Clarksville, Tenn. – Freshman pole vaulter Savannah Amato, of the Austin Peay State University track and field team, has been named the Copies in a Flash APSU Athlete of the Week.
Amato became just the third vaulter in Austin Peay history to hit 13 feet in the pole vault, hitting 4.01m (13’ 1.75”) to take fourth at the Hilltopper Relays.
After clearing her first two attempts at 3.41m and 3.56m with ease, Amato needed all three attempts at 3.71m before clearing the bar on her final vault. She broke her own personal best on her second attempt at 3.86m before entering Austin Peay lore on her final attempt at 4.01m.
Aside from extending her conference lead in the event and placing her less than four inches from the Austin Peay outdoor record currently held by Austin Peay Athletics Hall of Famer Carrie Burggraf, Amato's mark has regional implications as well. Based on marks entering the weekend, she now ranks 28th in the NCAA East Region—firmly inside the top-48 to qualify for the NCAA East Preliminary in Jacksonville. And since 2010, no female athlete who has achieved the four-meter mark has failed to qualify for regional competition.
The Copies in a Flash APSU Athlete of the Week is selected by the APSU Sports Information staff each Wednesday during the academic year. Copies in a Flash, of Clarksville, sponsors the award.
Other notable performances by Austin Peay athletes included:
- Junior pitcher Alex Robles, of the baseball team, Robles handed league-leading Southeast Missouri its first OVC loss this season, allowing one run over eight innings. He allowed a lone unearned run in the first inning after three consecutive singles and an error. After surrendering a one-out single in the second, Robles would not allow another hit the rest of his outing. He held Southeast Missouri to a .143 batting average during the contest.
- Freshman Almantas Ozelis, of the men’s tennis team, was named men’s OVC Tennis Player of the Week after going 3-0 in singles as Austin Peay improved its OVC winning streak to five with victories over Murray State (6-1), Tennessee State (6-1) and Belmont (4-3). Ozelis was unbeaten overall in both singles and doubles combined at 6-0, including three doubles wins with teammate Aleh Drobysh.
