HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point University junior Natalia Ocasio has been named the Big South Track Athlete of the Week, while senior Jill Marois garnered Big South Field Athlete of the Week accolades, as announced by the conference Wednesday.
 
Ocasio shattered her own school record in the 3000m steeplechase while leading the Purple & White at the Virginia Challenge Friday. The strong race earned her a sixth-place finish in the heat and 15^th overall in one of the strongest steeple events in the nation. Ocasio's excellent time of 10:29.27 is second best in Big South history and ranks No. 26 in the NCAA East Region this season.
 
After setting a new record of 4.02m (13-2.25) at last weekend's Big South Triangular, Marois upped her mark by another .01 meters Saturday at the Duke Invitational, clearing 4.03m (13-2.5) to place fourth in an excellent field. Marois is in good position to earn her first ever NCAA preliminary berth later this season in Jacksonville.
 
Ocasio is part of an HPU track & field unit currently competing at the Penn Relays Thursday-Saturday in Philadelphia, Pa.
 
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