NEW ORLEANS, LA. - Indiana Wesleyan junior Princess Kara has been named the 2023 USTFCCCA NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Great Lakes Regional Athlete of the Year. Kara is the NAIA leader in the discus at 55.31m (181-6) and is in fifth place nationally in the shot put at 14.14m (46-4¾). The first year Wildcat hails from Port Harcourt, Nigeria and joined the track & field program after attending Central Arizona University for her first two years in college. Kara is the first Wildcat to receive this honor since the award's creation in 2016.

Kara will compete for a national title, starting out at the shot put at home in the 2023 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 25. She will continue the quest for a national title in the discus throw on Friday, May 26 at 1:00 p.m.   

 

COACH'S PERSPECTIVE

 

Princess has had a great season, and it's pretty cool for her to receive this recognition. On top of that, she's an awesome person with an amazing heart. We're excited to see how her season finishes this coming week at the national championship.
 

 

PREVIOUS ACHIEVEMNTS

 



Kara was the recipient of the Field National Women's Field Athlete of the Year in back-to-back years (2021, 2022) for the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field season. In 2022, Kara won the national title in the discus with 56.51m (185' 5") and earned runner-up honors in the shot put. Kara holds the discus NJCAA national record with 56.51m (185' 4.8"). 

To view the full release from the USTFCCCA, click HERE.

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