Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina freshman thrower Lexie Durban capped a strong showing for the Catamounts at the VMI Winter Relays as she was today named the Southern Conference's Women's Field Athlete of the Week as selected by the league's head coaches.

Her first career award is the first of the season for the WCU track and field teams this indoor season. The Catamounts have earned a SoCon weekly field athlete award in three consecutive seasons with Durban's accolade being the 20th women's field honor since the award split in 2010. 

Durban's honor comes after setting two personal bests in the women's shot put and the weight throw in Lexington, Va. She claimed the first event win of the season for the Catamounts with a 12.73-meter toss in the shot put at the VMI Winter Relays. That performance was followed by a strong 12.47m mark in the weight throw on day two of the competition.  

A freshman out of Ball Ground, Ga., Durban is primed for a strong finish to her first season in Cullowhee as she currently ranks third in the SoCon in the shot put and is one of only three student-athletes with a throw further than 12.25m this season. She additionally ranks 11th on the women's weight throw performance charts, though her 12.47m toss is the best by a freshman in the conference.  

Durban and the Catamounts are back in action in the Commonwealth of Virginia this weekend at the Liberty-hosted Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational in Lynchburg, Va. Scheduled for Feb. 14-15. WCU then returns to Lexington to compete for conference gold at the 2025 Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Feb. 28 through March 1.

Keep track of everything related to Catamount track & field and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports) and Twitter (@catamounts, @catamountxctf).      
 

Catamount Women's Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week (Since 2001) 

Jan. 16, 2002 - Rosalyn Hood 

Jan. 30, 2002 - Virginia LaCombe  

Feb. 6, 2002 - Michelle Velez 

Feb. 11, 2004 - Laura Tieszen 

Jan. 26, 2005 - Leslie Martin 

Feb. 2, 2005 - Laura Tieszen 

Feb. 9, 2005 - Raquel Ramseur 

Jan. 31, 2007 - Raquel Ramseur 

Feb. 22, 2008 - Kerrie Savery 

Jan. 21, 2009 - Jane't Carothers (Track) 

Feb. 5, 2009 - Felicia Paulding (Track) 

Dec. 8, 2010 - Shalyn McMichael (Track)  

Dec. 8, 2010 - Tiana Jones (Field) 

Jan. 26, 2011 - Jane't Carothers (Track) 

March 2, 2011 - Jane't Carothers (Track) 

Jan. 24, 2013 - Tayla Carter (Track) 

Feb. 13, 2013 - Aschsah Brice (Field) 

Feb. 27, 2013 - Alisha Bradshaw (Field) 

Jan. 22, 2014 - Chenell Bryan (Field) 

Jan. 29, 2014 - Michaela Birek (Field) 

Feb. 5, 2014 - Genevieve Emrick (Track) 

Feb. 19, 2014 - Tayla Carter (Track) 

Jan. 21, 2015 - Tayla Carter (Track)  

Jan. 21, 2015 - Chenell Bryan (Field) 

Feb. 5, 2015 - Tayla Carter (Track)  

Feb. 5, 2015 - Chenell Bryan (Field) 

Feb. 12, 2015 - Michaela Birek (Field) 

Jan. 20, 2016 - Tayla Carter (Track)  

Jan. 20, 2016 - Hailey Cook (Field) 

Feb. 3, 2016 - Holly Gaines (Field) 

Feb. 17, 2016 - Tiffani Lewis (Field) 

Jan. 19, 2017 - Hailey Cook (Field) 

Feb. 1, 2017 - Tiffani Lewis (Field) 

Jan. 17, 2018 - Ty-Leah Hampton (Track) 

Jan. 31, 2018 - Autumn James (Field) 

Feb. 7, 2018 - Simone Williams (Field) 

Feb. 14, 2018 - Simone Williams (Field) 

Jan. 30, 2019 - Victoria Solheim (Field) 

Jan. 16, 2020 - Makaila McIntyre (Track) 

Feb. 12, 2020 - Rachel Rouse (Field) 

Jan. 25, 2023 - Imani Boyd (Field) 

Feb. 8, 2023 - Nytrinitey Jenkins (Track) 

Feb. 5, 2025 – Lexie Durban (Field)