INDIANAPOLIS – Youngstown State senior Conner Neu and Valparaiso junior Liz Bloy have been named the 2016 Alfreeda Goff Athletes of the Year for the Outdoor Track and Field season. The duo was presented their awards by Alfreeda Goff at the Horizon League Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Valparaiso, Ind., on Sunday.
Neu dominated the spring season in the throws, meeting the Olympic Trial standard with a toss of 70.96 meters to qualify for the trials in the hammer throw and becoming the first Youngstown State student-athlete to compete at the Olympic Trials.
For most of the season, Neu was the No. 1 ranked thrower in the East Region and in the nation. The 70.96-meter throw is also the best in Youngstown State history.
Last week, Neu was named the 2016 YSU Athlete of the Year for all YSU sports last week. Off the field, he holds a 3.25 grade-point average in general studies, earning a place on the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll.
Bloy has been Valparaiso’s standard-bearer in the distance events, leading the team with top times in the 800 meters, 1,500 meters and 3,000-meter steeplechase. Within the Horizon League, Bloy’s 1,500 time (4:43.59) was the best entering the outdoor championship, as was her performance in the steeplechase (11:23.72).
The Horizon League Track Athlete of the Year Award was renamed to the Alfreeda Goff Athlete of the Year Award this offseason in honor of former Horizon League senior associate commissioner Alfreeda Goff. Goff, who worked at the Horizon League for 16 years, is one of the most recognized administrators in intercollegiate athletics. Before moving into athletic administration, Goff served as the track and field coach at the University of Pittsburgh. She currently sits on the advisory board for the Bowerman Award, the highest accolade given to the year’s best student-athlete in American collegiate track and field.
