West Babylon, N.Y. – Emmanuel Mena Jimenez (West Haverstraw, N.Y.) of St. Thomas Aquinas College and Dayna Thompson (St. Mary, Jamaica) of the University of the District of Columbia have been named the East Coast Conference’s Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year after a vote by the league’s coaches.
Mena Jimenez repeats as the Men’s Outdoor Athlete of the Year. The sophomore excelled in throwing events, finishing no worse than fourth in 11 different events during the outdoor season. Mena Jimenez was the ECC Champion in the discus (52.60m) and hammer (52.82m) and was the runner-up in the shot put (13.95m). His season-best mark in the discus of 52.89m, which was good for second at the TCNJ Invitational, also earned Mena Jimenez a spot in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championship. At the national championship, he finished 11th with a mark of 51.36m to earn a spot on the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-America Second Team.
Thompson earns the honor on the women’s side after leading the conference in both the 100m (12.05) and 200m (24.89), while also being part of the conference’s leading relay team in the 4x100m (47.37) and 4x400m (4:00.14). She also ranked fourth in the ECC in the 400m with a time of 58.12. Her 100m and 200m marks earned her a spot on the USTFCCA All-Region squad as well, with her times ranking fourth in the East.
The three-time ECC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week also earns the honor of the Most Outstanding Women’s Athlete at the ECC Championship. She helped the Firebirds to a second place finish by compiling 36 points with first place finishes in the 100m (12.33), 200m (24.89), and the 4x100 (4:03.75). She added a third place finish in the 400m (1:01.70).
Jayden Bennermon of St. Thomas Aquinas was selected as the Most Outstanding Men’s Athlete at the ECC Championship. Bennermon won the high jump (1.85m), long jump (6.43m), and triple jump (13.71m) to secure 30 points for the Spartans.
