July 16, 2007
RICHMOND, Va. -
Murielle Ahoure (Bristow, Va./Hayfield Secondary) rewrote the George Mason record books during her sophomore season. Recently, she was honored by the CAA for her record-setting season, sharing the CAA Athlete of the Year award with UNC Wilmington's Anna Raynor. The award was selected by a vote of the league's head coaches and takes into account an athlete's accomplishments throughout the outdoor season, during which the CAA holds its championship meet in track and field.
Ahoure excelled in both the 100- and 200-meter dash for the Patriots, qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in both events. At the NCAA East Regional Championships in Gainesville, Fla., Ahoure won the East Regional Championship in the 100-meter dash and placed fourth in the 200-meter dash. She shattered the previous school record of 11.39 seconds in the 100-meter dash in the preliminary heats of the event at the regional meet, crossing the finish line in 11.28 seconds.
The native of Bristow, Va. was at her best in high-profile meets throughout the entire season, capturing the ECAC Championship in both the 100- and 200-meter dash on her way to being named the MVP of the meet. She was also named the Co-Most Outstanding Performer of the Track Events at the CAA Championships for the second straight season after defending her conference titles in both the 100- and 200-meter dash while setting new conference standards in both events. She anchored the 4x100-meter relay teams that finished second at the CAA Championships and fifth at the ECAC Championships.
Ahoure wasn't the only member of George Mason's women's track and field team to earn a major conference honor, as Tiara Swindell (Hampton, Va./Kecoughtan) was named the CAA Rookie of the Year. Swindell was one of only four freshman to compete at the NCAA East Regional Championships in the 400-meter dash. She qualified for the ECAC Championships in both the 200- and 400-meter dash and was stellar at the CAA Championships in both events, capturing the title in the 400-meter dash and finishing third in the 200-meter dash. She also ran on the 4x100-meter relay team that placed second at the CAA Championships, in addition to being a member of the team that placed fifth at the ECAC Championships.
In addition to the Athlete and Rookie of the Year awards, the conference also handed out its Coach of the Year award, won by Northeastern's Sherman Hart. In addition to the 2007 major award winners in women's track and field, the following individuals and relay teams received All-CAA accolades based on their performances at the CAA Championship meet.
2007 CAA All-Conference Team
100m: Murielle Ahoure (Mason), Denice Vance (GSU), Adaku Ezeonwuka (GSU).
200m: Murielle Ahoure (Mason), Denice Vance (GSU), Tiara Swindell (Mason).
400m: Tiara Swindell (Mason), Cristine Marquez (Delaware), Jill Meshey (Towson).
800m: Denisha Bryant (GSU), Amber Gibney (Northeastern), Allie Lewis (W&M).
1,500m: Emily Anderson (W&M), Emily Schroeder (W&M), Caitlin Price (GSU).
5,000m: Meghan Bishop (W&M), Rachel Hannah (GSU), Kaitlin Hurley (W&M).
10,000m: Emily Gousen (W&M), Abby Booker (W&M), Kristie Gagnon (Northeastern).
100m hurdles: Tramaine Shaw (Northeastern), Ashantia Harris (GSU), Sheriee Willis (GSU).
400m hurdles: Tramaine Shaw (Northeastern), LaVonne Ellerbe (JMU), Davianne Brown (Northeastern).
3,000m SC: Kate Willever (W&M), Aspen Foster (JMU), Anna Brousel (W&M).
4x100m relay: Georgia State (Kendra Davis, Adaku Ezeonwuka, Porscha Bailey, Denice Vance), George Mason (Ryann Hendricks, Tiara Swindell, Marie Fields, Murielle Ahoure), Northeastern (Tramaine Shaw, Aquila Williams-Judge, Consandria Walker, Shanae Henry).
4x400m relay: Georgia State (Ladrica Derrico, Denisha Bryant, Nicole Davis, Dawn Arnold), Northeastern (Tramaine Shaw, DaviAnn Brown, Shanae Henry, Amber Gibney), JMU (Rashonda Roberson, Leslie Anderson, LaVonne Ellerbe, Renee Lott).
High Jump: Laura Passalacqua (Towson), Aisha Jones (UNCW), Frankie Moore (VCU), Anna Raynor (UNCW), Debbie Martin (UNCW).
Pole Vault: Nicole Kazuba (W&M), Olivia Kalinowska (Northeastern), Laura Chirico (Delaware).
Long Jump: Tramaine Shaw (Northeastern), Stephanie Rathbauer (Towson), Asha Quant (Delaware).
Triple Jump: Ryann Hendricks (Mason), Adrienne Mayo (JMU), Consandria Walker (Northeastern).
Shot Put: Zara Northover (Northeastern), Jessica Wade (JMU), Jennifer Showker (W&M).
Discus: Zara Northover (Northeastern), Amanda Marshall (Delaware), Jaraea Shepherd (UNCW).
Hammer: Zara Northover (Northeastern), Abby Lemon (W&M), Nikki Arrington (VCU).
Javelin: Anna Raynor (UNCW), Nancy Rowe (Northeastern), Colleen Sorensen (Northeastern).
Heptathlon: Bonnie Meekins (W&M), Christine Nicewonger (JMU), Ashley Wilson (Northestern).
