Sugishita Snags A-Sun Outdoor Most Outstanding Field Performer
4/26/2012 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
A-Sun Release
Sugishita A-Sun Championship Interview
MACON, Ga. – Junior Kenny Sugishita (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) of the USC Upstate men's track & field team tossed his way to being named the Atlantic Sun Conference Outdoor Most Outstanding Field Performer as announced today by the conference office. The award was voted on by league coaches.
Sugishita led the Spartan men at the A-Sun Outdoor Championships April 20-21, picking up three gold medals and helping the team tally the most points in program history with 106 points. Sugishita was also named the A-Sun Indoor Most Outstanding Field Performer back in February, taking top prize in the shot put and weight throw.
At the outdoor championships, he started the weekend with a school record performance Friday, April 20 in the shot put with a winning throw of 16.47-meters (54-00.50), beating his previous record of 15.65-meters (51-04.25) set at the Charlotte 49er Classic March 17. His performance in the shot put is the second-best in A-Sun meet history.
The junior earned his second conference title Friday afternoon, posting a first-place toss of 56.67-meters (185-11) in the hammer throw for the third-best mark in A-Sun history. On the final day of A-Sun competition, Sugishita won the men's discus with an A-Sun meet record and school-best hurl of 52.53-meters (172-04) to complete his triple-crown weekend. The previous Atlantic Sun record was 49.75-meters set in 2007, while Sugishita's previous Upstate record was 49.17-meters (161-04) also set at the 49er Classic.
"I just wanted to come in and improve my best marks," Sugishita said. "Wherever the places fell, that's fine, but I was just happy to improve on some of my marks. Realistically, I just want to go as far as I can nationally."
Sugishita has his eye on the NCAA Regionals May 24-26 as he currently ranks 30th in the discus, 42nd in the hammer and 63rd in the shot put. The top 48 performers will compete in Jacksonville, Fla., for the Regional meet. Sugishita has one last opportunity to improve on his marks at the Clemson Tiger Qualifier May 11-12.
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