April 15, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Samford senior distance runner Lauren Blankenship has been named the Ohio Valley Conference Female Track Athlete of the Week for this sixth week of the outdoor season. This is the second time Blankenship has received the award this season. She was named Track Athlete of the Week in the third week of the indoor track season.

Blankenship won the 5000-meters Saturday at the Sea Rays Relays, running a time of 16:46.15. The time qualified her for the NCAA South Regional Championship which will be held May 30-31 at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

Voted on by conference officials, the award is given to those persons who have excelled in track events and field events in the prior week. One female and one male, and often more than one, is named Athlete of the Week for track and for field.