By: Erin Madden
Complete USTFCCCA All-Region Honorees
NEW ORLEANS - Four Baldwin Wallace University women's outdoor track and field student-athletes have combined for a total of seven U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Great Lakes Region honors.
The top-5 individuals in each event from each region earned All-Region distinction, in addition to each member of the region's top-3 relay teams.
Senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference and Academic All-OAC thrower Brooke Buckhannon (Collins/Western Reserve), junior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC distance runner Alyssa Laughner (Howard, Pa./Central Mountain), freshman All-OAC distance runner Hope Murphy (Mogadore) and sophomore All-OAC thrower Abby Rodriguez (Grandview, Wash./Prosser) were all recognized by the USTFCCCA.
Buckhannon repeats as an All-Great Lakes Region selection in the hammer throw for the third time in her career while also picking up her first honors in the shot put and the discus throw. The senior won the OAC hammer title with a conference meet-record toss of 174 feet, 6 inches and also earned All-OAC honors in the shot put, placing third with a mark of 40'6".
Laughner collects her first Outdoor USTFCCCA All-Region honors in both the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000-meter run. She garnered All-OAC accolades in both events, winning the steeplechase in 11:07.36 and placing third in the 5,000 in a career-best 17:33.72.
Murphy earns All-Great Lakes Region honors in the 800-meter run after winning the event at every single outdoor meet she competed in. The freshman claimed the OAC title in the 800 in a time of 2:16.48.
Rodriguez lands her first All-Region honor, regardless of season, in the shot put. She also earned her first All-OAC accolade by finishing as the runner-up in the shot put with a mark of 40'6.25", narrowly edging out her teammate Buckhannon.
Buckhannon, Laughner and Murphy all continue their seasons at the 2021 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which takes place Thursday through Saturday, May 27-29, at the Irwin Belk Track in Greensboro, North Carolina.
