BATON ROUGE, La. ? ULM's Heather Davis and Richard McKay highlighted 12 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Track and Field All-Louisiana selections after garnering specialty awards for the season, the organization announced late Friday night.
Davis, a three-time NCAA Championships participant and three-time Sun Belt Conference indoor and outdoor high jump champion was named Louisiana Female Field Athlete of the Year. The distinction was the second-consecutive for the senior from Spring, Texas.
One of the most decorated female track and field athletes in program history, Davis ended the 2009 campaign with three major meet victories, including both league high jump championships and the NCAA Mideast Regional crown. She finishes her career as one of only three female student-athletes at ULM to advance to three NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Davis also recently represented ULM at the United States Track and Field Association's National Championships in Eugene, Ore.
McKay garnered his first all-Louisiana award and was recognized with the distinction of being the male freshman of the year after a stellar campaign in the javelin. The 2009 Sun Belt Conference champion, McKay placed in the top five at the NCAA Mideast Regional and advanced to his first NCAA Championship.
The DeRidder, La., native became ULM's second-consecutive male javelin thrower to garner Louisiana Freshman of the Year honors. Last season, teammate Kyle Kent garnered the award.
ULM's two specialty awards were the second-most in the state behind only LSU's five. Louisiana Tech claimed the eighth and final specialty award voted on by the track and field media contacts from each of the participating Louisiana universities.
Comprised of the top three times and distances in each event, the LSWA All-Track and Field team honored a total of 10Warhawks in a total of 12 events.
Freshman Luther Ambrose grabbed two all-Louisiana honors for the men with a top-three finish in the state in the 100-meter dash and the long jump while senior Destiny Montemayor pulled down two for the women's team with a top-three finish in both the hammer throw and the discus.
Male All-Louisiana Awards
Track Athlete of the Year: Trindon Holliday, LSU (100 Meter Dash)
Field Athlete of the Year: Walter Henning, LSU (Hammer Throw)
Newcomer of the Year: Walter Henning, LSU (Hammer Throw)
Freshman of the Year: Richard McKay, ULM (Javelin)
Female All-Louisiana Awards
Track Athlete of the Year: LaTavia Thomas, LSU (800 Meter Run)
Field Athlete of the Year: Heather Davis, ULM (High Jump)
Newcomer of the Year: Lashannda Worthy, Louisiana Tech (4x100 Meter Relay, 4x400 Meter Relay)
Freshman of the Year: Rachel Laurent, LSU (Pole Vault)
Coach of the Year: Dennis Shaver, LSU
ULM's All-Louisiana Honorees
Luther Ambrose (100 Meter Dash, Long Jump)
Mychal Word (400 Meter Hurdles)
Richard McKay (Javelin)
Isaac Combs (Decathlon)
Ruslan Hemed (Decathlon)
Seth Hall (10,000 Meter Run)
Heather Davis (High Jump)
Lakeitha Elmore (Shot Put)
Destiny Montemayor (Discus, Hammer Throw)
Kelsie Coats (10,000 Meter Run)
