008 Ivan Diggs, Houston
2007 Mickael Hanany, UTEP
2006 Mickael Hanany, UTEP
2005 LaShawn Merritt, East Carolina
2004 Stanford Routt, Houston
2003 Jackson Langat, TCU
2002 Eliud Njubi, TCU
2001 Kenneth Svendsen, Charlotte
2000 Rephel Martin, Charlotte
1999 Dennis Darling, Houston

CONFERENCE USA FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
2008 Gloria Asumnu, Tulane
2007 Ebonie Floyd, Houston
2006 Jenny Holmroos, UTEP
2005 Cassie Ficken, Charlotte
2004 Dayana Octavien, USF
2003 Brianna Dahm, Marquette
2002 Shola Kadiri, Louisville
2001 Jenny Adams, Houston & Kerine Black, USF
2000 Jenny Adams, Houston
1999 Kerine Black, USF
1998 Jenny Adams, Houston
1997 Alison Lambert, Tulane
1996 Vonette Jeffery, UAB