[break] [break] Williams was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I Women’s National Athlete of the Week as well as the Southeastern Conference Women’s Field Athlete of the Week.
[break] [break] Orji garnered SEC Women’s Freshman of the Week honors for the third time this season after her performance at Virginia Tech’s Rector Field House.
[break] [break] This trio of honors comes on the heels of the Lady Bulldogs garnering their first No. 1 national ranking, courtesy of the latest USTFCCCA poll released on Monday. The Georgia women had topped out at No. 4 in the previous two polls before shooting past Florida for the top spot this week. The Georgia men are currently ranked No. 8 in the latest poll.
[break] [break] This news comes with the SEC Indoor Championships arriving in Lexington, Ky., on February 27-28. The NCAA Championships will be run in Fayetteville, Ark., on March 13-14.
[break] [break] Holding nearly a 200-point edge in the national pentathlon standings, Williams, a native of Marietta, Ga., set a new personal best in the long jump and matched the fastest time of her career in the 60-meter hurdles to pick up two wins at the VT Elite Meet.
[break] [break] Williams bounced back from an opening foul in the long jump to travel 21 feet, ¾ inches on her second try. However, Orji traveled a personal-best distance of 21-2 on her third attempt and Williams then managed to answer Orji’s effort with a career-long and national-leading mark of 21-5.50 in the third round.
[break] [break] This effort puts Williams as the No. 2 U.S. performer (No. 15 worldwide) this year with the second-best jump in Georgia history, trailing only 2008 Olympic silver medalist Hyleas Fountain (21-7.25, 2004 NCAA Championships).
[break] [break] Williams also equaled her fastest time in the 60 hurdles of 8.21 to cruise to the open event victory. Her time ranks ninth nationally (second in the SEC) and tied her 8.21 set at last year’s NCAA Championships during her run to a collegiate record in the pentathlon. Her 8.21 also matches her No. 2 time on the Lady Bulldog all-time top-10 list.
[break] [break] In addition, Williams is fifth on the national list with a clearance of 6-0.75 in the high jump.
[break] [break] Orji battled Williams and came away with a runner-up finish in the long jump with a personal-best mark at the meet. She posted four jumps that measured at least 20 feet, 5 inches, including her mark of 21-2 that came on her third attempt. Orji took the lead in the competition with her 21-2 before the national leader and Orji’s roommate answered with an effort of 21-5.50.
[break] [break] Orji now stands fourth nationally (only freshman in the top 10) and is fifth in the school record books with two current Lady Bulldogs ahead of her (Chanice Porter, Williams). Orji also remains the national leader in the triple jump by 8 inches with a mark of 45-10.50.
[break] [break] Georgia travels to its last regular season meets this weekend. The majority of the Bulldogs make the trip to the site of the NCAA Championships for the Tyson Invitational while the distance corps will travel across the country to compete at the Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash.
[break] [break] Live and full results and a recap from this weekend’s meets will be located at georgiadogs.com. Updates from this meet and throughout the season will be posted on Twitter at @UGA_XCTF.