Six Chants Named to 2010-19 Big South Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Decade Team
6/22/2020 3:07:00 PM | Track & Field/Cross Country
Big South Conference announced its 2010s All-Decade Team
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference announced the 2010-19 Women's Outdoor Track & Field All-Decade Team presented by Hercules Tires on Monday afternoon. A total of six former Chanticleers were selected to the team in Jessica Gelibert, Erica Peake, Letitia Saayman, Kierra Gabe, Deborah Mattern, and Latesha "Teka" Simpson with Simpson earning recognition in both the sprints and jumps categories.
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The league's All-Decade Teams were first unveiled as part of the Big South's 30th Anniversary celebration in 2013-14 to recognize the student-athletes and coaches who excelled in their respective sport in each decade since the conference's founding in 1983.
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Gelibert, who was named to the 2010-19 Big South Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Decade Team earlier this month, was an All-American honorable mention in the 4x400-meter relay in 2013. Tabbed the 2014 Big South Runner of the Year and the 2013 Big South Freshman of the Year, she was a five-time Big South Champion, winning the 400-meter hurdles in 2013, 2014, and 2015, and was part of the 4x400-meter relay championship teams in 2013 and 2015.
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A seven-time All-Big South Conference performer, earning all-conference honors in the 100-meter hurdles and 4x400-meter relay twice, and the 400-meter hurdles three times. Her first-place time of 57.86 in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2013 championship meet is still the championship meet record, while her fastest time of 56.87 remains the Big South Conference record.
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Peake, who like Gelibert was named to the 2010-19 Big South Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Decade Team earlier this month, was a two-time All-American honorable mention selection in 2013, earning the recognition as a member of both the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams. Named the 2012 Big South Most Outstanding Track Performer and the 2013 Big South Track and Field Athlete of the Year, Peake was a nine-time Big South individual champion, winning the 100-meter and 200-meter dash in 2012, the long jump in both 2012 and 2013, and was part of the championship 4x100-meter relay team in 2011, 2012, and 2013 and the 4x400-meter relay units in 2011 and 2012.
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A 13-time All-Big South performer, receiving multiple all-conference honors in the 100-meters (3), 200-meters (3), 4x100-meter relay (3), 4x400-meter relay (2), and long jump (2), Peake still holds the Big South record in the 200-meter dash at 23.35
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Saayman was a four-time Big South Champion, winning the 5,000-meter run in 2015 and the 10,000-meter run in 2012, 2014, and 2015. Named the 2015 Big South Runner of the Year, her time of 34:54.43 in the 10,000-meter run at the 2015 Big South Championship meet is still a meet record.
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A six-time Big South All-Conference performer during the outdoor track and field season, picking up honors in both the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter run in 2012, 2014, and 2015, Saayman was named to both the Big South 2010-19 Women's Cross Country and Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Decade teams earlier this month.
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Gabe, who picks up her second Big South all-decade team honor having been named to the 2010-19 Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Decade Team earlier this summer, was the 2012 Big South Most Outstanding Field Performer in which she was the Big South champion in the high jump. She earned All-Big South honors six times, three times in the triple jump, twice in the high jump, and once in the long jump over three years from 2010-12.
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Mattern was a three-time Big South Champion, winning the javelin three-straight years in 2009, 2010, and 2011. A three-time NCAA East Preliminaries participant, she was a four-time All-Big South selection in the javelin throw, earning the all-conference honor in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.
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Simpson, who was also named to the Big South's 2010-19 Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Decade Team, earned recognition on the Women's Outdoor Track and Field team for both sprints and jumps. A two-time All-American honorable mention selection in 2013, earning the recognition as a member of both the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams, she was named the 2014 Big South Most Outstanding Field Performer and the 2016 Most Outstanding Track Performer.
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She was an 11-time Big South Outdoor Track and Field individual champion, winning the 100-meter dash (2016), 200-meter dash (2016), high jump three times (2013, 2015, and 2016), long jump twice (2014 and 2015), and both the 4x100-meter (2013 and 2014) and 4x400-meter (2013 and 2015) relay events.
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Her along with Gelibert, Qwontajah Thompson, and Peake still hold the Big South Conference record in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:34.09 at the 2013 NCAA East Preliminaries.
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Coastal Carolina had a total of five student-athletes named to the 1994-99 all-decade team in Catherine Conder (two-time Big South Champion, three-time all-conference – 1,500-meters, 3,000-meters, Big South Hall of Fame member), Angela Murphy (four-time Big South Champion, five-time all-conference – 800-meters, 1,500-meters), Lauri Occhipinti (two-time Big South Champion, seven-time all-conference – 3,000-meters, 5,000-meters), Jolene Williams (All-American, two-time Big South Champion, three-time all-conference – 1,500-meters, Big South Hall of Fame member), and April Cook (Big South Champion, three-time all-conference – high jump).
