AUBURN, Ala.—Auburn junior distance runner Joyce Kimeli was named the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year, the conference office announced. Kimeli joined LSU's Lisa Gunnarsson and Florida's Thomas Mardal to receive the honor which is determined by a vote of the league head coaches.
Kimeli has a 3.24 grade point average, and she is a senior majoring in exercise science. She has been a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and is currently ranked No. 2 in the NCAA in the 3000m steeplechase and No. 11 in the 1500m. The Eldoret, Kenya, native owns seven Auburn school records (two outdoor, five indoor) with three coming in 2021.
Kimeli is the first Auburn female track and field athlete to win the honor from the conference office and first Tiger to receive the award since Ty McCormack was the cross country SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2014.
The SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships will take place Thursday-Saturday in Bryan-College Station, Texas.
2021 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards
Women's Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Joyce Kimeli, Auburn
Women's Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Lisa Gunnarsson, LSU
Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Thomas Mardal, Florida
