Track and Field: Seven Tigers earn All-ACC Academic Honors
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The ACC announced earlier today that seven members of the Clemson Track & Field program have earned All-ACC Academic Honors for their achievements during the 2019-20 indoor season. Devon Brooks, Lafranz Campbell and Grant Voeks represent the men’s team, while Laurie Barton, Nicolee Foster, Veronica Fraley and Rebekah Smith represent the women’s team.
Student-athletes who receive the award have earned at least a 3.0 grade point average during the previous semester and have a cumulative grade point average throughout their academic careers of 3.0 or higher.
Brooks and Campbell earn the award after excelling on the track this past season in the men’s 60-meter hurdles. The duo ran the fourth and fifth fastest times, respectively, in Clemson history for the event this past year. The two athletes each earned second-team All-ACC honors at the ACC Championships and qualified for the NCAA Indoor National Championships in the event. In the classroom, Brooks and Campbell are both Communication majors.
Voeks, a graduate student studying Civil Engineering, improved his ranking on Clemson’s all-time list for the men’s shot put by throwing the No. 2 mark in Clemson history, 18.93 meters (62-1.25), at the South Carolina Invitational.
Barton excelled on the track in the 800 meters and in the classroom as a Health Science major during this past season. Barton would add her name to the program’s record book in the final of the women’s 800 meters at the ACC Championships, winning the event with a season’s best time of 2:04.04. Barton's currently ranked as the fourth-fastest performer in Clemson history for the women's 800 meters and 1000 meters.
Foster helped the women’s team capture second-team All-ACC Honors in the 4x400 meter relay at the ACC Championships. Foster improved upon her personal best in the 400 meters by a staggering margin throughout the year, entering the campaign with a personal best of 58.24 and finishing the season having run 56.19. At Clemson, Foster studies Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management.
Fraley, a sophomore studying Health Science, threw 16.10 meters (52-10) in the shot put this year to make her the event's third-best performer in program history. After entering the season with a personal best of 14.99 meters (49-2.25), Fraley would go on to eclipse the 15-meter mark in all seven of her competitions this season, ending the campaign with a sixth-place finish at ACC’s.
Smith, a graduate student studying Human Resource Development, was the Tigers’ top sprinter in the 60 meters this season, earning a personal best time of 7.23 seconds at the LSU Twilight. Smith’s time makes her the third-best performer in program history for the event. At the ACC Championships, Smith was the lone Tiger to qualify for the finals of two individual events, going on to finish third in the 60 meters and fourth in the 200 meters. Smith was named the ACC Women’s Track Performer of the Week for her excellent performance following the LSU Twilight. This is Smith’s fifth career All-ACC Academic honor.
Brooks and Foster have earned the accolades in their first year at Clemson, as Brooks joined the program following his time at Limestone College, while Foster came to Clemson from Central Arizona College.