University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Photo by: UNC Asheville
Two Bulldogs Pick Up Prestigious Awards at Big South Indoor Championships
02.26.2017 | Track and Field
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – In addition to posting some tremendous performances at the Big South Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships two Bulldogs also picked up some big awards at the conclusion of the event with Matthew Harding tying for league Freshman of the Year accolades and Hunter Koike being tabbed as the men's track and field Scholar Athlete of the Year.
A native of Conway, North Wales in the United Kingdom, Harding posted a first place finish in the men's 800 meters at the Big South Indoor Championships, leading the race wire to wire, with a time of 1:52.57 to bring the first place gold medal back to Asheville for the Bulldogs.
The first-place finish in the Big South Indoor Championships is part of a tremendous indoor season that saw Harding set school record marks in the 800 meters (1:50.93), 400 meters (49.43), 500 meters (1:04.48) and 1,000 meters (2:29.95).
Koike currently owns a 3.775 grade point average as a Health and Wellness major. His name is heavily featured in the school record book as he is in the top-5 in school history in the 60 meters (7.05), 200 meters (22.09), 60 meters hurdles (8.83) and long jump (6.66m).
The St. Augustine, Fla. native also owns the top mark in school history in the heptathlon (4,481 points).
In addition, UNC Asheville's Kayli Nichols was tabbed to the Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Academic Team.
A double major in German and Political Science with a 3.96 grade point average, Nichols has set school-record times of 8.86 in the 60 meter hurdles and the 1:16.00 in 500 meters. Nichols has also posted numerous other top-5 times in school history (200m, 400m and 800m). At this year's Big South Track and Field Indoor Championships, Nichols had a top-5 finish in the 60 meter hurdles finals with a time of 8.89 seconds. She also finished seventh in the women's 800 meters finals with a time of 2:18.17.
Harding, Koike and the UNC Asheville men's and women's track and field teams will next have nearly a month break in preparation for the Yellow Jacket Invite. The meet will be held in Atlanta, Ga. from March 17-18.
A native of Conway, North Wales in the United Kingdom, Harding posted a first place finish in the men's 800 meters at the Big South Indoor Championships, leading the race wire to wire, with a time of 1:52.57 to bring the first place gold medal back to Asheville for the Bulldogs.
The first-place finish in the Big South Indoor Championships is part of a tremendous indoor season that saw Harding set school record marks in the 800 meters (1:50.93), 400 meters (49.43), 500 meters (1:04.48) and 1,000 meters (2:29.95).
Koike currently owns a 3.775 grade point average as a Health and Wellness major. His name is heavily featured in the school record book as he is in the top-5 in school history in the 60 meters (7.05), 200 meters (22.09), 60 meters hurdles (8.83) and long jump (6.66m).
The St. Augustine, Fla. native also owns the top mark in school history in the heptathlon (4,481 points).
In addition, UNC Asheville's Kayli Nichols was tabbed to the Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Academic Team.
A double major in German and Political Science with a 3.96 grade point average, Nichols has set school-record times of 8.86 in the 60 meter hurdles and the 1:16.00 in 500 meters. Nichols has also posted numerous other top-5 times in school history (200m, 400m and 800m). At this year's Big South Track and Field Indoor Championships, Nichols had a top-5 finish in the 60 meter hurdles finals with a time of 8.89 seconds. She also finished seventh in the women's 800 meters finals with a time of 2:18.17.
Harding, Koike and the UNC Asheville men's and women's track and field teams will next have nearly a month break in preparation for the Yellow Jacket Invite. The meet will be held in Atlanta, Ga. from March 17-18.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and FieldThursday, June 18
Wednesday, March 18
Wednesday, March 11
Friday, February 06