Philip Zoppi – Sports Writer
Michael Lee and Tresley Dupont of the men’s indoor track and field team both earned All-American honors at the NCAA Track and Field Championship on March 11.
To go along with his All-American honors, Lee also set a new Southern all-time record in the men’s triple jump with a jump of 15.87 meters. Lee said he was pleased with his results.
“This is something I’ve worked towards all year,” said Lee. “I work hard to be better every time I step on the runway. When the good competition is there it brings out the best in everyone, and it brought out the best in me that day.”
Fellow senior, Dupont, also found plenty of success at the NCAA Track and Field Championship. Dupont finished fifth overall in the men’s weight throw with a throw of 20.21 meters.
This was Dupont’s first All-American award in the men’s weight throw. He said this is one event that he will not be forgetting any time soon.
“It’s a great honor to be All-American,” said Dupont. “This all began in the beginning of the semester when I put my mind on it. It’s all about the progress, you got to fall in love with the progress.”
Dupont and Lee will go down as some of the best track and field stars the Owls has ever seen. Although they both enjoy a lot of individual success, Lee is worried about leaving the right kind of message for the underclassmen so they can keep the legacy and message of Southern track and field going.
“We just want to let all of them know that the sky is the limit,” said Lee when referring to the underclassmen on the team. “We want to leave high marks and be leaders like the seniors did for us when Tresley and I were underclassmen.”
Lee is the more vocal of the two, but Dupont has said that he has really made it a point to try and lead by example so that the underclassmen on the team know how things should be done.
“The legacy I’m trying to leave behind for the team is it doesn’t matter what you do or who’s better than you,” said Dupont. “All that matters is the work you put in the weight room, on the track, or in the circle.”
To go along with his All-American weight throw, Dupont started his day with a first place finish in heat.
All-American is not new to Lee, since it’s his third time earning All-American honors during his Southern career. Yet, that is not the most impressive part of Lee’s career that will be remembered. Lee not only owns the all-time record in the men’s triple jump at Southern, but the long jump record as well.
Having his name etched into Southern’s record books is something that Lee is very proud of.
“When I got to Southern I told some of coaches and closest friends that I want to be the best jumper to ever leave Southern,” said Lee. “Now that I’ve kind of done that, it’s a blessing and I’m definitely hyped that I’m doing that.”
Lee and Dupont’s Southern careers are slowly coming to an end, as they only have the rest of the outdoor season left until they finally close the curtains on track and field.
Not only that, but Lee and Dupont both said they hope to leave a lasting impact on Southern’s track and field program.
Photo Credit: SCSU Athletic Communications
PHOTO: Tresley Dupont
