April 30, 2008

BEAUMONT - Lamar University senior hurdler Jessika Johnson earned Southland Conference outdoor track athlete of the week honors after her record setting performance at the Exxon Mobil Ty Terrell Relays last week.

Johnson highlighted the meet for Lamar, racing to a school record time of 13.68 seconds in the 100 meter hurdles. She bested the 15-year-old record of Tunesia Ashford who clocked a 13.86 during the 1993 season. The regional qualifying performance was the fastest in the Southland Conference this season as she edged out Tiana Lee of Sam Houston State who ran the second fastest time, 13.75 in the SLC this year in the same race.

This is the first time in her career that Johnson has earned athlete of the week accolades. The senior has put together a stellar 2008 season as a whole, setting the school record in the indoor 60 meter hurdles with an 8.70 second performance at the SLC indoor championship.

Johnson and the rest of the LU track team will be back in action May 9-11 at the Southland Conference outdoor championships on the campus of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.