MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Southern States Athletic Conference announced the 2026 SSAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week, with UT Southern's Jacob Sanchez earning SSAC Men's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week honors for the week of April 20–26.

Sanchez, a junior from Ardmore, Ala., delivered a standout performance at the SSAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, capturing the conference title in the javelin while setting a new conference record. His winning throw of 59.08 meters also met the NAIA "B" qualifying standard, solidifying his position as one of the top throwers in the league.

The honor marks the first weekly outdoor accolade of Sanchez's career and comes on the heels of a championship performance that played a key role in UT Southern's historic team finish at the conference meet.

Previous Winners (Track, Field)

Week 1: Ollie Brumfield IV (Loyola), Damirian Thompson (Mobile)
Week 2: Jaylyn Session (William Carey), Romaine Lewis (William Carey)
Week 3: Hollis Morton (Brewton-Parker), Keondre Glover (Life)
Week 4: Will McGough (Mobile), Darius Barge (Life)
Week 5: Bruno Villazon (UT Southern), Darius Barge (Life)
Week 6: Josh McKinlay (Life), Winston Sanders (Life)

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