University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Harding Chosen Big South Outdoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year
05.12.2017 | Track and Field
CHARLESTON, S.C. - UNC Asheville freshman Matthew Harding was chosen as the Big South Conference Men's Track and Field Freshman of the Year on the final day of the 2017 Big South Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships presented by UCS and Musco Lighting on Friday, May 12, at the Bagwell-Settle Stadium Track on the campus of Charleston Southern.
Harding's honor allows him to sweep the Big South Conference Freshman of the Year awards as he was also tabbed as the league's Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year in late February.
Harding's tremendous freshman year and the fact that he has swept the Freshman of the Year awards is not lost on UNC Asheville track and field head coach Jesse Norman.
"It's pretty special," Norman said. "He's going to be a special talent down the road. As a freshman he improved by I think about six seconds from what he did in high school and he's qualified for the (NCAA) regionals. He's a gamer. He shows up on meet day and at championships. I wouldn't put it past him to be able to qualify for the national championships out in Eugene (Ore.). He's going to have a long summer doing some different things. He's been invited to the British Senior Trials and the European Under 20s, so he's going to have a big summer. He's going to be a pretty special talent for UNC Asheville the next few years."
Harding followed up his win earlier this year in the 800 meters at the league Indoor Track and Field Championships by winning the 800m at the Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a time of 1:49.92. The time was the second-best in program history in the event.
It was the first of two podiums on the day for Harding as he anchored the Bulldogs' 4x400 team to a second-place all-league finish with a time of 3:18.26. The time was the second-best in program history in the event.
Harding's honor was one of three big awards for the Bulldogs on the day as Kayli Nichols was chosen to the Big South Women's Track and Field All-Academic Team, while Chase Stevens was selected to the Big South Men's Track and Field All-Academic Team.
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Harding's honor allows him to sweep the Big South Conference Freshman of the Year awards as he was also tabbed as the league's Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year in late February.
Harding's tremendous freshman year and the fact that he has swept the Freshman of the Year awards is not lost on UNC Asheville track and field head coach Jesse Norman.
"It's pretty special," Norman said. "He's going to be a special talent down the road. As a freshman he improved by I think about six seconds from what he did in high school and he's qualified for the (NCAA) regionals. He's a gamer. He shows up on meet day and at championships. I wouldn't put it past him to be able to qualify for the national championships out in Eugene (Ore.). He's going to have a long summer doing some different things. He's been invited to the British Senior Trials and the European Under 20s, so he's going to have a big summer. He's going to be a pretty special talent for UNC Asheville the next few years."
Harding followed up his win earlier this year in the 800 meters at the league Indoor Track and Field Championships by winning the 800m at the Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a time of 1:49.92. The time was the second-best in program history in the event.
It was the first of two podiums on the day for Harding as he anchored the Bulldogs' 4x400 team to a second-place all-league finish with a time of 3:18.26. The time was the second-best in program history in the event.
Harding's honor was one of three big awards for the Bulldogs on the day as Kayli Nichols was chosen to the Big South Women's Track and Field All-Academic Team, while Chase Stevens was selected to the Big South Men's Track and Field All-Academic Team.
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Players Mentioned
Distance
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Sprints
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Sprints
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