Nelvis and Oliver of Red Wolves Track Claim Sun Belt Honors

Courtesy Arkansas State University Athletics Department

JONESBORO, Ark. (4/17/13) – The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) has selected Arkansas State University’s Sharika Nelvis and Will Oliver as this week’s (April 17) recipients of two weekly conference outdoor track and field awards as announced this Wednesday (April 17) by the conference office.

Nelvis and Oliver, both juniors, were among four outdoor track student-athletes this week to earn conference recognition. Nelvis was tabbed as the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Track Athlete of the Week and Oliver claimed SBC Field Athlete of the Week honors.

Nelvis won both the 200-meter dash and the 100-meter hurdles at the Ole Miss Invitational (April 13-14). She recorded a career second-fastest 23.40 time in the 200 meters which currently is the best time in the conference and 13th in the region. Nelvis defended her Ole Miss champion title in the 100-meter hurdles by registering a time of 13.24 to not only post the conference’s best outdoor effort, but tied for fifth among the NCAA West Region outdoor leaders.

The weekly conference honor represents Nelvis’ first this outdoor season and the fourth this 2012-13 campaign. The U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) three-time All-America selection achieved Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track Athlete of the Week recognition on three occasions (Jan. 9 & 30 and Feb. 13) during the indoor season. Nelvis, who was named the 2013 SBC Most Outstanding Women’s Indoor Track Performer, was honored as a second-team All-America honoree for both the 2012 indoor and outdoor season. The 2013 all-conference first-team sprinter would earn All-American kudos for the 2013 indoor season as well.

Oliver accumulated a personal career most 6,831 total points to place third in the decathlon at the Ole Miss Invitational (April 13-14). Oliver’s performance presently ranks tops among the Sun Belt Conference’s outdoor leaders and is the 22nd highest points output in the NCAA West Region to date this spring. He placed first among the meet’s decathletes in the high jump at 6-03.98 (1.93m) while leading the Red Wolves in the javelin, pole vault, 100-meter dash, and the long jump.

Nelvis and Oliver now become the third and fourth student-athletes from Arkansas State this spring to claim SBC Outdoor Track weekly honors, joining juniors Kristina Aubert (March 27) and Chris Nicasio (April 10). Aubert received conference track athlete of the week recognition while Nicasio attained field athlete of the week distinction.

Both the A-State men’s and women’s team will be competing in the Vanderbilt Invitational this weekend (April 19-20) in Nashville, Tenn., before hosting the second annual ASU Red Wolf Open on Saturday, April 27, in Jonesboro, Ark.