Crimson & Gray Awards | CGA Finalists List

INDIANA, Pa. – Sophomore pole vaulter DJ Horton (Kane, Pa./Kane Area) has been awarded the 2016-17 IUP Men's Performance of the Year. The honor was announced on Tuesday, June 6 by the IUP Athletic Department.
 
The award is part of the newly established Crimson & Gray Awards, which recognize the top athletes, coaches, teams and performances of the IUP Athletics season.
 
The Performance of the Year Award is in its first year of existence.
 
Horton had arguably his best collegiate performance this spring, as he broke his own IUP outdoor record with a vault of 5.20 meters (17-0.75) at the 123rd Penn Relays in Philadelphia on April 29.
 
The vault was an automatic qualifying mark, as he officially punched his ticket to the 2017 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. The third best height in Division II at the time, it ended up being the fifth highest in the country by the end of the year and the best mark of any PSAC or Atlantic Region vaulter.
 
The 5.20 meter vault was tied for the second highest at the Penn Relays, finishing ahead of several top Division I vaulters.
 
It broke his old mark of 5.10 meters, which he set in April 2016.
 
About the Crimson & Gray Awards
The Crimson & Gray Awards consist of 18 total categories - nine women, nine men - with top performers and performances from the 2016-17 year eligible. The inaugural year of awards include: Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Performance of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Breakthrough Athlete of the Year, Postseason Performer of the Year, Senior of the Year, Team of the Year and Athlete of the Year.
 
The IUP Sports Information Office collected award nominations from its coaches and others within the athletic department. Those nominations were then voted on within the office to choose 3-to-5 finalists for each award, which were announced on May 24. Members of the IUP Sports Information Office and Athletic Department took part in the voting process for the nominees and finalists, with the winners announced over a two-week period starting June 5 on IUPAthletics.com.
 
Up next
The 2016-17 IUP Men's Performance of the Year will be announced at 2:30 p.m. today. The men's and women's Freshman of the Year winners will be announced on Wednesday.
 
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