VIDEO: Christian Shouse Interview
USTFCCCA Indoor Athletes of the Year
NEW ORLEANS – For the fourth time in program history, Carson-Newman can tout a United State Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Indoor Field Athlete of the Year as Christian Shouse earned the laurel announced by the organization.
"It just shows that I have worked hard but it shows that there is a lot of work to be put in because there are other things that you can achieve along the way," Shouse said. "Whenever you work with what is given to you, push through it then you will have the outcomes that you want."
The Eagles have won three of the last six awards with Tanner Stepp winning back-to-back honors in 2015 and 2016. Andrew Pickwell was the first winning doing so in 2011.
This is the second Field Athlete of the Year award for the Jacksboro, Tenn. native who was given the honor following the South Atlantic Conference Championships. Shouse won the long jump with a leap 7.36m (24' 1.75") and the high jump posting a distance of 2.05m (6' 8.75"). He also finished third in the pole vault and was a part of the 4x400 team that finished seventh.
��National Qualifier Alert��
— Carson-Newman Track / XC (@CN_Track) December 7, 2019
��School Recort Alert��
Congratulations to Christian Shouse on a big weekend! National qualifier in the Heptathlon, 1st place finish in the Heptathlon at the Bast Cregger Invitational, and a new school record in the Heptathlon with a score of 5,007! pic.twitter.com/ucPxQWr9LR
Shouse opened his career by winning the heptathlon at the 2019 Bast-Cregger Invitational in December racking up 5,007 points. He finished first in the even in the 60 meters, long jump and high jump posting a finish no lower than fourth in the seven events.
"He is so versatile as an athlete," Carson-Newman coach David Needs said. "He is somebody that can contribute in so many ways. To be able to stand out above the rest of the region in three events is pretty special. We feel like we are just scratching the surface with him. He is going to be somebody, we hope, that this will be a regularity for. He is so talented."
With a 2.09 high jump at the Bast-Cregger, Shouse finished the indoor season 18th in Division II with the highest jump in the region. His long jump at the SAC Championships also placed him 18th second to Montevallo's Dashaun Morgan by 0.04 meters. He was the highest rated athlete in the region in the heptathlon posting the 21st-best point total in 2019-20.
The freshman turns his attention outdoor season with the Eagles slated to open up competition on March 20-21 at Lenoir-Rhyne in the Southside Power & Fitness Invitational in Hickory, N.C.
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