Pictured: Former Mansfield distance runner Megan Rose among three Southeastern Oklahoma State University track athletes that earned the Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
Expectations surrounding the Southeastern Oklahoma State University track and field team were mild when the season began. After the Great American Conference Track Championships on Saturday night, the results were brighter than anticipated including a special award bestowed upon a local product.
The Savage Storm was picked to finish seventh in the GAC women’s division as the abbreviated track season began prior to spring. Behind the strength of four top-three finishes and five other point-getters, the school from Durant, Oklahoma climbed to fourth out of 13 attending schools at the GAC Finals on April 16-17.
Among the awards shared throughout the weekend meet was one that went to Southeastern junior Megan Rose, a former Mansfield distance runner. Rose along with teammates Lindsay Klasek and Sierra Parks each earned the Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award.
The prestigious award was given based upon a student-athlete earning at least 70 credit hours and having at least a 3.90 cumulative GPA.
“We are really proud of Megan and all her accomplishments since graduating from Mansfield,” said Rose’s former high school coach John Mackey. “Her athletic abilities came from an intense work ethic. This shows she has just as much commitment to the academic side of college as she does the athletics.”
Rose had solid racing numbers around the track at the Magnolia, Arkansas hosted conference showdown. The third-year track athlete ran both the 1500m and 800m runs.
Her 1500m time was 5:24.98. The high school equivalent would be a 1600m time in 5:46. That pace was good enough for 29th place among a legion of conference runners.
In the 800m run, Rose pushed the pace even faster. She clipped off a 2:39.09 for the two-lap event. That measure was good for 24th place in the large-scale meet.
Teammate Jessie Sanchez was the team’s leading scorer winning two GAC individual championships. Sanchez, a freshman from Stillwell, Oklahoma, won both the 200m (24.82) and 400m (56.41) dashes. Each was SOSU school records.
As a group, the Savage Storm produced 11 school records and 23 personal records at the conference finals. Among that were two gold, one silver, and one bronze medal for their GAC final’s effort.
