Delaware’s Schwendtner Earns Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Field Athlete of the Week Award
May 3, 2011
RICHMOND, Va. -- University of Delaware junior Jim Schwendtner, who captured the college hammer title at the prestigious Penn Relays on Saturday, has been selected as the Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Field Athlete of the Week.
Schwendtner, a native of Ballston Lake, N.Y (Shenendehowa High School), was one of four student-athletes honored by the CAA. The UNC Wilmington 4 x 800 meter relay earned CAA Men’s Track Athlete of the Week while Schwendtner shared his award with George Mason long jumper Lavell Handy and William & Mary javelin thrower Brandon Heroux.
On the women’s side, William & Mary’s Elaina Balouris was named CAA Women’s Track Athlete of the Week and James Madison’s Marrissa McDonald was selected as CAA Women’s Field Athlete of the Week.
The defending Colonial Athletic Association champion in the event, Schwendtner tossed the hammer 196-feet, 1-inch, to capture the event and highlight Delaware’s final day at the prestigious event that attracts some of the nation’s top track and field performers.
According to Delaware records, he is the first Blue Hen men’s track & field athlete to capture first place at the Penn Relays since the two-mile relay team took first place honors in 1965.
Schwendtner, who also was the 2009 CAA runner-up in the hammer, ran his career meet win total to six with the victory. His throw, the second best in school history, surpassed his previous career-long throw by nearly seven feet and was just 11 feet off the school record of 207-8 by Wade Coleman in 1993.
The honor was the third of the season for the University of Delaware as Blue Hen women’s sprinter Vicky Caruso earned CAA Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors on Apr. 20 and men's weight thrower John Viotto was honored as Men's Field Athlete of the Week back on Apr. 13.
Both University of Delaware teams will continue action this weekend when they take part in the CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. on May 6-7.
