May 3, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Samford track and field athlete Lauren Blankenship was tabbed as the OVC Female Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and freshman Bulldog Morgan Tyler picked up Female Freshman of the Year, announced the Ohio Valley Conference office on Thursday.

The awards were announced Thursday in advance of the 2007 O'Reilly OVC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held May 4-5 at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. Eastern Illlinois plays host to the two-day event, which gets underway Friday at 2 p.m. central.

Junior distance runner Blankenship is after her third outdoor 5,000-meter title at the upcoming OVC championships. The Alpharetta, Ga., native ranks first in the OVC in the 5,000-meters (16:33.99) and the 1,500-meters (4:31.17). Her 5,000-meter marks qualified her for the NCAA Regional while her 1,500-meter time set a new school record. Blankenship has set two school records in the outdoor season, including one in the 3000-meter race. At the 2007 indoor championship, she took first in the 3000-meters and the 5,000-meters. Blankenship was also named OVC Female Track Athlete of the Week twice during the outdoor season.

Freshman hurdler and jumper Tyler ranks among the league leaders in the triple jump with a leap of 37'02.25" as well as the 400-meter hurdles (1:03.82). That hurdle performance at the Troy Invitational also tied a school record. The Houston, Texas native also recorded a season-best of 17'00.00" in the long jump this year.

Competition for the 2007 O'Reilly OVC Outdoor Track and Field Championships gets underway on Friday at 2 p.m. central and will resume on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT. Live results will be available through the OVC Sports Web site.