VIDEO: Kristofer Potts-Howard

ROCK HILL, S.C.—Following a stellar week in the horizontal jumps, Carson-Newman track & field sophomore Kristofer Potts-Howard (Tullahoma, Tenn.) was named the South Atlantic Conference Field Athlete of the Week the league announced Wednesday afternoon.

"It's a real confidence booster to be receiving this award," Potts-Howard said. "It's still a work in progress and only a small step towards where we want to be. As a jumping group, we want to be significant on the national stage. That's where we want to be and it was nice for it to pay off for a little bit last weekend."

The award is the first of his career for Potts-Howard as the jumper landed provisionally qualifications in both the long and triple jumps for the 2017 NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships in Bradenton, Fla. on May 25.

"It was a little nerve wracking performing alongside a lot of talented Division I athletes," Potts-Howard said. "My father used to compete at Tennessee and he is always talking about the great talent that comes out of there. There are a lot of people better than me, but it was nice to be able to showcase my talents and keep up with them."

At the Tennessee Rust Buster, a meet in nearby Knoxville, Tenn. filled with a number of Division I programs, the sophomore took home a silver medal in the long jump while also placing eighth in the triple jump which were both personal-bests.

Not known as a long jumper, per say, Potts-Howard exploded off the blocks for a leap of 7.44 meters. The recording was the longest of his career while besting a previous indoor best of 7.06 meters that came at the Buccaneer Invitational on Feb. 2.

The sophomore came in second only behind Charlotte's Jaylon Holt who recorded a 7.46 meter leap. During the contest, the long jumper surpassed nine Division I contestants including SAC counterpart Sean Kirchner from Mars Hill.

Following the second-place finish of 7.44 meters in the long jump, Potts-Howard currently sits sixth in Division II in the event and in the driver's seat for the national stage.

"I really have to lock in and listen to coaches when I'm out there competing," Potts-Howard said. "Coach Stepp puts trust in me and I put trust in myself. It came out okay on Saturday with a couple of big jumps."

Aside from the long jump, the South Atlantic Conference's Field Athlete of the Week also impressed in the men's triple jump with another provisional qualification of 14.56 meters. The leap was another personal-best that surpassed a previous-high of 14.35 meters met again at the Buccaneer Invitational in early February.

"I kept toe fouling all my jumps and it was the last jump in the first round and coach Stepp told me to move back a foot and a half and just jump as far as you can," Potts-Howard said. "I ended up being about that length behind the board and still recording a personal-best. It was a really nice feeling."

Potts-Howard and the rest of the Carson-Newman track and field team will be at it again on April 7 for the Tennessee Sea Rays Meet.

-CN-