Detroit's Kendell, Potts-Tyre, Valparaiso's Zosso, Milwaukee's Holmes Secure #HLTF Weekly Honors

INDIANAPOLIS – Detroit freshman Ben Kendell (Huntington Woods, Mich.) and Milwaukee sophomore Leah Holmes (Superior, Wis.) have been named Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Runners of the Week while Valparaiso junior Justin Zosso (Chesterton, Ind.) and Detroit junior Aisha Potts-Tyre (Maumee, Ohio.) have been named Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Athletes of the Week for the period of Feb. 3-9.

Kendell secured runner of the week honors after topping the 27-man 5,000-meter field at the YSU National Invitational. His time of 14:37.08 is the fastest in the Horizon League this season. Kendell also placed second in the 3,000 meter run with a time of 8:26.53.

Holmes won her second runner of the week award this season after a strong showing in the one-mile at the storied Mayo Invitational. Her time of 4:59.90 is the fastest time in the league this season by nearly 5 seconds. The time ranks No. 5 in school history. 

Zosso took home athlete of the week honors by virtue of his school record pole vault of 4.95 meters at the Meyo Invitational. The mark, which placed Zosso in first-place, is the best in the league this season by .35 meters.

Potts-Tyre had an all-around performance at the YSU National Invitational. She registered the best pentathlon score in the league this season by 303 points with a score of 3,430. The score also broke the school record by 293 points. In the process, she broke three meet records in the pentathlon. Potts-Tyre also placed fourth in the triple jump (11.15 meters) and eighth in the 60-meter hurdles (9.19 seconds).

Detroit will travel north of the boarder on Feb. 13 to compete in the Windsor Team Challenge. Milwaukee and Valparaiso also return to action on Feb. 13 at the GVSU Big Meet in Allendale, Mich. and the Fred Wilts Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind., respectively.

Other Top Athletes of the Week:
Seyi Ogunleye, UIC (Sr., Calumet City, Ill.) – In the triple jump, placed second at the ONU Invitational with a mark of 13.29 meters.
Brett Pozolinski, Milwaukee (Jr., Kimberly, Wis.) – Finished fifth in the high jump (2.10 meters) at the Meyo Invitational.
Gino Vitella, Oakland (Jr., Sterling Heights, Mich.) – Toppled a field of 35 competitors at the YSU National Invitational in the shot put, registering a throw of 16.63 meters.
Ariel Gibbs, UIC (So., Pembroke Township, Ill.) – Tied for first in the long jump (5.50 meters) at the ONU Invitational. 
Alisha Harper, Milwaukee (Fr., Brookfield, Wis.) – Won the long jump at the Parkside Classic with a jump of 5.51 meters. Also placed second in the 55-meter dash.
Hayley MacDonald, Oakland (Jr., Zeeland, Mich.) – Set a personal-best jump of 5.15 meters at the YSU National Invitational.
Jazmin Taylor, Valparaiso (Sr., Rock Island, Ill.) – Placed first and tenth in the high jump at the Windy City Invitational (1.63 meters) and the Meyo Invitational (1.62 meters), respectively.

Other Top Runners of the Week:
Alex Bashqawi, UIC (Fr., Elmhurst, Ill.) – Placed second out of 30 competitors in the 1-mile at the ONU Invitational with a time of 4:22.58.
Marquis Johnson, Milwaukee (Jr., Lac du Flambeau, Wis.) – Set a personal-best 400-meter dash time of 47.62. Also registered a time of 21.98 seconds in the 200-meter dash.
Max Morello, Valparaiso (So., Plano, Ill.) - Finished in third in the 5,000 meter finishing with a time of 16:08.56 at the Windy City Invitational.
Bryce Stroede, Oakland (So., Horton, Mich.) – Won the 3,000 meter run at the YSU National Invitational and was a part of the DMR that placed second.
Tess Ehrhardt, UIC (Sr., Geneva, Ill.) – Best a field of 16 competitors in the 800-meter run at the ONU Invitational with a time of 2:21.59.
Karli Keur, Oakland (Jr., Hudsonville, Mich.) – A part of the DMR that placed first at the YSU National Invitational. Finished third in the 800-meter dash with a time of 2:17.71.
Shannon Marchant, Detroit (Sr., London, Ont.) – Placed second in the 800-meter dash at the YSU National Invitational. Was also a part of the 4x400 meter relay team that placed first and the DMR that placed third.
Sophia Robinson, Valparaiso (Downers Grove, Ill.) - Registered a first-place finish in the 5,000 meter run with a time of  20:02.17.

Indoor Athletes of the Week:
Dec. 2: Arnaldo Morales (Youngstown State); Jaynee Corbett (Youngstown State)
Jan. 6: Jordan Banks (UIC); Ashley Bayles (Detroit)
Jan. 13:Nicholas Girodat (Oakland); Jazmin Taylor (Valparaiso)
Jan. 20:Gino Vitella (Oakland); Sarah Peters (Valparaiso)
Jan. 27:Trevor James (Milwaukee); Alisha Harper (Milwaukee)
Feb. 3: Justin Zosso (Valparaiso); Aisha Potts-Tyre (Detroit)

Indoor Runners of the Week:
Dec. 2: Bryce Stroede (Oakland); Nina Grambling (Youngstown State)
Jan. 6: Ryan Leahy (Detroit); Kacia Grant (Wright State)
Jan. 13:  Marquis Johnson (Milwaukee); Leah Holmes (Milwaukee)
Jan. 20:  Marquis Johnson (Milwaukee); Shannon Marchant (Detroit)
Jan. 27: Reed Schmidt (Milwaukee); Nina Grambling (Youngstown State)
Feb. 3: Ben Kendell (Detroit); Leah Holmes (Milwaukee)