Atlantic Sun Men's Release | Atlantic Sun Women's Release

KENNESAW, Ga. – Joseph Yates and Laura-Maria Oja of the Kennesaw State men's and women's track and field teams have been named to the Atlantic Sun Academic All-Conference team the conference announced Friday afternoon.

Oja has maintained a 3.79 GPA while majoring in biochemistry. This season she participated in eight meets competing in the sprint, relay and hurdle events. She ran a team season best time of 12.05 in the 100m-dash prelims at the ASUN Championships. She had career best times of 25.34 in the 200m-dash and 59.84 in the 400m-dash this season. Oja scored in all four events she competed in at the ASUN Outdoor Championships including the 4x100m relay team which she helped run a leg of that finished second in 45.75 seconds. Her lifetime best 100m hurdle time of 14.00 helped her earn a fourth place finish at the ASUN Championships.  

"Laura-Maria has had her best season as an Owl on the track and has exemplified what we preach as far as being a student-athlete, Director of Track and Field and Cross Country said. "I am grateful that Laura-Maria has represented our program and the athletic department as well as she has."
 
On the men's side, Yates just graduated with a 3.81 GPA in business-finance. He competed in six meets during the season. He completed a pair of decathlon during the season at the South Alabama Invitational and the ASUN Outdoor Championships setting multiple lifetime best performances. At the South Alabama Invitational, he had lifetime best performances in the high jump clearing 1.79m (5'10.5) and the discus throw with a toss of 35.41m (116'2). In the decathlon at the ASUN Outdoor Championships, Yates finished in second place overall with a lifetime best score of 6166 points. He posted his fastest career times of 11.77 (100m-dash), 17:52 (110m hurdles) and 4:57.69 in the 1500m run. He also set the KSU school decathlon record in the javelin with a toss of 47.98m (157'5). In the open vault he vaulted a lifetime best height of 4.62m (15'1.75) at the outdoor championships. 

"It was great to see Joe go out with a PR in the decathlon and the pole vault, that's what we want for every one of our seniors.  More importantly, it's awesome to see him graduate from the Cole's College of Business Honor's Program with an outstanding GPA, ready to take on the world," Eggerth said.

Keep up with Owls track and field teams by following KSU on Twitter at @KSUOwlNation and @KSUTrackFieldXC or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook.