Williams, Stevens named USTFCCCA West Region Athletes of the Year

The U.S. Track & Field, Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its annual regional award winners on Monday, with a pair of student-athletes on the Arizona State University track and field team garnering recognition for their efforts. Charonda Williams was named the Women’s West Region Track Athlete of the Year while Sarah Stevens was selected as the Women’s West Region Field Athlete of the Year.

Williams was selected for her first regional honor after ranking as one of the top female sprinters in the nation this year. After entering the season with personal-bests of 11.41 and 23.03 in the 100m and 200m events, respectively, Williams ran school-record times in both events this season. Her time of 11.14 in the 100m ranks as the sixth-best in the nation heading into the national meet while her time of 22.82 is the fourth-best nationally. Williams made history at the Pac-10 Championships in May as she won both races to sweep the short sprints for the second year in a row and becoming the only woman in Conference history to win both races in back-to-back championships. The winner of both races at the regional meet as well, Williams has helped the 4x100m relay to the sixth-best time in the nation this year.

Stevens garnered her second athletic honor from the USTFCCCA as she was selected the 2007 Women’s West District Field Athlete of the Year. In her senior campaign, the 12-time All-American has once again qualified to compete in the shot put, discus and hammer at the national meet, ranking second, third and fifth, respectively, while also entering the meet as the defending champion in the discus. The Pac-10 and West Region champion in both the shot put and the discus, Stevens also took second in the hammer at both meets to lead all individuals in scoring with 28 points. Stevens holds season-best marks of 18.00m in the shot put, 57.24m in the discus and 64.79m in the hammer.

The Association honored athletes and coaches in all eight of its regions with accolades presented to men’s and women’s track, men’s and women’s field, men’s and women’s head coach and men’s and women’s assistant coach. All regional honorees are now eligible for national accolades that will be announced following the national meet.

The NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be up next for the Sun Devils as they will compete in Fayetteville, Ark., June 10-13.

2009 USTFCCCA Region Awards
West Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year: Charonda Williams
West Region Women’s Field Athlete of the Year: Sarah Stevens