Merritt Completes National, League Awards Sweep Again
February 14, 2005 | Men's Track and Field
GREENVILLE, N.C. --For the second week in a row, East Carolina freshman LaShawn Merritt has earned National Male Athlete-of-the-Week honors from the United States Track Coaches Association and USA Track Field, according to separate announcements from both organizations Monday and Wednesday.
In addition, he was also named the Conference USA Athlete-of-the-Week for a league-record fourth time this season.
Merritt won the 400 meters in a new collegiate indoor record time of 44.93 seconds at the Powered by Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., Friday, Feb. 11.
The performance also set a new indoor world junior record and is the third-fastest indoor 400 meter time in world history. Michael Johnson's world record of 44.63, set in 1995, and Johnson's 1996 time of 44.66 are the only two performances which are faster.
Merritt went on to win the 200 meters in 20.40 seconds Saturday, which also set a new indoor world junior record, and met the NCAA automatic qualifying standard on both occasions.
East Carolina will take this weekend off in preparation for the C-USA Championships, which will be held on the University of Houston campus Feb. 26-25.
