Both Athletes Standout on Conference, National Levels

SALEM, Va. --- Lynchburg College's Ricky Flynn and Roanoke College's Robin Yerkes took home the ODAC Men and Women's Track Athlete of the Year awards in an annual selection of the league's coaches.  Both competitors shined throughout the ODAC indoor and outdoor seasons as well as at the national level, each earning multiple All-American awards.

Flynn earned four All-American awards throughout the year aside from winning the 1,500-meter run at the ODAC outdoor championships and the one-mile run and 5,000-meter run at the ODAC indoor championships.  At the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, the junior standout finished fifth in the 5,000-meter event, crossing the line in 14:49.46.  His best performance came earlier in the meet when he placed second in the 10,000-meter run, just three seconds off the lead with a time of 30:57.71.  Both marks were good enough for All-American status, adding to the honors he received for his fifth place finish in the NCAA indoor 5,000-meter run and his showing at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships.

Yerkes' season was equally as impressive, beginning with Co-Athlete of the Meet recognition at the ODAC indoor championships.  She won the 55-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter dashes before taking her talents to the national stage where she won 400-meter race and earned an All-American nod.  At the ODAC outdoor championships, she won the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes while finishing second in the 100-meter dash.  She and teammates JaLeesa Osborne, Candace Lewis and Jazamine Stallings won the 4x100-meter relay.  She also teamed with Stephanie Spickard, Nicole Rose and Karis Crosby to win the 4x400-meter relay.

The South/Southeast Region Female Track Athlete of the Year (by the USTFCCCA) continued her success in Marietta, Ohio, at the outdoor national championships.  Yerkes finished second in the 400-meter dash, crossing the line just 0.50 seconds away from sweeping the event in both the indoor and outdoor events.  Yerkes picked up a second outdoor All-American award with her teammates in the 4x100-meter dash as the Maroons' squad finished eighth in the country.

For more information on ODAC track and field, visit any of the participating schools' websites.  You can go the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.