Former Orono High School standout Hannah Steelman has been named the Southern Conference outstanding women’s field performer by league coaches for her efforts in last weekend’s SoCon Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Both Steelman and Austin Lufkin of Clifton, a graduate of Brewer High School, are sophomores at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Both earned All-Southern Conference recognition, Steelman in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000-meter and 1,500-meter runs and Lufkin in the shot put and discus.
Steelman secured three podium finishes and totaled 24 points for the Terriers at the conference championships, held at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
That performance was highlighted by her meet record in winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase for the second straight season. Steelman was timed in 10 minutes, 0.79 seconds, lowering the standard by nearly seven seconds.
Steelman also finished second in the 5,000 at 16:53.63 and third in the 1,500 at 4:22.87 en route to becoming the first most outstanding track and field performer in Wofford history.
Lufkin, who competes in both football and track and field at Wofford, placed third in the shot put (51 feet, 3/4 inch) and discus (156-9).
The Wofford women’s team finished a program-best second at the Southern Conference meet with 126 points, while the men’s team also had its best-ever finish in fourth place with 91 points.
Steelman previously was named Southern Conference women’s outdoor track athlete of the week twice this spring.
She first won that honor on April 10 after winning the steeplechase at the University of North Florida Invitational in a school-record time of 9:52.71. That not only was the best in the conference at the time but still ranks fourth on the NCAA Division I performance list for the year.
Steelman won the award again on April 17 after a dominant victory in the 5,000 at the Gamecock Invitational in Columbia, South Carolina. She clocked a school-record 15:52.68 to finish more than two minutes ahead of the field, which included eight runners from Clemson and South Carolina.
That time led the SoCon this season by nearly 20 seconds and was good for third on the NCAA East Region performance list. It stands 23rd on the NCAA Division I qualifying list.
