CLEMSON, S.C. — After setting the school record in the women’s 1k during last weekend’s Hokie Invitational, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced earlier today that Laurie Barton was named the ACC Women’s Co-Track Performer of the Week. Barton captured her third individual victory while at Clemson as a result of her record-setting performance. Clemson’s middle-distance star shares this week’s honor with Georgia Tech’s Nicole Fegans.
As the lone Tiger in the women’s 1k, Barton ran an inspired race from the gun and was rewarded for her aggressive tactics with a dominant first-place finish. Barton’s final time of 2:42.51 broke Natoya Goule’s previous record of 2:43.03 set during the 2015 indoor campaign. Goule went on to capture the NCAA Division I indoor title in the women’s 800 meters that season, running 2:01.64 in the NCAA final to set the school record in the event. Barton’s no stranger to running fast this season, as her 2:05.10 in the 800 meters from the Clemson Invitational continues to rank No. 2 in the country.
Barton is now tied with Point Park’s (Pa.) Anna Shields (2019) and Texas’ Tara Arnold (1985) for the 12th-fastest collegiate all-time indoor mark for the event. Barton is also the third-fastest woman in ACC history for the indoor 1k.
During the opening three weeks of the season, Clemson has garnered a share of the conference’s women’s track honor each week. The Tigers have earned four weekly honors from the ACC early on in the 2021 campaign.
Clemson will return to action by hosting the Bob Pollock Invitational on Jan. 29-30 at the Clemson Indoor Track & Field Complex. For all of the most up-to-date information regarding Clemson’s track and field program, be sure to reference clemsontigers.com and follow @ClemsonTrackXC on Twitter.
