June 18, 2007

Irving, Texas - Two of Conference USA's all-time great track and field student-athletes concluded their careers by earning the league's top individual honor. Ebonie Floyd of Houston and Rice's Pablo Solares were voted the 2007 C-USA Outdoor Female and Male Track and Field Athletes of the Year, respectively, following a vote of the league's head coaches.

Floyd capped off her career by earning All-America status at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The sprint specialist won silver in the 100m (11.28) and bronze in the 200m (22.65). She also ran anchor on the 4x100m relay team that placed 10th in the prelims.

2007 C-USA OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR RELEASE

Prior to nationals, the Houston, Texas, native clocked the second fastest time in the world of 22.32 in the 200m to set an NCAA Midwest Regional record. Floyd also won the 100m at Regionals to earn her United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association South Central Region Female Track Athlete of the Year accolades.

She set three C-USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship records when she won both the 200m (22.67) and 400m (51.74) and was on the winning 4x100 relay team (44.24). The senior also ran the final leg of the gold medal 4x400 relay (3:40.58) for a championship-best 25 points, earning her Performance of the Meet and High Point Scorer Awards. Floyd turned in four of the Cougars' nine individual titles won that weekend.

Solares capped off a sterling Rice career with three solid weekends of performances. He established a personal-best time of 3:40.22 in the 1,500m to place ninth at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Prior to that, he became just the second C-USA track athlete to win gold in record setting times in both the 800- and 1,500m races at the C-USA Outdoor Championships. The senior won the 1500m in 3:43.69, and less than 90 minutes later he out kicked pre-meet favorite Dominic Tanui of UTEP to take the 800m in 1:47.69. He also ran on the Owls' 4x400m relay, turning in the fastest split with a 47.8.

Solares broke one of the oldest Rice records on May 4 when he ran 3:40.34 for the 1,500m at the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., and he lowered the record again at the NCAA Championships.

Conference USA had one of its most successful track and field seasons as 34 student-athletes represented the league at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif. Twelve student-athletes captured 14 All-America honors lead by two-time All-Americans Floyd and Tulane's Gloria Asumnu. UTEP produced four All-Americans, followed by Houston's three, Rice and Tulane had two each. Tulsa and SMU produced one apiece.