Big South Honors Chelanga, Klugh & Smith
1/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Liberty's Sam Chelanga, Jennifer Klugh and Ryan Smith were all honored by the Big South Conference today. Chelanga is the Choice Hotels Big South Co-Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week, Klugh is the Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week and Smith is the Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week.
Chelanga, who shared his award with Charleston Southern sprinter Javon Young, opened his final collegiate indoor track season in fine fashion, Friday at the Hokie Invitational. He won the men's mile in a personal-best time of 4:03.84, which currently ranks No. 4 on the NCAA national performance list.
Earlier in the day, Klugh placed third in the women's 3K at the Hokie Invitational. Her personal-best clocking of 9:53.24 qualified the junior for the ECAC Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships and moves her up to No. 3 in program history for the 3K.
Smith had a busy week, competing at the Hornet Indoor Sprints, Jumps and Throws Challenge on Jan. 19, as well as the Hokie Invitational over the weekend. He won both the shot put and weight throw at the Hornet Indoor meet, uncorking an indoor personal-best shot put of 57-0.25 in the process. That moves the redshirt sophomore to No. 3 in program history and No. 32 in the nation.
At the Hokie Invitational, Smith placed second (first among collegiate athletes) in the shot put and third in the weight throw. His weight throw at Virginia Tech, 58-1.75, set a new personal best.
Liberty will host the Liberty Open at the Tolsma Indoor Track Center this Friday and Saturday. Action gets underway Friday at 12:30 p.m., with the pentathlon 60-meter hurdles.
