Atlanta, GA – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) track and field’s Amani Sharif was named the ASUN Conference Most Outstanding Freshman, while senior Karlijn Schouten earned ASUN All-Academic Team honors the league announced Thursday.
The ASUN long jump champion, Sharif made quick work in making a name for herself throughout her first collegiate season. The Murfreesboro native earned gold in the long jump during her first-career meet at the BSC Panther Icebreaker, on December 2nd, while also placing third in the high jump.
Sharif won both the high jump and the long jump in her next meet at the Ed Temple Classic, on January 7th. Her 6.22-meter long jump broke the program record and was the longest by an ASUN student-athlete this season. Her 1.65-meter high jump at Tennessee State’s event also was a season-best mark and the 11th-best leap in the ASUN.
Sharif won her fifth event of the season at the ASUN Championships, on February 24th, where her season’s second-best mark of 5.89 meters bested second place by two-hundredths of a meter.
Sharif is the first Gov to earn a conference freshman of the year honor since Kenisha Phillips during the 2020 Ohio Valley Conference indoor season.
“We are extremely proud of Amani and all of her hard work,” said APSU head track and field coach Valerie Brown. “She is currently one of the nation’s top freshmen in the NCAA. She continues to excel at a high level. This has been a great start to her colligate career and she’s just getting started. We are looking forward to her continued growth throughout the outdoor season. Job well done Amani!”
A senior business administration major and the 2023 ASUN Pole Vault Champion, Schouten was one of 12 ASUN student-athletes named to the All-Academic Team.
“Karlijn works hard in the classroom, and on the track,” said Brown. “She does an outstanding job representing our team both academically and athletically. This reward is an example of what we love to see from members of our program. This is a great example of what it means to be a student-athlete. Job well done Karlijn!”
Sharif, Schouten, and the rest of the APSU track and field team begin their outdoor season at Murray State’s Margaret Simmons Invitational, March 24th-25th, in Murray, Kentucky.
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