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The Chanticleers also had 12 student-athletes and head coach Alan Connie (five Big South Championships, six-time Big South Coach of the Year) earn a spot on the 2000-09 Big South Women's Outdoor Track and Field All-Decade Team.
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Ebony Brown (two-time Big South Champion, seven-time all-conference – 400-meters, 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles) and Ikeiylah Brown (two-time Big South Champion, six-time all-conference – 100-meters, 200-meters, 400-meters) were named to the team for sprints and hurdles, while three Chants in Diana Jepchirchir (two-time Big South Champion, four-time all-conference – 5,000-meters, 10,000-meters), Lindsey Kozlowski (two-time Big South Champion, six-time all-conference – 3,000-meter steeplechase, 10,000-meters), and Anne Marie Moutsinga (five-time Big South Champion, 10-time all-conference – 1,500-meters, 3,000-meters, 5,000-meters, 10,000-meters) earned recognition as distance runners.
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Chasity Johnson (seven-time Big South Champion, nine-time all-conference – long jump, triple jump, high jump), Courtney Samuel (five-time Big South Champion, nine-time all-conference – triple jump, high jump, long jump), and Claire Young (two-time Big South Champion, two-time all-conference – pole vault) received the honor in jumps while four Chants in Amber Campbell (two-time All-American, nine-time Big South Champion, 11-time all-conference – discus, hammer, shot put), Brittany Connor (three-time Big South Champion, eight-time all-conference – hammer, discus, shot put), Annette Purdy (three-time Big South Champion, six-time all-conference – hammer, javelin), and Brittany Reid (two-time Big South Champion, five-time all-conference – shot put, discus) garnered the all-decade team honor in throws.
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A 15-person committee of Big South Conference administrators served as the official voting panel to determine the All-Decade Team, with fan voting comprising 20 percent of the overall total.Â
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The 2010-19 Women's Outdoor Track & Field All-Decade Team is listed below in alphabetical order by event and features eight sprinters/hurdlers, eight distance/mid-distance runners, eight jumpers, eight throwers, two heptathletes, and one head coach. In case of ties, additional honorees have been added.
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2010-19 WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD ALL-DECADE TEAM PRESENTED BY HERCULES TIRES
Sprints/Hurdles – Name, School
Abigail Flower, Liberty
Manika Gamble, High Point
Jessica Gelibert, Coastal Carolina
Gabrielle Houston, Charleston Southern
Mulern Jean, Charleston Southern
Lilla Juhasz, Campbell
Erica Peake, Coastal Carolina
Natalie Pearson, UNC Asheville
Jasmine Pilgrim, Charleston Southern
Latesha Simpson, Coastal Carolina
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Distance/Mid-Distance – Name, School
Zoe Geis, High Point
Sarah Gentry, UNC Asheville
Famke Heinst, High Point
Jennifer Klugh, Liberty
Joan Maritim, Campbell
Natalia Ocasio, High Point
Letitia Saayman, Coastal Carolina
Jeanne Stroud, Winthrop
Teresa Williamson, Radford
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Jumps – Name, School
Mia Aghaji, Liberty
Sabina Allen, Campbell
Christina Fenske, High Point
Kierra Gabe, Coastal Carolina
Jill Marois, High Point
Shenelle Mckay, Campbell
Elise Moffatt, Gardner-Webb
Latesha Simpson, Coastal Carolina
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Throws – Name, School
Ashlei Alexander, Gardner-Webb
Natasha Akbarizadeh, Gardner-Webb
Marthaline Cooper, Winthrop
Mychelle Cumings, Liberty
Deborah Mattern, Coastal Carolina
Christine Rickert, High Point
Aimee Veatch, Radford
Jocelyn Williams, Liberty
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Heptathletes – Name, School
Kristen Hurley, Gardner-Webb
Erika Jackson, Liberty
Christina Mitchell, Liberty
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Head Coach, School
Brant Tolsma, Liberty
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About the Big South All-Decade Teams
Women's Outdoor Track & Field All-Decade Team candidates were determined based on being at least one of the following:
1) Was a multiple all-conference honoree;
2) Was named an All-American;
3) Is a member of the Big South Conference Hall of Fame;
4) Student-athletes must be a college graduate or left their respective institution in good academic standing;
5) Won a conference championship as a coach and/or was voted conference Coach of the Year;
6) Players of the Year, Tournament MVPs, and first-team all-conference honorees will be among the candidate pool for the 2010-19 All-Decade Teams.Â
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Candidates that participated in two different decades were placed in a specific decade based on consultation from member institutions. Member institutions also had final determination in regards to the inclusion of student-athletes and coaches.
