NEW ORLEANS, La. (1/20/16) – Sophomore sprinter Jaylen Bacon was named the Sun Belt Conference Male Track Athlete of the Week and sophomore sprinter Keturah Smith earned the league's Female Track Athlete of the Week award, the league office announced Wednesday.

Bacon, who picks up the award for the second-straight week, won the 60-meter dash in a competitive field at the Kentucky Invitational. He nearly broke his school-record in the event, clocking a time of 6.72 seconds, just shy of his record of 6.70 seconds. His time ranks 22nd nationally in the latest NCAA rankings and leads the Sun Belt performance list. The first place finish was the eighth on the indoor circuit in his career. He also ran in the 200-meter dash, finishing third with a time of 21.45 seconds. 

Smith posted a personal-best in the 400-meter dash to finish sixth overall. She clocked a time of 56.02 seconds, which ranks as the fourth-fastest in program history and currently ranks as the top time in the Sun Belt Conference by more than five-tenths of a second (56.55).

Currently, A-State track and field has 11 first-place rankings in the Sun Belt Conference performance list. The men's and women's teams combine for 43 top-eight rankings, 24 on the men's side and 19 on the women's side.

A-State track and field returns to action Friday and Saturday in the A-State Invitational and Multis at the Convocation Center. The meet begins at 10 am Friday and 11:30 am Saturday.