rellie kaputin - special achievement award winner 2016
Rellie Kaputin - West Texas A&M University
Why Honored: Kaputin became the first athlete since Tommy Curry in 2012 to earn All-American honors in three different events at the same championships. Her 14 points at the championships is the most by any WT athlete in school history. She finished second in the triple jump with a mark of 42-0.75, which broke the school and Papa New Guinea national record.
She also finished sixth in the long and high jump. Kaputin set a new school record in the long jump with a leap of 20-5 on her fourth attempt.
Earned USTFCCCA First Team All-American and All-Region honors in all three of those events. Kaputin was awarded the Bob Noble Award that is given to the Outstanding Female Field Athlete of the Lone Star Conference Championships after winning the long and triple jump and finishing seventh in the high jump.
Quotable: "I have been working very hard to achieve my goals in all my competitions. Being honored with this special achievement award means a lot to me. At least I have something to bring back to my own country that will always remind me of being in Texas. Coming here to WT is like a dream come true. I enjoyed being in the classroom working hard every single day to get my degree and also I am so blessed to be part of the best track and field team. They are like family to me when I am far from home."
- Kaputin
