SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Samford University track and field standout Tray Oates was named the Southern Conference's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week Wednesday, it was officially announced by the league office.
 
Selections were made by panels of the league's men's and women's track and field coaches.
 
Oates competed at the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday, trying for fourth in the pole vault. The Acworth, Georgia, senior cleared a height of 5.63 meters (18 feet, 5.5 inches) for a new season-best mark. His height leads the SoCon this year by 0.63 meters, or more than two feet, and is third on the NCAA Division I performance list.
 
Oates' athlete of the week selection is his indoor-record seventh, and he became just the second student-athlete in SoCon indoor history to earn weekly honors three times in a season, joining former teammate Brandon Hazouri, who was the previous overall record-holder with five career selections.
 
The Samford University track and field teams will next be in action this weekend, Friday and Saturday, as they travel to Lexington, Virginia, to compete in the highly-anticipated 2018 SoCon Indoor Championships to be held at VMI.
 
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2018 SoCon Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week
 
MEN'S TRACK
Jan. 17, Dakota Lamont, Western Carolina
Jan. 24, Arsène Guillorel, Samford
Jan. 31, Dakota Lamont, Western Carolina
Feb. 6, Aaron Templeton, Furman
Feb. 13, Frank Lara, Furman
Feb. 21, Malik Diggs, The Citadel
 
MEN'S FIELD
Jan. 17, Tray Oates, Samford
Jan. 24, Keyth Fightmaster, Samford
Jan. 31, Ben Johnson, ETSU
Feb. 6, Ben Johnson, ETSU
Feb. 13, Tray Oates, Samford
Feb. 21, Tray Oates, Samford
 
WOMEN'S TRACK
Jan. 17, Ty-Leah Hampton, Western Carolina
Jan. 24, Karisa Nelson, Samford
Jan. 31, Kyra Atkins, ETSU
Feb. 7, Savannah Carnahan, Furman
Feb. 13, Kyra Atkins, ETSU
Feb. 21, Kristlin Gear, Furman
 
WOMEN'S FIELD
Jan. 17, Erin Hines, Samford
Jan. 24, Selena Popp, Samford
Jan. 31, Autumn James, Western Carolina
Feb. 6, Simone Williams, Western Carolina
Feb. 13, Simone Williams, Western Carolina
Feb. 21, Bria Anderson, VMI