Sam Kendricks competes in the pole vault during the Mississippi Open last weekend. / Tyler Jackson
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Ole Miss senior sprinter Isiah Young and sophomore pole vaulter Sam Kendricks have received athlete of the week recognition from the Southeastern Conference after stellar performances at the Mississippi Open this past Saturday.
Young has been named SEC Co-Men’s Runner of the Week, and Kendricks has been tabbed SEC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week.
A native of Junction City, Kan., Young was dominant in his final home track meet as a Rebel, clocking two of the world’s fastest wind-legal times this year. The London Olympian ran four races and claimed four victories in Oxford. He blew away the competition in the 100 (10.09) and 200 (20.39), while anchoring the 4×100 relay squad to victory (39.90) and running the first leg of the winning 4×400 relay (3:10.57).
Young’s 20.39 in the 200 ranks him third in the world and second in the NCAA this year, while his 10.09 in the 100 is tied for fifth-best in the world this year and is third among collegians. He finished just .01 second from his school record of 10.08 from last year. The 4×100 relay team clocked a season-best 39.90, which is tied for fourth-best in school history and ranks Ole Miss 14th in the NCAA this year.
Young shared his weekly honor with Texas A&M’s Deon Lendore, who ran a 2013 NCAA-best 45.00 in the 400 meters.
Kendricks continued his impressive pole vaulting with another record on his home turf. For the second week in a row, he set an Ole Miss facility record, this time clearing 18-1.25 to claim victory.
The Oxford, Miss., native won his ninth straight regular-season pole vault competition and the 15th of his Rebel career, combining indoor and outdoor. He is currently the world leader with a mark of 19-0.75 at the Texas Relays.
Kendricks is the only Ole Miss pole vaulter to ever clear 18 feet, indoors or outdoors, and has now cleared that height eight times.
This is the third SEC weekly award of Young’s career and the fourth for Kendricks.
The 16th-ranked Ole Miss men will be in action at the prestigious Drake Relays this Thursday-Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa.
