Three Major Awards Highlight MSC Championships for Cumberland Women's Track & Field

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--Cumberland women's track and field put together an impressive performance at the Mid-South Conference Championship, earning a third-place finish while claiming multiple individual titles.

After the events, Praise Idamadudu was named the MSC Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. Idamadudu continues to rack up accolades as this is her third MSC Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year honor and her fifth overall conference Athlete of the Year award. Head coach Atsu Nyamadi earned Coach of the Year honors, and assistant coach Cecilia Francis Amou-Berry was named Assistant Coach of the Year. Each of them earn the award for their third time in their career.

Cumberland finished third in the team standings with 125 points. Cumberlands (Ky.) secured the conference championship with 256 points, while Lindsey Wilson finished second with 168. Campbellsville followed in fourth with 99 points, and Georgetown rounded out the standings with 29.

The Phoenix crowned three individual conference champions across five events. Idamadudu dominated the sprints, winning both the 60m (7.50) and 200m (24.85), while also placing second in the 400m (56.58). In the field events, Isabelle Aalders took home the high jump title with a clearance of 1.68m, and Zoe Vlk earned two conference titles, winning both the shot put (14.02m) and weight throw (16.33m).

Several other Phoenix athletes delivered key performances. In the sprints, Leesa Mutandwa placed seventh in the 200m (26.45) and added a fourth-place finish in the 400m (59.84). Ezthia Maycock followed closely behind in sixth (1:00.55). In the middle-distance races, Sharon Jerop placed seventh in the 800m (2:35.09), while Sarah Wilkerson finished fifth in the 1000m (3:22.19). Jenna Towles also earned points in the event, placing eighth with a personal-best 3:24.27.

The distance runners contributed solid results as well. Jerop placed fifth in the mile (5:30.44), while Lauren Crissinger finished seventh (5:35.27). Crissinger also placed ninth in the 3000m (11:19.89).

In the field events, Mutandwa earned a fifth-place finish in the high jump (1.55m), and Daveina Watson contributed strong marks in the throws, placing second in the shot put (13.17m) and fourth in the weight throw (12.96m). Sophiat Omizi added a seventh-place finish in the weight throw (12.34m).

Cumberland's relay teams also delivered strong performances. The 4x400m relay team of Maycock, Aalders, Mutandwa, and Idamadudu placed second in 4:04.47. The Phoenix also finished second in the distance medley relay (13:19.74) with Towles, Maycock, Wilkerson, and Crissinger, while the 4x800m team of Channon Cundiff, Hope Britt, Alexa Rumpf, and Jerop placed third (10:34.99).

The Phoenix track and field team will now set their eyes to the NAIA National Championship in Gainesville, Florida from February 27-March 1.