April 21, 2008

DAYTON, Ohio - The University of Dayton honored four track and field student-athletes at its annual awards banquet on Sunday. Brigitte Sherman, Mallory Barnes, Johnna Zaccari, and Emily Deet all garnered honors for their achievements during the indoor and outdoor track seasons.

Freshman Brigitte Sherman was named the White Allen Most Valuable Runner at the banquet. Sherman has posted impressive times all season and has led a strong class of rookie distance runners. She recorded a personal best 2:59.12 in the 1000m at the Atlantic 10 Indoor Championship to place fourth and ran 5:00.92 in the mile to finish sixth to help Dayton to a program-best second place finish.

So far during the outdoor portion of the schedule Sherman has recorded three of the top five 1500 meter times for a Flyer including her season best 4:43.73 at the Coastal Carolina Invite.

Mallory Barnes, winner of the White Allen Most Valuable Field Events award, garnered A-10 Track & Field Rookie of the Week honors for shattering a school record in the weight throw at the DePauw Invite on Feb. 1 with a distance of 56-10, besting the previous mark of 56-08.75. She also helped lead her team to a first place victory at the meet finishing first in the weight throw and fourth in the shot put.

Barnes led Dayton in the weight throw throughout the indoor season and posted a third place finish at the A-10 Championship with her toss of 55-05.00. In addition, the rookie also currently leads the team in the hammer throw (158-07).

First Team All-Conference performer Johnna Zaccari was named the team's Rookie of the Year. Zaccari also garnered Conference weekly honors as she was named both the A-10's Track & Field Performer and Rookie of the Week on March 17 for taking first place in the shot put at the Coastal Carolina Invitational with a toss of 44-05.50.

Zaccari has finished first in the shot put at a meet for UD four times this year, including her first place finish and personal best hurl of 46-04.25 at the A-10 Indoor Championship. She also owns eight of the top 10 shot put throws of both the indoor and outdoor seasons for a Flyer.

Rounding out the awards was senior Emily Deet who was named this year's "Fighting Flyer" recipient. The award is voted on by the team is given to an individual that the team feels best represent the program. "Emily is an ambassador for the women's track and field team and her leadership, passion, and work ethic is tremendous," said head coach Adam Steinwachs. "She will be missed next year."

The track team will compete in two separate meets next weekend before wrapping up the season at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championship the following weekend. The Hillsdale Relays will be the first and will start on Friday, while the Stan Lyons Invitational will take place on Saturday.