Melissa Jefferson Named 2021-22 Sun Belt Conference Female Athlete of the Year
10/27/2022 4:00:00 PM | General, Track & Field/Cross Country
Chant became the first NCAA individual champion in Coastal history
NEW ORLEANS – Coastal Carolina sprinter Melissa Jefferson was named the 2021-22 Sun Belt Conference Female Athlete of the Year, the league office announced on Thursday, Oct. 27.
While Jefferson was named the SBC Female Athlete of the Year, Texas State baseball pitcher Tristan Stivors was named the 2021-22 Sun Belt Conference Male Athlete of the Year.
The Sun Belt Athlete of the Year award, which annually recognizes one female and one male student-athlete, is the highest individual honor bestowed by the Conference, based on athletic performance, academic success, outstanding leadership, and character.
"The Sun Belt Conference is honored to celebrate Melissa and Tristan for their impressive academic and athletic achievements," Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said. "They epitomize what it means to be student-athletes. It is a pleasure to recognize these two outstanding individuals as our Athletes of the Year."
Jefferson is the second student-athlete in the history of Coastal Carolina to be named Sun Belt Athlete of the Year, as former Chanticleer volleyball player Leah Hardeman was the 2017-18 SBC Female Athlete of the Year.
Jefferson won a Gold Medal and was crowned a 2022 World Champion as part of Team USA's women's 4x100-meter relay team at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in July 2022. She also crossed the finish line with a time of 11.03 (0.8) in the women's 100-meter finals to place eighth overall at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.
She was also crowned the U.S. Track & Field National Champion in the women's 100-meters at the 2022 Toyota USA Track Outdoor Championships, crossing the finish line first with an amazing time of 10.69 (+2.9) in the finals to earn the Gold Medal.
Jefferson, a native of Georgetown, S.C., became the first-ever individual NCAA National Champion in Coastal Carolina history at the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. She crossed the finish line in first with a Sun Belt Conference and Coastal Carolina University record time of 7.09 in the 60-meter dash, which was also the second-fastest time in all of NCAA Division I women's indoor track & field for the 2022 season.
In 2021-22, Jefferson was a two-time USTFCCCA first-team All-American and first-team All-Sun Belt Conference performer, earning the honors in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. She was named the 2022 Sun Belt Conference's Most Outstanding Track Performer during the indoor and outdoor seasons. Jefferson set the Coastal Carolina school record in the 60-meters indoors (7.09) and in both the 100-meters (10.88) and 200-meters (22.46) outdoors. She was also part of the school's record-breaking 4x100-meter relay team (43.23).
Jefferson will receive her award at the Sun Belt Conference Fall Honors Banquet held in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 2.
For complete coverage of CCU Cross Country and Track & Field, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalTFXC (Twitter), @GoCCUsports (Instagram), and facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
While Jefferson was named the SBC Female Athlete of the Year, Texas State baseball pitcher Tristan Stivors was named the 2021-22 Sun Belt Conference Male Athlete of the Year.
The Sun Belt Athlete of the Year award, which annually recognizes one female and one male student-athlete, is the highest individual honor bestowed by the Conference, based on athletic performance, academic success, outstanding leadership, and character.
"The Sun Belt Conference is honored to celebrate Melissa and Tristan for their impressive academic and athletic achievements," Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said. "They epitomize what it means to be student-athletes. It is a pleasure to recognize these two outstanding individuals as our Athletes of the Year."
Jefferson is the second student-athlete in the history of Coastal Carolina to be named Sun Belt Athlete of the Year, as former Chanticleer volleyball player Leah Hardeman was the 2017-18 SBC Female Athlete of the Year.
Jefferson won a Gold Medal and was crowned a 2022 World Champion as part of Team USA's women's 4x100-meter relay team at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in July 2022. She also crossed the finish line with a time of 11.03 (0.8) in the women's 100-meter finals to place eighth overall at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.
She was also crowned the U.S. Track & Field National Champion in the women's 100-meters at the 2022 Toyota USA Track Outdoor Championships, crossing the finish line first with an amazing time of 10.69 (+2.9) in the finals to earn the Gold Medal.
Jefferson, a native of Georgetown, S.C., became the first-ever individual NCAA National Champion in Coastal Carolina history at the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. She crossed the finish line in first with a Sun Belt Conference and Coastal Carolina University record time of 7.09 in the 60-meter dash, which was also the second-fastest time in all of NCAA Division I women's indoor track & field for the 2022 season.
In 2021-22, Jefferson was a two-time USTFCCCA first-team All-American and first-team All-Sun Belt Conference performer, earning the honors in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. She was named the 2022 Sun Belt Conference's Most Outstanding Track Performer during the indoor and outdoor seasons. Jefferson set the Coastal Carolina school record in the 60-meters indoors (7.09) and in both the 100-meters (10.88) and 200-meters (22.46) outdoors. She was also part of the school's record-breaking 4x100-meter relay team (43.23).
Jefferson will receive her award at the Sun Belt Conference Fall Honors Banquet held in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 2.
For complete coverage of CCU Cross Country and Track & Field, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalTFXC (Twitter), @GoCCUsports (Instagram), and facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Track & Field/Cross CountryWednesday, September 17
Saturday, June 25
Tuesday, March 15
Tuesday, March 15
