Phifer, Foster toss their way to weekly honor

GREENSBORO, April 25, 2008 – With all the attention focused on Olympic sprinters and Olympic hopeful sprinters at the International Friendship and Freedom Games over the weekend, Junior Lonnie Phifer and sophomore Jerrine Foster quietly had solid performances that earned each thrower MEAC Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors.

Phifer won it on the male side by finishing first in the shot put and second in the discus at Irwin Belk Track. Phifer’s toss of 54-feet, 9 ½ inches was his first victory of the outdoor season in the shot put. Prior to Saturday, his highest finish in the shot put was second at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn.

Phifer (Greensboro, N.C.) had a third place finish at the Coastal Carolina Invitational in March, but that third place finish was his best throw of the season (57-feet, 11-inches), which earned him a spot in the NCAA East Regional. He ranks No. 1 in the MEAC in the shot put and the discus. At the IFFG, he finished second with a throw of 151-feet, 3-inches. His best throw of the season was at the Sea Ray Relays with throw of 159-feet, 4-inches.

Foster (Kingston, Jamaica) is still trying to qualify for the East Regional. But she did put together her first first-place finish of the season. Her throw of 44-feet, 7 ½ inches in the shot put was her best throw of the season. She ranks fifth in the conference in the shot put. Foster also had a second place finish in the discus with a throw of 137-feet.

It placed her behind teammate Katherine Forrester who finished first with a throw of 138-feet, 3-inches. Foster’s discus distance was also her best of the season. She ranks fourth in the conference in the discus.