Track and Field: Jones, Spratling earn Big East Track Athlete of the Week honors

By Lauren Kirschman

Two Pitt athletes received Big East Track Athlete of the Week honors on Tuesday.

Sprinters… Two Pitt athletes received Big East Track Athlete of the Week honors on Tuesday.

Sprinters Cambrya Jones and Brycen Spratling swept the men’s and women’s awards for Pitt after their performances at the Sea Ray Relays and Sea Ray Showcase this weekend in Knoxville, Tenn.

Jones, a senior, was named the Women’s Big East Track Athlete of the Week after winning the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.21. She was also a member of the second-place 400-meter relay team that finished with a time of 45.07.

“This came as a surprise to me, but I’m honored to win this award,” Jones said in a Pitt press release. “I’m excited to see where the rest of the season takes me.”

Jones also received the award last week, when she set Pitt’s school record and qualified for the Olympic Team Trials in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.10 at the Pepsi Florida Relays.

She holds the lowest times in the Big East for three different events this year. Jones is currently at the top of the conference in the 100-meter dash (11.57) and the 200-meter dash (23.10). The 400-meter relay team also holds the top time in the Big East with a time of 44.90.

“I’ve seen a different focus from Cambrya this year. And with this being her senior year, she knew she wanted to make her last year her best year,” Pitt head coach Alonzo Webb said in a Pitt press release.

Spratling, a sophomore, received the Men’s Big East Track Athlete of the Week award. He took first place and set a school record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 46.03. The time ranks first in the Big East and ninth in the country this year.

“For a season-opening race in the 400-meter dash, it was a good opening race and is a good time to build on,” Spratling said in a Pitt press release. “Hopefully, I keep getting faster as the season goes on.”

Spratling is a member of the men’s 400-meter relay team that finished third this weekend with a time of 40.61. He also ran the 200-meter dash and came in third with a time of 21.21.

“I expected Brycen to run well because I know what he’s capable of,” Webb said. “Every time he goes out there he wants to do well, because he’s a competitor.”

Spratling last claimed the Big East Track Athlete of the Week award in January during the indoor season, when he set two school records.