FOREST, Va. --- Outdoor track & field started in earnest in Week 29 with nearly all schools competing in a handful of meets over the weekend. Some school records have already taken a tumble and, while it is still early, many ODAC stars are positioned well in the national rankings.  Those earning ODAC Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week awards for Tuesday, March 21, include (picture, l-r): Samuel Crawford from Roanoke, Kiara Felston from Shenandoah, Michael Smith from Bridgewater, and Betsy Mohnkern from Lynchburg.

Below are entries for each of the winners from today's release. The schedule below will be used for reporting ODAC Athletes of the Week:

• Mondays: baseball, lacrosse, softball, tennis
• Tuesdays: outdoor track & field
• Wednesdays: m/w golf

For more on ODAC athletics, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

MEN'S OUTDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Mike Smith | Bridgewater | So. | Throws Smith, a sophomore from Waynesboro, Va., picked up outdoors right where he left off the indoor campaign as the All-American thrower posted three top-14 marks in Division III at the W&L Track & Field Carnival over the weekend. Smith, who set new personal-bests in all three of his throws at Lexington, won both the hammer throw and shot put competitions and finished second in the discus. He heaved the shot 13.97 meters (45-10.00), marking the best throw in the ODAC on opening weekend. It ranks 14th in Division III. Smith flung the hammer 51.52 meters (169-0.00) to rank second in the ODAC and ninth in the country. His discus throw of 43.13 meters (141-6.00) is also second in the conference and 13th in Division III. Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC MEN'S OUTDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Samuel Crawford | Roanoke | Sr. | Sprints Crawford, a senior from Winston-Salem, N.C., competed three times at W&L Track & Field Carnival and finds his name atop an ODAC early season chart for three different events. Crawford won the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.09 seconds. That not only tops the conference list but sits fourth in the country. The Maroons winning 4x400-meter relay team also sits fourth in Division III after posting a time of 3:19.96. That time by Crawford, Lorenzo Camobreco, Brandon Heffinger, and Hunter Bohon is #1 in the league and snapped a 49-year old school record. Crawford was joined by Camobreco, Aidan Spradlin, and Blake Morin in finishing second in the 4x100-meter relay at 42.50 seconds. That time is tops in conference and ranks 12th in the nation. Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

WOMEN'S OUTDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Kiara Felston | Shenandoah | Jr. | Throws Felston, a junior from Dover, Pa., has carried over her historic success indoors to the outdoor arena following a pair of strong throws at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Felston finished in the top-10 in both events at the multi-divisional (and non-collegiate) meet. She placed seventh in the discus at 37.19 meters (122-0.00). That is the second-best throw in the conference and ranks 15th in Division III. Felston, who set the ODAC weight throw record multiple times indoors, chimed in eighth in the hammer throw at 48.55 meters (159-3.00). That mark tops the ODAC chart and sits second in the country. Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC WOMEN'S OUTDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Betsy Mohnkern | Lynchburg | Jr. | Hurdles/Sprints Mohnkern, a junior Livonia, N.Y., collects her second ODAC weekly award of the 2022-23 academic year and first outdoors after three strong races at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational hosted in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Mohnkern is the owner of two ODAC best times following the multi-divisional (and non-collegiate) meet. She finished 10th overall and first among Division III runners in the 400-meter hurdles with the top conference time of 1:06.98. That mark currently ranks 12th in Division III. Mohnkern is the fourth-fastest runner in the country in the 100-meter hurdles after placing 12th overall (1st D3) in the event with an ODAC-best time of 14.87 seconds. Mohnkern also ran a leg of the Hornets 4x200-meter relay unit. She was joined by Rylee Turner, Vuronika Barnes, and Kiara Smith in placing seventh overall and first among Division III competitors at 1:44.88. Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK