USA Track & Field Awards

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Former Fighting Illini women's track & field standout Gia Lewis-Smallwood was named the USA Track & Field C.C. Jackson Field Athlete of the Year. Lewis-Smallwood was one of a number of individuals recognized by USATF at Thursday morning's Annual Meeting.

The C.C. Jackson Awards, named in memory of one of the foremost promoters of women's track & field, are presented each year to the top athlete in the running events and in the field events. Lewis-Smallwood becomes the first discus thrower to win the award since Stephanie Brown Trafton was honored in 2008.

"Gia had an historic, breakthrough season," acknowledged events coach Mike Turk. "Delegates from each of the USATF's 58 member associations, which include track and field members, officials, volunteers and fans, selected her for the award. Discus throwers, especially women, are often forgotten or overlooked so this is a tremendous honor for Gia."

Lewis-Smallwood had a tremendously successful season in the discus ring. At the USATF Nationals in July, she won her second straight discus title. A month later at the DecaNation, she set a new American record in the event with a throw of 69.17m (226' 11.25"), breaking Brown Trafton's record of 67.74m (222' 3"). A couple weeks after that performance, Lewis-Smallwood won the prestigious IAAF Continental Cup championship. She finished the year ranked second in the world, the highest ever ranking for American woman in the discus event.