Indianapolis, Ind. – SBU senior Lainy Williams won the GLVC indoor track athlete of the year as announced by the league office Monday morning. Williams becomes SBU's first indoor track athlete of the year since joining the GLVC four seasons ago.
 
"I am so excited to be named GLVC track athlete of the year!" Williams said, "I am surprised that I am SBU's first athlete to win this award in the GLVC since there have been several very talented ladies to run for SBU since we've been in the GLVC. Elysia Burgos was one of those very talented athletes that I looked up to ever since I was a freshman. I never imagined I would be in a position to win this award! I praise God for giving me the ability to run and for blessing me with wonderful teammates, coaches, and a family that encourages me and helps me have confidence in myself!"
 
Williams capped off an incredible year at the GLVC Championships this past weekend where she had three top three finishes. She took 1^st place in the women's mile, with a time of 4:55.34, a personal best. She had the only 1^st place finish out of all the SBU Bearcats that competed over the weekend. As well, she had a third-place finish in the women's 800-meter run. Williams anchored the women's distance medley relay where she grabbed the baton 2 seconds behind third place and passed her competition finishing nearly 20 seconds ahead of them.
 
This year Williams became the second bearcat ever (all sports) to receive back-to-back GLVC athlete of the week. It started at the Pitt St. Wendy's invite where she had a 2^nd place finish in the 800-meter for a time of 2:12.44, which ranked 1^st in the GLVC and 8^th in the Nation. Just a week later, she ran even faster at the Bearcat invite finishing with a time of 2:11.35. Two weeks later Williams ran a time of 2:10.79 to rank even higher in hopes of making it to Nationals.
 
"This indoor season has been a season that I will never forget, but not only because of the marks I've hit. I've tried to just have fun this season and not put too much pressure on myself. All the good laughs and memories that I've made with my teammates during practice, at meets, and traveling to meets has helped me remember to enjoy part of this journey! I hope to make it into Nationals in the 800 and represent SBU in a couple of weeks!"
 
Williams 800-meter time of 2:10.79 currently ranks 22^nd in the Nation heading into tonight's National selection. The USTFCCCA will announce those who qualify for Nationals at 5:00 PM central tonight, February 28^th.