Contributed: Kentucky Track and Field athletes Kate Powers and Sharmelle Holmes earned laurels from the league office as honorees in the second round of Southeastern Conference Track & Field Weekly Awards.
Powers was named the SEC Field Athlete of the Week for the first time in her career after a school-record—and NCAA No. 2—heave of 22.63m/74-3.00 in the Vanderbilt Invite weight throw. Placing as the top collegian—and fourth place overall—Powers launched the 20-pound weight over three feet further than her previous school record of 21.64m/71-0.00 that she set last week at the Rod McCravy Memorial. Her throw topped the nation-leading mark entering the competition and finished the weekend as the second best in the country, just 0.03m behind Sara Killinen of Virginia Tech.
Powers has started her 2024-25 indoor campaign with authority, throwing personal best marks in all three of her starts this season. At the Louisville Opener in December, Powers won the event with a then-personal best throw of 21.52m/70-7.25, a mark that moved her into second all-time at Kentucky. She would then earn her first Kentucky record at her next competition, improving her lifetime best to 21.64m/71-0.00 to claim her second victory of the season.
The Hopkinton, Mass. Native is in her second season as a Wildcat, following up a stellar freshman campaign in 2023-24. Powers set Kentucky Freshman Records in the indoor weight throw and outdoor hammer throw. In the outdoor season, Powers qualified for her first NCAA Championships in the hammer throw, finishing the year as a Second-Team All-American after placing ninth at the national meet. She also qualified for her first US Olympic Team Trials and placed 20th in her signature event.
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Double the records, double the awards 🤩🏆
Kate Powers picks up her first SEC Field Athlete of the Week honor while Sharmelle Holmes earns her second-straight SEC Freshman of the Week laurel!
🗞️MORE: https://t.co/VV7yDPlTiQ#WeAreUK x #UKTF pic.twitter.com/sXLiMcI0WH
— UK Track & Field (@KentuckyTrack) January 21, 2025
Another week, another KP record! ✨
Shoutout to Kate Powers for crushing her own school record in the weight throw by exceeding her previous mark by three feet 🤯 pic.twitter.com/eomiC7Bkrx
— Kentucky Athletics (@UKAthletics) January 20, 2025