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For complete coverage of Coastal Carolina Athletics, follow the Chants on social media @GoCCUsports (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUsports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
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The league's All-Decade Teams were first unveiled as part of the Big South's 30th Anniversary celebration in 2013-14 to recognize the student-athletes and coaches who excelled in their respective sport in each decade since the conference's founding in 1983.
Â
Gelibert, who was named to the 2010-19 Big South Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Decade Team earlier this month, was an All-American honorable mention in the 4x400-meter relay in 2013. Tabbed the 2014 Big South Runner of the Year and the 2013 Big South Freshman of the Year, she was a five-time Big South Champion, winning the 400-meter hurdles in 2013, 2014, and 2015, and was part of the 4x400-meter relay championship teams in 2013 and 2015.
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A seven-time All-Big South Conference performer, earning all-conference honors in the 100-meter hurdles and 4x400-meter relay twice, and the 400-meter hurdles three times. Her first-place time of 57.86 in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2013 championship meet is still the championship meet record, while her fastest time of 56.87 remains the Big South Conference record.
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Peake, who like Gelibert was named to the 2010-19 Big South Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Decade Team earlier this month, was a two-time All-American honorable mention selection in 2013, earning the recognition as a member of both the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams. Named the 2012 Big South Most Outstanding Track Performer and the 2013 Big South Track and Field Athlete of the Year, Peake was a nine-time Big South individual champion, winning the 100-meter and 200-meter dash in 2012, the long jump in both 2012 and 2013, and was part of the championship 4x100-meter relay team in 2011, 2012, and 2013 and the 4x400-meter relay units in 2011 and 2012.
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A 13-time All-Big South performer, receiving multiple all-conference honors in the 100-meters (3), 200-meters (3), 4x100-meter relay (3), 4x400-meter relay (2), and long jump (2), Peake still holds the Big South record in the 200-meter dash at 23.35
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Saayman was a four-time Big South Champion, winning the 5,000-meter run in 2015 and the 10,000-meter run in 2012, 2014, and 2015. Named the 2015 Big South Runner of the Year, her time of 34:54.43 in the 10,000-meter run at the 2015 Big South Championship meet is still a meet record.
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A six-time Big South All-Conference performer during the outdoor track and field season, picking up honors in both the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter run in 2012, 2014, and 2015, Saayman was named to both the Big South 2010-19 Women's Cross Country and Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Decade teams earlier this month.
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Gabe, who picks up her second Big South all-decade team honor having been named to the 2010-19 Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Decade Team earlier this summer, was the 2012 Big South Most Outstanding Field Performer in which she was the Big South champion in the high jump. She earned All-Big South honors six times, three times in the triple jump, twice in the high jump, and once in the long jump over three years from 2010-12.
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Mattern was a three-time Big South Champion, winning the javelin three-straight years in 2009, 2010, and 2011. A three-time NCAA East Preliminaries participant, she was a four-time All-Big South selection in the javelin throw, earning the all-conference honor in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.
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Simpson, who was also named to the Big South's 2010-19 Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Decade Team, earned recognition on the Women's Outdoor Track and Field team for both sprints and jumps. A two-time All-American honorable mention selection in 2013, earning the recognition as a member of both the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams, she was named the 2014 Big South Most Outstanding Field Performer and the 2016 Most Outstanding Track Performer.
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She was an 11-time Big South Outdoor Track and Field individual champion, winning the 100-meter dash (2016), 200-meter dash (2016), high jump three times (2013, 2015, and 2016), long jump twice (2014 and 2015), and both the 4x100-meter (2013 and 2014) and 4x400-meter (2013 and 2015) relay events.
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Her along with Gelibert, Qwontajah Thompson, and Peake still hold the Big South Conference record in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:34.09 at the 2013 NCAA East Preliminaries.
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Coastal Carolina had a total of five student-athletes named to the 1994-99 all-decade team in Catherine Conder (two-time Big South Champion, three-time all-conference – 1,500-meters, 3,000-meters, Big South Hall of Fame member), Angela Murphy (four-time Big South Champion, five-time all-conference – 800-meters, 1,500-meters), Lauri Occhipinti (two-time Big South Champion, seven-time all-conference – 3,000-meters, 5,000-meters), Jolene Williams (All-American, two-time Big South Champion, three-time all-conference – 1,500-meters, Big South Hall of Fame member), and April Cook (Big South Champion, three-time all-conference – high jump).
