Ufodiama Earns American Women's Indoor Track Most Outstanding Performance Honor

IRVING, Texas – East Carolina track & field's Kelly Ufodiama has earned the American Athletic Conference's Women's Indoor Track Most Outstanding Performance award, the league announced on Thursday. The award is given annually to the student-athlete who recorded the highest-ranking marks on the NCAA Division I performance list during the American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships.

Ufodiama, a freshman by way of Round Rock, Texas, earned the award for her meet-record performance in the 60m with a time of 7.22 seconds. That mark would rank tied for 17th in the NCAA this season had she not recorded a previous best of 7.20 seconds, good for a tie for 13th in the nation.

The rookie has been brilliant this season and was particularly dominant during the American Championships, winning both the 60m and 200m while finishing fifth as a member of the Pirates' 4x400m team for 21.25 individual points on the weekend. This was good enough for Ufodiama to sweep the conference's Most Valuable Performer and Freshman of the Year awards, the first woman in league history to do so.

Ufodiama is the third Pirate ever to win the Most Outstanding Performance award since its inception and the first to do so indoors. Previously, Ryan Davis and Sommer Knight swept the men's and women's outdoor field honors in 2021 for their performances in the hammer throw and pole vault, respectively.

After her triumphs to this point in the season, Ufodiama's preparation for the outdoor season will be delayed as she has become the first Pirate since 2016 to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships. She is set to compete in both the 60m and 200m on March 14-15 in Virginia Beach, Va.

Ufodiama Earns American Women's Indoor Track Most Outstanding Performance Honor

Players Mentioned

Kelly Ufodiama

Footer