TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – University of Alabama senior sprinter Remona Burchell has been named Women’s National Athlete of the Week for NCAA Division I by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following her impressive performance at last weekend's Florida Relays.
Last Friday, April 3, Burchell opened her 2015 outdoor season by running the 100 meters in 11.04 seconds while running into a strong headwind in Gainesville, Fla. That performance against a world-class field earned her the second-fastest wind-legal time in Alabama history. The defending NCAA outdoor 100-meter champion and a three-time NCAA sprint champion, Burchell was the first collegian and second overall finisher in the 100 at the Florida Relays.
The USTFCCCA described Burchell's performance in its announcement: "Michelle-Lee Ahye and Burchell ran the two fastest times in the world so far this year. Running 11.04 seconds for a collegiate leader is impressive; running it into a 2.5 meters per second headwind is downright scary. (Using admittedly imperfect wind/altitude calculators, Burchell’s time converts to 10.84 seconds, which would be the only sea-level sub-10.90 in college history). She also anchored Alabama’s seventh-place 4×100 in Gainesville."
Burchell and the Crimson Tide continue their outdoor season this Friday at The Border Clash in Starkville, Miss.