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The Chanticleers also had 12 student-athletes and head coach Alan Connie (five Big South Championships, six-time Big South Coach of the Year) earn a spot on the 2000-09 Big South Women's Outdoor Track and Field All-Decade Team.
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Ebony Brown (two-time Big South Champion, seven-time all-conference – 400-meters, 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles) and Ikeiylah Brown (two-time Big South Champion, six-time all-conference – 100-meters, 200-meters, 400-meters) were named to the team for sprints and hurdles, while three Chants in Diana Jepchirchir (two-time Big South Champion, four-time all-conference – 5,000-meters, 10,000-meters), Lindsey Kozlowski (two-time Big South Champion, six-time all-conference – 3,000-meter steeplechase, 10,000-meters), and Anne Marie Moutsinga (five-time Big South Champion, 10-time all-conference – 1,500-meters, 3,000-meters, 5,000-meters, 10,000-meters) earned recognition as distance runners.
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Chasity Johnson (seven-time Big South Champion, nine-time all-conference – long jump, triple jump, high jump), Courtney Samuel (five-time Big South Champion, nine-time all-conference – triple jump, high jump, long jump), and Claire Young (two-time Big South Champion, two-time all-conference – pole vault) received the honor in jumps while four Chants in Amber Campbell (two-time All-American, nine-time Big South Champion, 11-time all-conference – discus, hammer, shot put), Brittany Connor (three-time Big South Champion, eight-time all-conference – hammer, discus, shot put), Annette Purdy (three-time Big South Champion, six-time all-conference – hammer, javelin), and Brittany Reid (two-time Big South Champion, five-time all-conference – shot put, discus) garnered the all-decade team honor in throws.
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A 15-person committee of Big South Conference administrators served as the official voting panel to determine the All-Decade Team, with fan voting comprising 20 percent of the overall total.Â
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The 2010-19 Women's Outdoor Track & Field All-Decade Team is listed below in alphabetical order by event and features eight sprinters/hurdlers, eight distance/mid-distance runners, eight jumpers, eight throwers, two heptathletes, and one head coach. In case of ties, additional honorees have been added.
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2010-19 WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD ALL-DECADE TEAM PRESENTED BY HERCULES TIRES
Sprints/Hurdles – Name, School
Abigail Flower, Liberty
Manika Gamble, High Point
Jessica Gelibert, Coastal Carolina
Gabrielle Houston, Charleston Southern
Mulern Jean, Charleston Southern
Lilla Juhasz, Campbell
Erica Peake, Coastal Carolina
Natalie Pearson, UNC Asheville
Jasmine Pilgrim, Charleston Southern
Latesha Simpson, Coastal Carolina
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Distance/Mid-Distance – Name, School
Zoe Geis, High Point
Sarah Gentry, UNC Asheville
Famke Heinst, High Point
Jennifer Klugh, Liberty
Joan Maritim, Campbell
Natalia Ocasio, High Point
Letitia Saayman, Coastal Carolina
Jeanne Stroud, Winthrop
Teresa Williamson, Radford
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Jumps – Name, School
Mia Aghaji, Liberty
Sabina Allen, Campbell
Christina Fenske, High Point
Kierra Gabe, Coastal Carolina
Jill Marois, High Point
Shenelle Mckay, Campbell
Elise Moffatt, Gardner-Webb
Latesha Simpson, Coastal Carolina
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Throws – Name, School
Ashlei Alexander, Gardner-Webb
Natasha Akbarizadeh, Gardner-Webb
Marthaline Cooper, Winthrop
Mychelle Cumings, Liberty
Deborah Mattern, Coastal Carolina
Christine Rickert, High Point
Aimee Veatch, Radford
Jocelyn Williams, Liberty
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Heptathletes – Name, School
Kristen Hurley, Gardner-Webb
Erika Jackson, Liberty
Christina Mitchell, Liberty
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Head Coach, School
Brant Tolsma, Liberty
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About the Big South All-Decade Teams
Women's Outdoor Track & Field All-Decade Team candidates were determined based on being at least one of the following:
1) Was a multiple all-conference honoree;
2) Was named an All-American;
3) Is a member of the Big South Conference Hall of Fame;
4) Student-athletes must be a college graduate or left their respective institution in good academic standing;
5) Won a conference championship as a coach and/or was voted conference Coach of the Year;
6) Players of the Year, Tournament MVPs, and first-team all-conference honorees will be among the candidate pool for the 2010-19 All-Decade Teams.Â
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Candidates that participated in two different decades were placed in a specific decade based on consultation from member institutions. Member institutions also had final determination in regards to the inclusion of student-athletes and coaches.
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For complete coverage of Coastal Carolina Athletics, follow the Chants on social media @GoCCUsports (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUsports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
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