RALEIGH, N.C. (May 31) – Shannon Kalawan (So./Westmoreland, Jamaica) of Saint Augustine's University was named NCAA Division II National Women's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Thursday. She is the first Lady Falcon to earn the outdoor track honor since its inception in 2006.
The award capped a tremendous first season for Kalawan, who took home three national titles and scored the most women's points at the NCAA DII Outdoor Track and Field Championships last weekend in Charlotte, N.C. Kalawan raced past opponents to win the 400-meter dash (52.05) and 400-meter hurdles (57.27) in addition to anchoring the 4x400-meter relay team to victory (3:36.75). She also helped the Lady Falcons place sixth in the 4x100-meter relay. Kalawan led the Lady Falcons to a national runner-up finish with 23.25 individual points.
The honor is the latest for Kalawan, who claimed All-America accolades in four events at the outdoor championship meet. Kalawan was chosen NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year and won five All-Region honors leading up to the outdoor championships. She led the Atlantic Region in five events (200 dash, 400 dash, 400 hurdles, 4x100 and 4x400 relays) and entered the national championships ranked first in three events (400 dash, 400 hurdles, 4x400 relay).
Her 400 hurdles time of 56.99 seconds at the Florida Relays in March was the 13th-best in Division II history. She is the seventh-fastest DII hurdler in the history of the event. Kalawan also drew attention in April at the Penn Relays, where she won the 400 hurdles at the prestigious event.
Kalawan ranked first in the CIAA in five events – the 200 and 400 dashes, the 400 hurdles and the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. The SAU sophomore was chosen CIAA Women's Track Runner of the Year and sparked the Lady Falcons to the conference outdoor crown with victories in the 400 dash and 4x100 relay in May.
Kalawan also had a banner indoor season, winning the DII national title in the 400 dash. She also helped the Lady Falcons win the CIAA championship as she claimed titles in the 400 dash and 4x400 relay. Kalawan collected two All-America and two All-Region accolades in the indoor season.
